Winship patients now have access to an innovative clinical trial evaluating a novel targeted radiopharmaceutical therapy for small cell lung cancer and other solid tumors. (Photo: iStock.com)
First-in-Georgia trial advances precision cancer treatment
Patients at Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University now have access to an innovative clinical trial evaluating a novel targeted radiopharmaceutical therapy for small cell lung cancer and other solid tumors that express the DLL3 protein, marking another example of the cutting-edge clinical trials available through the collaboration between Winship Cancer Institute and the Emory Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences.
The Phase 1/2a study evaluates an investigational therapy designed to seek out cancer cells and deliver targeted radiation directly to tumors while limiting exposure to healthy tissue. Winship recently treated the first patient in Georgia, and the second patient nationally, in the study, giving eligible patients access to an investigational treatment available at only a limited number of centers nationwide. The study is designed to evaluate the treatment's safety, potential benefits and risks in patients with recurrent or progressive small cell lung cancer.
The study also marks the first clinical use in Georgia of this investigational DLL3-targeted radiopharmaceutical approach and the lead-203/lead-212 theranostic pair.
The investigational therapy uses an emerging approach known as theranostics, which combines advanced diagnostic imaging with targeted treatment to help personalize cancer care. Physicians first use an imaging agent containing lead-203 to determine whether the therapy is reaching the tumor. A companion therapeutic agent containing lead-212 then delivers targeted alpha radiation directly to those same cancer cells while limiting exposure to surrounding healthy tissue.
Innovative approach expands options for small cell lung cancer
Ticiana Leal, MD
Small cell lung cancer is an aggressive disease that accounts for approximately 10% to 15% of all lung cancer diagnoses. While many patients initially respond to treatment, the disease frequently recurs, underscoring the need for new therapeutic approaches.
"This highly innovative approach provides a therapeutic opportunity for patients with limited treatment options for a disease that's often difficult to treat," says Ticiana Leal, MD, medical director of the Clinical Trials Office at Winship Cancer Institute, leader of the Lung Cancer Disease Team and principal investigator of the study at Winship.
"Furthermore, clinical trials are vital because they test new treatments for safety, offer early options for critically ill patients, and ensure medical discoveries help diverse populations and advance the field," adds Leal, who is also a professor in the Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology at Emory University School of Medicine.
The therapy targets DLL3 (Delta-like ligand 3), a protein found on many small cell lung cancer cells and certain other solid tumors but present at much lower levels in healthy tissue. By targeting DLL3, researchers hope to deliver radiation more precisely to cancer cells while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue.
Nuclear medicine physician David Schuster, MD, FACR, and nuclear medicine technologist Nikki Shelton with a patient.
The study also highlights Winship's growing leadership in theranostics and radiopharmaceutical therapies, bringing together the expertise of specialists across oncology, radiology and nuclear medicine to expand access to innovative cancer treatments.
"The ability to combine sophisticated molecular imaging with targeted radiopharmaceutical therapy represents an exciting advancement in cancer care," says David Schuster, MD, FACR, director of the Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging at Emory University School of Medicine and a physician-scientist in the Discovery and Developmental Therapeutics Research Program at Winship Cancer Institute.
"We currently use this theranostic approach at our dedicated radiopharmaceutical therapy unit at Winship at Emory Midtown using FDA-approved treatments for prostate cancer and neuroendocrine tumors. The ability to offer clinical trials for the next generation of theranostics for other cancers is a natural outgrowth of the experience we have gained treating patients through a multidisciplinary approach with colleagues across medical and surgical specialties."
Building the future of cancer care through clinical research
The study is the latest example of the innovative clinical trials available to patients through the collaboration between Winship Cancer Institute, Georgia's only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Emory's Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences. Together, these efforts reflect Winship's continued commitment to expanding access to innovative cancer therapies through clinical research, giving patients in Georgia opportunities to participate in promising investigational treatments close to home.
The Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging is home to Georgia's first and only Comprehensive Radiopharmaceutical Therapy Center of Excellence, providing patients access to innovative radiopharmaceutical therapies while supporting the development and evaluation of next-generation cancer treatments.
In addition to this study, Winship offers clinical trials evaluating radiopharmaceutical and non-radiopharmaceutical therapies for a variety of cancers, including prostate cancer, neuroendocrine tumors, breast cancer and others. Winship investigators are also advancing the development of new cancer therapies, including radiopharmaceuticals, helping expand treatment options for patients today and in the future.