HCRN study explores investigational vaccine therapy for metastatic colorectal cancer
Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey is offering a Hoosier Cancer Research Network clinical trial (HCRN GI16-288) targeting an advanced form of colorectal cancer with a combination vaccine/immunotherapy treatment. The standard way of treating colorectal cancer that has spread to the liver or has recurred is with a combination of chemotherapy and removal of the […]
New study compares chemotherapy options with nivolumab in cisplatin-ineligible metastatic bladder cancer
A new Hoosier Cancer Research Network study may help researchers determine whether the choice of chemotherapy regimens used in combination with the immunotherapy drug nivolumab could make a difference in outcomes for patients with metastatic bladder cancer. Standard treatment for metastatic bladder cancer, also known as urothelial carcinoma, usually involves cisplatin-based chemotherapy. However, a large […]
Stansbury brings advocate’s perspective to HCRN Board
“Cancer is the best thing that ever happened to me. It certainly changed my life for the better.” This perspective, shared by cancer research advocate and HCRN board member Ted Stansbury, may seem counterintuitive. But to Stansbury, the experience with cancer opened him to a greater awareness of what really mattered. [Photo: Ted Stansbury with […]
Junior IU oncologist presents oral abstract at world’s leading oncology group
Story provided courtesy of IU Simon Cancer Center. Less than two years ago, Greg Durm, MD, was finishing up his hematology-oncology fellowship at IU School of Medicine. Now he has delivered an oral presentation at the world’s leading organization for oncology professionals. Dr. Durm presented an oral abstract about a Phase II lung cancer clinical […]
LUN14-179 accepted as ASCO oral presentation
Hoosier Cancer Research Network’s LUN14-179 study was accepted as an oral presentation to the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, June 1-5, 2018, at the McCormick Place in Chicago.
HCRN announces ASCO 2018 meeting schedule
Hoosier Cancer Research Network will host meetings for Clinical Trial Working Groups during ASCO 2018. The following meetings will be at the Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza River North, 350 West Mart Center Drive, Chicago, Ill. See map. All times are CT. Refreshments will be served at all meetings.
Reps for Research raises more than $3,400
For the fourth consecutive year, Christopher A. Fausel, PharmD, challenged his friends, colleagues, and local businesses to support Hoosier Cancer Research Network through his participation in the annual Arnold Sports Festival 5K Pump and Run event. The 2018 event was held March 5 in Columbus, Ohio. Fausel competes each year in the 5K Pump and […]
Turner Award winner reflects on the gift of presence in oncology care
“Oncology is not for the faint of heart. It can be filled with a lot of joy, but there are really sad moments. You must have a way to manage those emotions, acknowledge them, and address them in a way that allows you to be there for a patient or a family. Though you have […]
Annual Report: A Message From our Chief Scientific Officer
Veterans of clinical research know that we have entered a new era in which clinical trials are more targeted than ever to specific, biomarker-defined patient populations. This shift reflects the greater trend in healthcare toward personalized therapy, and is evidenced in the concepts that come to HCRN. Investigators understand that clinical trials based on biomarker-selected […]
Annual Report: A Message from our Chairman of the Board
2017 was an extraordinary year of growth for HCRN — both in terms of numbers and in the quality of engagement with our network collaborators. More top academic research institutions and key opinion leaders joined our network in 2017, enriching the scientific strength and energy of each of our disease-specific clinical trial working groups. The […]
Hashemi honored for contributions to GU oncology research
A remarkable thing happens when someone contributes to a cause bigger than oneself. But even more profound is the call to do so. That this calling goes beyond time and space is evident in oncology, where it echoes across generations and nations. This call continues to be answered, as proven by significant contributions and those […]
Loman receives Sandra Turner Excellence in Clinical Research Award
Cancer research, as complex and technical an endeavor as it is, involves real people, and no matter what resources are expended, it is the human element that sustains it and propels it forward. HCRN annually recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding commitment to cancer research, patient care, and advocacy. At a recent event, HCRN honored […]
Reps for Research raises the bar for research funding
For the fourth consecutive year, Hoosier Cancer Research Network chairman Christopher A. Fausel, PharmD, is encouraging his friends, colleagues, and local businesses to support HCRN through a unique challenge event. Fausel competes each year in the Arnold Sports Festival Pump & Run 5K in Columbus, Ohio, a combination event that includes bench-pressing and a 5K […]
The art of advocacy
“With cancer comes recognition of the fact that death is real, that you only are blest with so many days, and you only have so much time. But you also realize that you get to make choices about how you spend this measured time. When my diagnosis came, I decided how I wanted to spend […]
HCRN honors four with annual awards
Hoosier Cancer Research Network honored four individuals for their outstanding contributions to clinical research and advocacy during its annual holiday and awards dinner Nov. 30 in Indianapolis.
