
"I am glad that taking part in a trial might help others on their own cancer journey.”
This trial was looking at a new chemotherapy drug called geldanamycin analogue (17-AAG) for advanced cancer. This trial was supported by Cancer Research UK..
Doctors sometimes use chemotherapy to control the symptoms of . In this trial, researchers were looking at a new chemotherapy drug called 17-AAG, which they hoped would help to control advanced cancer.
The aims of the trial were to
The researchers found a safe dose of 17-AAG that didn’t cause too many side effects. But the cancer did not get smaller in any of the people in this trial.
The first few patients had a very low dose of 17-AAG. As they didn’t have any bad side effects, the next few people had a higher dose, and so on. At least 3 people safely had each dose before the dose was increased. By doing this, the researchers were able to work out the highest dose they could use without causing bad side effects.
Side effects that people did have included diarrhoea, sickness and changes to the liver.
The researchers also looked at the effect 17-AAG had on advanced cancer. In most people, they could not see a response to the drug. But in 2 people who had melanoma, the cancer stayed the same size – researchers call this . One person’s disease stayed stable for over a year and the other person still had stable disease after nearly 3 and a half years.
As 17-AAG helped these 2 people and a safe dose has been worked out, the researchers suggested it should be studied in further trials.
We have based this summary on information from the team who ran the trial. The information they sent us has been reviewed by independent specialists () and published in a medical journal. The figures we quote above were provided by the trial team. We have not analysed the data ourselves.
Please note: In order to join a trial you will need to discuss it with your doctor, unless otherwise specified.
Prof Ian Judson
Cancer Research UK (Centre for Drug Development)
This is Cancer Research UK trial number CRUKD/99/013.
Freephone 0808 800 4040
"I am glad that taking part in a trial might help others on their own cancer journey.”