Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA) at Southeastern Regional Medical Center (Southeastern) is the first hospital in the city of Atlanta to open the Targeted Agent and Profiling Utilization Registry (TAPUR) Study -- the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s (ASCO) first-ever clinical trial.  The study launched earlier this year and will evaluate molecularly targeted cancer drugs and collect data on clinical outcomes to learn about additional uses of these drugs outside of indications already approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

“We are excited to be one of ASCO’s partner sites for the TAPUR Study. This is a progressive development for our patients and their loved ones.” said Dr. Ricardo Alvarez, director of cancer research and breast medical oncologist at CTCA at Southeastern. “We are well positioned to support patients seeking the trial. Our unique and robust precision medicine program helps remove the financial and educational barriers patients experience with regard to accessing genomic sequencing that may indicate eligibility for the trial.”

The trial involves broader opportunity for participation than in many cancer clinical trials—with the hope of enabling more patients to participate. Eligible participants include those who have an advanced solid tumor, multiple myeloma, or B cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma, are no longer benefitting from standard anti-cancer treatments, or for whom no acceptable standard treatment is available. Patients enrolled in the study will have access to experimental targeted cancer drugs at no cost. The study aims to:

·         Learn how approved drugs might work against different  tumor types that harbor the drug target 

·         Find out how genomic or molecular tests are used to care for people with advanced cancer

·         Use the study results to help inform future studies and aid in the care of people with cancer

“We are excited to have CTCA join the TAPUR Study. Their national reach allows us to provide access to the trial to a diverse group of patients,” said ASCO Chief Medical Officer Richard L. Schilsky, MD, FACP, FASCO. “With TAPUR, CTCA patients have the potential to benefit from targeted therapies that have already demonstrated effectiveness in other cancer types.”

The TAPUR Study is registered on clinicaltrials.gov (NCT 02693535), which includes a full list of inclusion/exclusion criteria and other information.

Patients can learn more about TAPUR at CTCA by contacting the Clinical Trials team at clinicaltrials@ctca-hope.com or by calling an Oncology Information Specialists at 888-841-9129. Oncology Information Specialists are available around the clock, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to discuss treatment options offered at CTCA.