Award advances retrospective analysis of HCRN LUN14-179
Investigators working on the HCRN LUN14-179 study, which involved the use of concurrent chemoradiation with consolidation pembrolizumab for unresectable stage III non-small cell lung cancer, anticipated that some patients would experience pneumonitis. But they did not know which of their patients might be more susceptible than others. To learn more about the rates of pneumonitis […]
Alistar a compassionate innovator in GI cancer research
Angela Alistar, MD, has long considered both the emotional and physical well-being of patients as mutually paramount. A medical oncologist with Atlantic Hematology Oncology, Atlantic Medical Group, and the medical director of GI Medical Oncology at Carol G. Simon Cancer Center at Morristown Medical Center, Dr. Alistar held this conviction even before she pursued a […]
Gianaris Pancreatic Cancer Symposium is Nov. 16
The Indiana University School of Medicine will host the Andrea Gianaris Pancreatic Cancer Symposium on Thursday, Nov. 16, 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Walther Hall, room 203. The half-day symposium is free and provides 3.5 CME credit hours. The symposium features the leading pancreatic surgeon in the country, Keith Lillemoe, MD, chief of surgery […]
Researchers test combination immunotherapy in mucosal melanoma
Mucosal melanoma is a rare form of cancer, constituting about 1 percent of all melanoma cases. The disease arises from the pigment-producing melanocytes present in the body’s mucosal tissue, and is most commonly found in the head and neck region, anorectal region, and female genital tract. Unlike the far more common cutaneous melanomas, mucosal melanomas […]
Hoeppner Award recipient Lutane knows what it takes to get the job done
Hoosier Cancer Research Network recently honored Billye Lutane with the Terry Hoeppner Patient Advocacy Award. Lutane is a buyer for University Hospital, Riley Hospital, and the IU Simon Cancer Center. But more than that, she is a pillar within IU Health, having served for 35 years. Like past recipients of the Hoeppner award, Lutane has […]
Caris Life Sciences selected to perform genomic profiling for UC-GENOME study
The Bladder Cancer Genomics Consortium (BCGC) and Hoosier Cancer Research Network today announced the selection of Caris Life Sciences® to perform genomic profiling for UC-GENOME, a large-scale genomically driven bladder cancer study. The study, also known as HCRN GU15-217, is the first project of the BCGC, a collaborative effort between the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network […]
Genomic analysis and biorepository research study takes aim at metastatic bladder cancer
Hoosier Cancer Research Network is partnering with the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network (BCAN) to conduct a large-scale bladder cancer genomic analysis and biorepository research study. Known as UC-GENOME (HCRN GU15-217), the research study is the first project of the Bladder Cancer Genomics Consortium (BCGC), a collaborative effort between BCAN and major medical centers. The BCGC’s […]
HCRN study tests mFOLFIRINOX combined with ramucirumab in advanced pancreatic cancer
Researchers investigating many types of cancers have celebrated significant breakthroughs over the years. Yet, some cancers lag well behind these successes. Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most difficult to treat cancers. In 2016, about 53,000 new pancreatic cancer cases were diagnosed in the United States, and nearly 42,000 people died of their disease. Despite […]
Study tests combination immunotherapy in advanced bile duct cancer
Cholangiocarcinoma, also known as bile duct cancer, is steadily rising in incidence worldwide. Symptoms often go undetected until the disease is far advanced. Surgical resection of tumors is considered the best approach toward attempting a cure, but less than half of patients whose tumors are surgically resected survive past five years, and those whose tumors […]
Study tests nivolumab, ipilimumab in treatment-naive kidney cancer
Hoosier Cancer Research Network (HCRN) announces the opening of a study for patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma who have not received prior treatment for their kidney cancer. The phase II clinical trial, known as HCRN GU16-260, involves front-line therapy with nivolumab and salvage therapy with nivolumab and ipilimumab. The study may help researchers determine […]
HCRN study compares sequence of immunotherapy and anti-angiogenic drugs in metastatic kidney cancer
A new Hoosier Cancer Research Network study may help researchers learn whether the order in which two drugs are given has any effect on progression-free survival — the length of time it takes for cancer to grow or spread. The randomized phase II study, known as HCRN GU15-223, will compare overall progression-free survival for two […]
IUSCC highlights HCRN, Big Ten CRC in visit with acting director of NCI
The Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center hosted Doug Lowy, the acting director of the National Cancer Institute, for a full-day visit on June 28. (Photo: Drs. Bryan Schneider (left) and Milan Radovich (middle) explain their work on the next generation of personalized medicine with Dr. Doug Lowy, acting director of the National Cancer […]
Richardson brings relentless dedication to patient care
The Sandra Turner Excellence in Clinical Research Award was established in 2002 by Dr. William B. Fisher through the George and Sarah Jane Fisher Fund to honor the memory of Sandra Turner, the first executive director of Hoosier Cancer Research Network. Each year the organization selects individuals for the award who exemplify the qualities Sandra […]
Three HCRN studies accepted to ASCO 2017
Abstracts from three Hoosier Cancer Research Network studies were accepted to the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2017 Annual Meeting, June 2-6 at the McCormick Place in Chicago. The studies include LUN14-179 (poster session and discussion), GU14-206 (poster session and discussion), and GI14-186 (poster session).
