Studies in the WOO network are investigating innovative treatments for liver, head and neck cancer

Studies in the WOO network are investigating innovative treatments for liver, head and neck cancer

A new round of clinical trials supported by the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR) provides a unique opportunity to test some of the latest treatment strategies for a range of different cancers.

The OICR has announced two new clinical trials as part of its Window of Opportunity (WOO) network, which brings together Ontario researchers, clinicians and patients to study the biology of newly diagnosed and recurrent tumors.

Window-of-opportunity clinical trials utilize the two to eight week period between cancer diagnosis and surgery to remove the cancer, at a time when no treatment is taking place. The WOO Network studies use this window to study the biological impact of new cancer treatments without delaying or changing a patient’s primary treatment strategy.”

Dr. Angel Arnaout,Surgical Oncologist, OICR Associate Scientist and Co-Lead of the WOO Network

“Testing cancer therapies in this time window allows us to understand and measure how they work against the tumor, and we are very grateful to the patients who participate in these trials and provide us with this extraordinary opportunity,” says Dr. Melanie Spears, who is also a senior research scientist at OICR and co-director of the institute's diagnostic development program.

These latest studies from the WOO Network focus on liver cancer and head and neck cancer and seek to understand how immunotherapies work alongside other innovative treatments to prepare a patient's immune system to fight cancer. They will both also look for biological clues, called “biomarkers,” that might indicate which patients would benefit most from different treatments.

• Dr. Sara Kuruvilla und Dr. Anthony Nichols vom London Regional Cancer Program am London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) und dem Lawson Health Research Institute werden die Wirksamkeit einer neuartigen Immuntherapie-Arzneimittelkombination vor einer Operation zur Entfernung von Kopf- und Halstumoren untersuchen und dabei auch überwachen, wie Wenn das Immunsystem des Patienten reagiert und die Operation weniger Nebenwirkungen verursacht. Es wird erwartet, dass die Ergebnisse vorläufige Beweise liefern, die die weitere Bewertung dieses Ansatzes in größeren klinischen Studien unterstützen.

  "Recurrence is common after surgery for mouth and throat cancer, and surgical treatment can significantly impact patients' quality of life. We hope that immunotherapy before surgery can improve a patient's immune response, improve their outcomes, and reduce the side effects they face."– Dr. Sara Kuruvilla, a medical oncologist at LHSC, an associate scientist at Lawson and an associate professor of oncology at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at Western University

• Dr. Pablo Serrano und Dr. Brandon Meyers von Hamilton Health Sciences und der McMaster University werden untersuchen, wie sich eine übliche Immuntherapie (Durvalumab) auf Lebertumore auswirkt, nachdem Patienten eine stereotaktische Körperbestrahlungstherapie (SBRT) erhalten haben, aber bevor sie sich einer Operation unterziehen, in der Hoffnung, dass die Kombination sich verstärkt Immunsystem der Patienten zur Krebsbekämpfung.

  “We want to find out whether the combination of immunotherapy and radiation therapy can increase the number of immune cells that fight cancer, reduce the number of immune cells that allow cancer to grow, and potentially improve the prognosis of patients with liver cancer.”– Dr. Pablo Serrano, scientist at the Escarpment Cancer Research Institute (Hamilton Health Sciences and McMaster University) and associate professor of surgery at McMaster University

These new clinical trials complement OICR's existing portfolio of WOO network trials, which examine various therapeutic approaches and their effects on immune response in patients with a variety of cancer types, including lung, breast, pancreatic and bladder cancer.

The OICR launched the WOO Network in 2020 to expand Ontario's capacity for cutting-edge clinical trials by funding trials, mentoring new researchers and connecting scientists, clinicians, patients and industry partners.

“OICR's WOO Network is a groundbreaking program that leverages our capabilities in genomics and biomarker discovery to advance the drug development paradigm and better understand how new therapies work,” said OICR President and Scientific Director Dr. Laszlo Radvanyi. "In its third year, the network is already providing important insights into different types of cancer and the best treatment options. These latest studies will drive even more innovation to treat cancer more precisely and give patients the best chance for a longer, healthier life."

“The Government of Ontario is proud to support new discoveries and innovations in cancer research by funding the work of the OICR,” said Jill Dunlop, Minister of Colleges and Universities. “New clinical trials are key to testing therapies that have real impact on Ontario patients and ultimately help them live longer, healthier lives.”

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