Patients with advanced cancers to take part in promising MUHC clinical trial

A patient sees a doctor. (Thirdman/pexels.com)

Patients with certain advanced cancers could be the first in Canada to test a new therapy at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC).

The hospital network explains that some patients with metastatic pancreatic, lung and breast cancers are being invited to follow in the footsteps of a previous global trial for metastatic prostate cancer, dubbed the LuMIERE clinical trial.

“We are leading the charge in bringing radioligand therapy to Canadian cancer patients,” said Dr. Ramy Saleh, medical director of oncology clinical trials at the Centre for Innovative Medicine (CIM) of the Research Institute at the MUHC. “This trial is a major milestone that reinforces our role as a national leader in nuclear precision medicine. Our goal is clear: to offer new hope and innovative experimental treatment options to patients who have exhausted conventional therapies.”

The MUHC explains that, unlike chemotherapy, immunotherapy or traditional radiation therapy, radioligand therapy (RTL) utilizes elements called ligands (ions or neutral molecules) and radioisotopes to target and kill cancer cells in the body.

This would be the trial’s second phase, following the “positive results” of phase one, in addition to preclinical studies showing “significant anti-tumour activity.”

“Radioligand therapy is an exciting new frontier in oncology,” said Saleh. “Our commitment is to push the boundaries of cancer treatment and bring cutting-edge clinical trials to our patients here in Quebec and in Canada.”

Radioligand therapy involves administering the [177Lu] Lu FAP 2286 drug intravenously to participants of the trial, targeting fibroblast activating proteins (FAPs).

“This therapy is designed to zero in on FAPs, ensuring the radioactive treatment reaches cancer cells while sparing normal tissue,” explains Dr. Farzad Abbaspour, head of the MUHC Nuclear Medicine Division. “This level of precision could redefine cancer treatment as we know it.”

Participants will first undergo PET scans to confirm the presence of FAPs before being confirmed as part of the trial.

The therapy requires an injection every four weeks for a maximum of four to six injections.

In comparison, immunotherapy treatment typically lasts for at least two years, whereas chemotherapy treatment can be ongoing for a lifetime.

Once the work is done, the radioligands are simply eliminated by the body.

The goal, says Saleh, is to extend patients’ lifespans and improve their quality of life.

He adds that there is still no cure for advanced cancers.

People eligible for the trial include those with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and breast cancer.

With files from The Canadian Press.