Forsyth Medical Center's Derrick L. Davis Forsyth Regional Cancer Center to Take Part in Research Trial for Patients with Fast-Growing Brain Tumors

The Derrick L. Davis Forsyth Regional Cancer Center at Forsyth Medical Center is one of the first sites in the country to participate in a national trial of the experimental drug Avastin to treat glioblastoma, a fast-growing tumor of the brain or spinal cord. This third phase of the trial will test the effectiveness of Avastin in conjunction with standard chemotherapy and radiation treatments for patients newly diagnosed with glioblastoma. This phase of the trial will enroll 700 participants nationwide.

Winston-Salem, NC (PRWEB) June 25, 2009 -- The Derrick L. Davis Forsyth Regional Cancer Center at Forsyth Medical Center is participating in a national trial of the experimental drug Avastin to treat glioblastoma, a fast-growing tumor of the brain or spinal cord.

Forsyth Regional Cancer Center (FRCC) is participating in the third phase of the trial, testing the effectiveness of Avastin in conjunction with standard chemotherapy and radiation treatments for patients newly diagnosed with glioblastoma. This phase of the trial will enroll 700 participants nationwide, and FRCC is one of the first sites in the country to participate.

"Avastin has been shown to be effective in treating various types of cancer, with a low risk of serious side effects, so our hope is that it will improve outcomes for patients with brain tumors when it is added to standard-of-care treatments," says Volker Stieber, M.D., a radiation oncologist at the FRCC. "Phase III is the highest level of research for a drug, so we are excited to be part of a study that could advance treatment for patients with this type of cancer."

In May, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the use of Avastin to treat glioblastomas that have not responded to other therapies based on results from two Phase II studies that showed Avastin reduced tumor size in some glioblastoma patients. The new study evaluates this drug in newly diagnosed, never-treated glioblastoma patients.

Glioblastoma is the most common and most aggressive type of primary brain tumor in humans, accounting for about half of all primary brain tumor cases. Despite its prevalence, however, glioblastomas occur in only two to three cases per 100,000 people in North America and Europe. In Forsyth County, three out of four patients diagnosed with glioblastoma are diagnosed at Forsyth Medical Center.

The FRCC is currently screening patients for enrollment in the clinical trial. Eligible patients may qualify if they are newly diagnosed adults able to undergo partial removal of their tumors. Once enrolled, participants will remain in the study for up to one year.

For more information, call the Derrick L. Davis Forsyth Regional Cancer Center at 336-277-8887 or visit http://www.forsythmedicalcenter.org.

About Forsyth Medical Center:

Forsyth Medical Center is part of Novant Health, a not-for-profit integrated group of hospitals and physician clinics, ranked 12th nationally among the 2009 Top 100 Integrated Healthcare Networks, according to an analysis by the SDI health informatics company. Novant staff cares for patients and communities in North and South Carolina. Hospital affiliates include Presbyterian Hospital, Presbyterian Orthopaedic Hospital, Presbyterian Hospital Matthews and Presbyterian Hospital Huntersville in the Charlotte, NC area; Forsyth Medical Center and Medical Park Hospital in Winston-Salem, NC; Thomasville Medical Center in Thomasville, NC; Rowan Regional Medical Center in Salisbury, NC; and Brunswick Community Hospital in Supply, NC. The Novant Medical Group consists of more than 1,060 providers in 361 clinic locations. Other Novant facilities and programs include two nursing homes, outpatient surgery and diagnostic centers, rehabilitation programs and community health outreach programs.

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