Call Today

1-888-663-3488

COVID-19 Safety Precautions: Find the Latest Visitor and Mask Policies. Le arn More

October Marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October 06, 2009

Moffitt Cancer Center Experts Available For Comment

WHAT: Moffitt physicians are available during October to discuss the latest on breast cancer prevention, screening, treatment and research.

WHO: Dr. Christine Laronga, M.D., F.A.C.S., program leader of the Don and Erika Wallace Comprehensive Breast Program

Dr. Hyo (Heather) S. Han, M.D., assistant member of the breast program

Dr. Roohi Ismail-Khan, M.D., assistant member of the breast program

Dr. Nazanin Khakpour, M.D., F.A.C.S., assistant member of the breast program

Dr. John V. Kiluk, M.D., assistant member of the breast program who specializes in male breast cancer

Dr. M. Catherine Lee, M.D., assistant member of the breast program

Dr. Loretta Loftus, M.D., senior member of the breast program

Dr. Susan E. Minton, D.O., associate member of the breast program

Dr. Tuya Pal, M.D., associate member of the breast program

Dr. Hatem Soliman, M.D., assistant member of the breast program

Dr. Rebecca Sutphen, M.D., director of the Genetic Counseling & Testing Service

CONTACT:Patty Kim, media relations coordinator, can be reached at (813) 745-7322 or patty.kim@moffitt.org.

STATISTICS: In 2009, an estimated 192,370 women and 1,910 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer. One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime.

Risk factors for developing breast cancer include older age, menstruating at an early age, older age at first birth or never having given birth, family history of breast cancer, breast tissue that is dense on a mammogram, hormone therapy, drinking alcoholic beverages and being Caucasian. To help prevent breast cancer, women should exercise regularly to maintain a healthy weight and limit their alcohol consumption.

STUDIES:|Phase III Trial of Bisphosphonates as Adjuvant Therapy for Primary Breast Cancer (MCC 14937) Principle Investigator: Loretta Loftus, MD

The purpose of this study is to find out if adding an investigational drug (bisphosphonate) to hormonal therapy or chemotherapy will help prevent cancer from spreading to the bones or other parts of the body. Bisphosphonates are a group of drugs that have strong effects on bones and have been shown to strengthen them in many patients who take them. Clodronate and ibandronate are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for this disease.

Women with primary invasive breast adenocarcinoma (stages I, II or III) with no evidence of metastatic disease are encouraged to contact Angela Stephens, BS, CCRP, 813-745-1807, for more information about eligibility criteria.

|Liposuction for Arm Lymphedema Following Breast Cancer Surgery (MCC 14728) Principle Investigator: Christine Laronga, MD, PhD

The purpose of this study is to determine if a less invasive procedure such as liposuction can be used to effectively reduce arm lymphedema (swelling of the arm) resulting from breast cancer treatment. The standard surgery involves the removal of large portions of skin and tissue leaving a large scar. This less invasive procedure (liposuction) uses 3 to 4 tiny puncture sites and a vacuum tube, leaving minimal scars.

Women who have undergone breast cancer surgery and who have lymphedema (stage 2 or 3) with no signs of active infection are candidates for the procedure. Patients must be free of active disease recurrence at study entry. For more information, contact Dr. Mira (Mensura) Lacevic, CRC, 813-745-8304 for more information about eligibility criteria.

|Phase II Trial of Suberoylanilide Hydroxamic Acid (SAHA, vorinostat) in Combination with Tamoxifen for Patients with Advanced Breast Cancer Who Have Failed Prior Anti-Hormonal Therapy (MCC 14662) Principle Investigator: Susan Minton, DO

The purpose of this study is to find out if patients with breast cancer that has spread,

will benefit from adding the new drug vorinostat to the old drug tamoxifen.
what effects (good and bad) vorinostat combined with tamoxifen may have on breast cancer.
what changes this combination of drugs may cause in blood and tumor cells.

Patients with measurable locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer, which is estrogen- or progresterone- receptor positive, are encouraged to call Dr. Mira (Mensura) Lacevic, CRC, 813-745-8304 for more information about eligibility criteria.

|Phase II, Randomized, Double-Blind, Multicenter Study of Exemestane With and Without SNDX-275 in Postmenopausal Women with Locally Recurrent or Metastatic Estrogen Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer, Progressing on Treatment with a Non-Steroidal Aromatase Inhibitor (MCC 15435) Principle Investigator: Roohi Ismail-Khan, MD

The purpose of this study is:

to evaluate the safety of the experimental drug SNDX-275 when it is given with the approved drug exemestane (Aromasin®) and
to see if it will lengthen the amount of time until further progression of disease.

Postmenopausal women with estrogen-receptor positive breast cancer who have recurred or progressed on prior treatment with an aromatase inhibitor are encouraged to contact Dr. Mira (Mensura) Lacevic, CRC, 813-745-8304 for more information about eligibility criteria.

|3-D Ultrasound for Assessment of Treatment Effect in Neo-adjuvant Breast Cancer Patients: a Phase II Trial (MCC 15617) Principle Investigator: Marie Catherine Lee, MD

The purpose of this study is to see if a picture of the patient’s breast taken with a 3D ultrasound will provide a better image than a regular ultrasound or an MRI (Magnetic resonance imaging).

