Early Clinical Trials
PCM Task force chair: Claes Karlsson
The focus is on facilitating studies linked to PCM. Through regular collaboration with (primarily) representatives from Karolinska University Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, SciLifeLab and CCE, a network for team science has been established. Discussions about and development of current and future studies dominate at our monthly meetings. At workshops, pressing topics are discussed together with an extended group of participants.
Examples of ongoing projects:
- The Basket of Baskets study (BoB) including the MTB portal. The Basket of Baskets Clinical Trial is a Multimodular genomic drive, Open-label, Phase II, Multicentre Study To Evaluate Targeted Agents in Molecularly Selected Populations With Advanced Solid Tumours. The general purpose of the study is to find personalized cancer treatment based on genetic analysis of tumours.
- iPCM is a sampling study based at Karolinska Institutet focuses on newly diagnosed advanced or metastatic solid tumors. Inclusion criteria: Patients newly diagnosed with metastatic solid cancer, or those who were treated for localized solid cancer and later diagnosed with metastatic disease. Exclusion criteria: Patients with metastatic cancer who have received ≥1 lines of systemic treatment and are over 80 years old.
- Pre-screening for phase-I studies (PSFF project).
- PhenoPCM is a feasibility study involving 20 cancer patients, aiming to identify challenges in multimodal molecular profiling of tissue and blood samples, with the ultimate goal of enhancing patient stratification for optimized treatment through comprehensive molecular profiling.
- Symptomics focuses on integrating symptom monitoring in cancer care, involves several research initiatives: a replication of an RCT demonstrating the survival benefits of patient self-monitoring of symptoms, a study on symptom registration by advanced prostate cancer patients to improve oncologist awareness and prompt intervention, and the development of a symptom monitoring tool for brain tumor patients with prognostic value, incorporating alert algorithms for rapid oncology response.
- The Swedish Precision Cancer Medicine Trial FOCUSE. Upcoming trial, inspired by the Drug Rediscovery Protocol (DRUP) (Nature. 2019;574:127-131).
Future activities
The emphasis is on the establishment of studies for the development of multiomics and the use of artificial intelligence. Resource-intensive capabilities where networking for team science is a critical success factor for faster implementation of improved cancer care.