Tag: Jia Ruan MD

New Weill Cornell Study: Aurora Kinase A Inhibitor MLN8237 in Peripheral T-Cell non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Update: this study is closed to enrollment. 
The Weill Cornell Lymphoma Program is now enrolling people in a new clinical trial for patients with peripheral T-cell lymphoma, a type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that generally has a poor outcome with conventional chemotherapy.

The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of the experimental drug MLN8237 on patients with relapsed or refractory peripheral T-cell lymphoma. MLN8237 is an Aurora Kinase A inhibitor that has been developed to interfere with cell division, which is required for cancer to grow. It has been shown to have anti-cancer activity in laboratory studies as well as in patients who have non-Hodgkin lymphoma including peripheral T-cell lymphoma in earlier phase I/II studies.

MLN8237 is available as a tablet. Patients will take MLN8237 on Days 1-7, twice a day with 8 ounces of water. Patients will continue with this treatment every 3 weeks for up to a year as long as their disease does not get worse. Whether patients remain on study treatment or not, the study physician will follow their health status for a maximum of 2 years from study enrollment.

Key eligibility:

  • Relapsed/refractory peripheral T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma
  • Must have received at least one course of prior systemic therapy which may include chemotherapy, antibody therapy or immunotherapy
  • May have received prior radiation in combination with systemic therapy
  • Must not have received a previous allogeneic stem cell transplant or be within 90 days of autologous stem cell transplant
  • Detailed eligibility reviewed when you contact the study team

For more information about the study, call June Greenberg, RN at (212) 746-2651 or email June at jdg2002@med.cornell.edu.

The physician leading the study at Weill Cornell is Dr. Jia Ruan. Click here to read Dr. Ruan’s clinical and research profile.

Click here to view all current lymphoma clinical trials at Weill Cornell Medical College.

New Clinical Trial: Lenalidomide + Rituximab as Front-Line Therapy for Untreated Mantle Cell Lymphoma

Update: this study is closed to enrollment. 

The Weill Cornell Lymphoma Program is now enrolling patients in a new, investigator-initiated phase II study of lenalidomide in combination with rituximab in patients with previously untreated Mantle Cell Lymphoma (MCL). The study is led by Jia Ruan, MD. This study may be a good option for patients with MCL who need to travel to New York City to participate in a trial because lenalidomide, the study medication, can be taken at home. After the first month on study, patients will be seen in clinic on average of once a month.

Significant progress has been made in the treatment of mantle cell lymphoma; however, the majority of patients with Mantle Cell Lymphoma are not cured of their disease with current available chemotherapy-based options. The initial treatment for MCL is not standardized, and intensive chemotherapy does not seem to provide substantial benefit compared to conservative management in terms of long-term survival and quality-of-life measurements.

Researchers have recently discovered that the tumor microenvironment—the normal cells and blood vessels that surround a tumor–can contribute to tumor growth by providing blood supply and creating an environment that allows the tumor to grow. Biological compounds that disrupt the interaction and dependence of tumor cells with their microenvironment have shown promise in lymphoma therapy, including mantle cell lymphoma.

The purpose of this study is to test the synergy of combining lenalidomide, a biological agent that targets the tumor microenvironment, and rituximab, an antibody that targets lymphoma cells. By including a maintenance phase of lenalidomide and rituximab therapy, we hope to improve treatment effectiveness and maintain quality of life for patients. Continue reading “New Clinical Trial: Lenalidomide + Rituximab as Front-Line Therapy for Untreated Mantle Cell Lymphoma”