Patients with histologically confirmed invasive breast cancer and consent to undergo a standard neo-adjuvant chemotherapy regimen that will be administered at Moffitt Cancer Center are encouraged to contact Dr. Mira (Mensura) Lacevic, CRC, 813-745-8304 for more information about eligibility criteria.

|Phase II Evaluation of a Once Every 28 Days Dosing Regimen for LY573636-Sodium in Patients with Metastatic Breast Cancer (MCC 15998) Principle Investigator: Hatem Soliman, MD

The purpose of this study is to estimate the response rate for LY573636 in patients with metastatic breast cancer who have received two or more prior treatment regimens. For more information, contact Dr. Mira (Mensura) Lacevic, CRC, 813-745-8304 for more information about eligibility criteria.

|A Study to Establish Proof-of-Biology for MK-0646 in Breast Cancer (MCC 15667) Principle Investigator: Roohi Ismail-Khan, MD

The purpose of this study is to:

Find out if a new drug called MK-0646 can change the biology of the patient's tumor.
Find out if the change in the biology of the patient's tumor from MK-0646 is related to whether the tumor has a protein called IGF1R.
Find out if MK-0646 causes formation of a type of antibody (a protein that attacks foreign particles in the body).
Measure how much drug is in the patient's body and how it relates to the change in the biology of the tumor.

Women with operable stage I to IIIa invasive breast cancer that is ER, PR, and HER2 negative are encouraged to seek more information by contacting Leticia Tetteh, BSN, 813-745-4617.

|Phase I Open-Label, Dose-Escalation, Safety, Pharmacokinetic, and Pharmacodynamic Study of CNF2024 as a Single-Agent Treatment in Subjects with HER2- Advanced Breast Cancer or in Combination with Trastuzumab in Subjects with HER2+ Advanced Breast Cancer (MCC 15002) Principle Investigator: Roohi Ismail-Khan, MD

The purpose of this study is to find the highest dose of the drug CNF2024 that can be given safely, measure levels of CNF2024 in the blood, and determine if CNF2024 can stop breast cancer cells from growing.

Patients who have had disease progression on at least one standard hormonal or chemotherapeutic regimen for advanced metastatic adenocarcinoma of the breast are encouraged to call Luz Diez, BSN, 813-745-4625, for further information about eligibility for this study.

|A Phase I Investigation of the Combination of MK-2206, Trastuzumab and Lapatinib in HER2+ Solid Tumors (MCC 15999) Principle Investigator: Hyo Han, MD

The purpose of this study is to test the safety of the research study drug, MK-2206 in combination with the drugs trastuzumab (Herceptin®) and lapatinib (Tykerb®).

Patients with locally advanced or metastatic HER2+ solid tumors, which may include, but are not limited to, breast cancer, gastric cancer, ovarian cancer, NSCLC and others, are encouraged to contact Kathy Sergi, RN, 813-745-4616, for more information about eligibility.

|A Phase I Dose Escalation Study of MK-2206 in Combination with Standard Doses of Selected Chemotherapies or Targeted Agents in Patients with Locally Advanced or Metastatic Solid Tumors (MCC 15776) Principle Investigator: Susan Minton, DO

The purpose of this study is to test the safety and tolerability of the research drug, MK-2206, in combination with other chemotherapy drugs and targeted agent drugs.

Patients with histologically or cytologically confirmed locally advanced or metastatic solid tumors who lack curative options or who have failed to respond to standard therapy may call Luz Diez, BSN, 813-745-4625, for further information about eligibility for this study.

|A Phase I, Open-Label, Multicenter, Dose Escalation Study to Assess the Safety and Tolerability of Genz-644282 in Patients with Advanced Malignant Solid Tumors (MCC 15844) Principle Investigator: Hyo Han, MD

The purpose of this study is to look at the safety and tolerability of the drug Genz-644282, its effects, if any, on advanced malignant solid tumors, as well as how the body uses, stores, and gets rid of Genz-644282.

Patients with advanced malignant solid tumors for whom no standard therapeutic option exists may contact Kathy Sergi, RN, 813-745-4616, for more information about this study.

|Phase I Dose Escalation Study of LY2090314 in Patients with Advanced or Metastatic Cancer in Combination with Pemetrexed and Carboplatin (MCC 15278) Principle Investigator: Jhanelle Gray, MD

The purpose of this study is to study the effects of the drug LY2090314, which is a new drug that is not yet approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in patients with advanced cancer.

Patients who have cancer that is advanced or metastatic, for which no proven effective therapy is known, with measurable or unmeasurable disease, are encouraged to contact Leticia Tetteh, BSN, 813-745-4617, for more information about this study.

RESOURCES: Lifetime Cancer Screening & Prevention Center

General Information About Breast Cancer

Breast Cancer Prevention

Breast Cancer Treatment Options

Breast Cancer And Pregnancy

Male Breast Cancer

FACTors Program

Moffitt Support Groups

Cancer Answers

Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered

Moffitt Events Calendar