Gbolahan receives Fisher Young Investigator Award
Hoosier Cancer Research Network, formerly known as Hoosier Oncology Group, recently honored Olumide Gbolahan, MD, as the 2016 recipient of the George and Sarah Jane Fisher Young Investigator Award. Dr. Gbolahan grew up in Nigeria where his interest in medicine took root in high school. “My aptitude was really more toward the health sciences, biology core […]
HCRN chairman and donors team up to advance research
This spring, Hoosier Cancer Research Network Chairman Christopher A. Fausel, PharmD, invited friends and colleagues to join him in a unique challenge called Reps for Research. For the third consecutive year, Fausel added value to his participation in the Arnold Sports Festival’s 5K Pump and Run event, held March 5 in Columbus, Ohio, by inviting […]
Study tests safety, efficacy of pembrolizumab and Y90 in locally advanced hepatocellular carcinoma
Hepatocellular carcinoma is an aggressive cancer that is often difficult to treat due to the typical accompanying diagnosis of cirrhosis. For patients who qualify for curative treatment, surgery and liver transplant may be considered. However, most patients are not eligible for curative therapy, and instead may be offered liver-directed or systemic therapies that may extend […]
Loehrer to receive ASCO visionary leader award
The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) will honor Hoosier Cancer Research Network co-founder Patrick J. Loehrer, Sr., MD, FASCO, with the inaugural Allen S. Lichter Visionary Leader Award and Lecture during the ASCO annual meeting, June 2-6 in Chicago. ASCO created the award in 2016 to recognize members who have transformed the oncology field […]
HCRN meetings at ASCO
Hoosier Cancer Research Network will host meetings for Clinical Trial Working Groups during ASCO 2017. The following meetings will be at the Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza River North, 350 West Mart Center Drive, Chicago, Ill. See map.
Results from three HCRN studies presented at GU ASCO
Three Hoosier Cancer Research Network studies were featured in poster sessions during the 2017 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium, Feb. 16-18 in Orlando.
