Danbury, Norwalk hospitals open new clinical trials for people with advanced-stage cancer

Danbury and Norwalk hospitals have begun two new clinical trials for people with advanced-stage cancer that have a KRAS G12C mutation, making them the only sites in Fairfield County to offer such trials.

Danbury”™s clinical trial is for patients with advanced metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), while Norwalk”™s is for patients with certain types of solid tumors, such as advanced colorectal cancer.

The clinical trials are studying a new drug called AMG 510. Early evidence shows that AMG 510 blocks KRAS G12C, a variant of KRAS. KRAS is a key enzyme in the growth of many cancers. A patient will know if their cancer has a KRAS G12C mutation after a tumor specimen undergoes genomic profiling, which the patient”™s oncologist will order.

“Through the AMG 510 clinical trials, we can provide a new treatment for patients who otherwise might be out of options because of the advanced-stage of their cancer,” said Dr. Richard Frank, director of clinical cancer research for Nuvance Health, medical oncologist/hematologist at Norwalk Hospital, and consultant in the gastrointestinal oncology service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

The two hospitals ”“ part of Nuvance Health ”“ are currently enrolling patients into the AMG 510 clinical trials. For more information, contact Nuvance Health Oncology Research at 203-739-7997 or click here.