Ellis honored for commitment and compassion
Serving others has been a lifetime calling for Cara Ellis. As a child, her parents taught her to appreciate what she had and to make the most of every opportunity. “I remember my father saying that he would love for his children to do some type of work where we are helping others,” Ellis recalls. […]
Ansari reflects on success and change in community oncology
In 1984, a small group of community-based oncologists and faculty members at the Indiana University Cancer Center came together with a shared mission: bring academic and community physicians together to develop cancer trials tailored to community needs. Thus, the Hoosier Cancer Research Network (formerly Hoosier Oncology Group) was founded. Meet Rafat H. Ansari, MD, FACP, […]
HCRN chairman launches third “Reps” challenge
For the third consecutive year, Hoosier Cancer Research Network chairman Christopher A. Fausel, PharmD, is combining his passion for investigator-initiated research with his annual participation in the Arnold Sports Festival Pump & Run 5K in Columbus, Ohio. Fausel has participated in the annual strength and endurance event for several years, and is inviting pledges in […]
Study compares chemotherapy with or without nivolumab in advanced non-small cell lung cancer
A new study led by researchers at the Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center may help answer questions about the role of immunotherapy in combination with chemotherapy in treating lung cancer patients whose disease did not response to immunotherapy. The randomized phase II study, known as HCRN LUN15-233, involves chemotherapy with or without […]
Fisher honored for lifetime of service
For more than four decades, William B. Fisher, MD, a medical oncologist at the IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital Cancer Center, has served cancer patients, their families, and the community of East Central Indiana. Dr. Fisher was one of six oncologists who founded Hoosier Cancer Research Network (known then as the Hoosier Oncology Group) in […]
OncoGenex announces positive survival results for GU12-160 study
OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has announced positive survival results from the final analysis of the Phase 2 Borealis-2™ trial of apatorsen in combination with docetaxel treatment that enrolled 200 patients with metastatic bladder cancer whose disease had progressed following first-line platinum-based chemotherapy. The trial, also known as HCRN GU12-160, was conducted by the Hoosier Cancer Research […]
Wayne joins HCRN Board of Directors
Hoosier Cancer Research Network (HCRN), a nonprofit cancer research organization in Indianapolis, recently welcomed Chris Wayne, vice president of oncology at Community Health Network, as a member of its Board of Directors. A native Hoosier, Chris has about 25 years of experience in healthcare administration, mostly in oncology operations and strategic planning. “I’ve been fortunate […]
HCRN study tests efficacy of supportive therapy with ginseng for patients receiving regorafenib
A new Hoosier Cancer Research Network study is evaluating whether ginseng can help lessen fatigue in patients treated with regorafenib. The study, known as GI14-191, builds on earlier research that showed daily use of American ginseng significantly decreased the level of fatigue experienced by cancer patients undergoing treatment. GI14-191 focuses on patients receiving regorafenib for […]
Research Advocacy Network: the patient advocate’s advocate
The word “advocate” comes from the Latin “ad” meaning “to” and “vocare” meaning “voice”: “to voice.” In the fight against cancer, patient advocates are those who act as a voice on behalf of cancer patients. “Advocates channel the passion they have for making a difference for cancer patients,” according to the Research Advocacy Network. The […]
Mantravadi reflects on innovation, collaboration in radiation oncology
Hoosier Cancer Research Network (formerly Hoosier Oncology Group) was founded in 1984 by a small group of community-based oncologists and faculty members at the Indiana University Cancer Center. Together, our founders had a vision to bring academic and community physicians together to develop cancer trials tailored to community needs. R. Prasad Mantravadi, MD, FACR, FACRO, […]
Courage to Climb benefit concert brings community together
Columbus North High School in Columbus, Ind., will host the 2016 Courage to Climb concert on Saturday, Aug. 13, at 7 p.m. in the high school’s Erne Auditorium. The annual benefit concert, now in its seventh year, honors Columbus North choir director and cancer survivor Janie Gordon. Tickets are $15 at the door. Proceeds from […]
HCRN study combines bone-targeting drug with androgen deprivation therapy for metastatic prostate cancer
Hoosier Cancer Research Network (HCRN) announces the launch of a cancer clinical trial for subjects with newly diagnosed metastatic prostate cancer with bone metastases. The study, known as GU13-170, will compare the good and bad effects of adding Radium-223 dichloride, a bone-targeted drug, to androgen deprivation therapy, the usual treatment for this type of cancer. […]
New study evaluates efficacy of immunotherapy drug in treatment of incurable germ cell tumors
Hoosier Cancer Research Network (HCRN) recently launched a cancer clinical trial evaluating the efficacy of the PDL-1 inhibiting drug pembrolizumab in the treatment of patients with incurable platinum refractory germ cell tumors. The study, known as HCRN GU14-206, is now open to accrual at the Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center. This is […]
Four HCRN studies accepted to ASCO 2016
Abstracts from four Hoosier Cancer Research Network studies were accepted to the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2016 Annual Meeting, June 3-7 at the McCormick Place in Chicago. The studies include GU12-157 (poster session), GU14-188 (poster session), GU14-202 (poster session), and LUN14-179 (publication-only abstract).
Focus on Research Scholar Program 2016
Research Advocacy Network is now accepting applications for the 2016 Focus on Research Scholar Program. It is a time in cancer research for advocates to be prepared for opportunities to represent the patient voice. The Focus on Research Scholar Program is an excellent preparation or refresher to improve knowledge and skills. Research Advocacy Network has some exciting plans […]
