1) Preparation of a new research centre on obesity and cancer
Official title: Danish Research Center for Cancer and Obesity (Obe-CaRe)
Receives 200,000 DKK
The global increasing incidence of overweight and obesity (“globesity”) is a pressing health challenge with cancer regarded an obesity-related comorbidity. Overweight and obesity increase cancer risk and are adverse prognostic indicators, which may reduce the benefit of cancer treatment. Danish Research Center for Cancer and Obesity (Obe-CaRe) takes on the challenge. A network of researchers and clinicians from different field in cancer, diabetes, surgery and obesity, will with funding from DCCC work on the establishment of a new national, multidisciplinary research centre. The centre will facilitate research as well as produce more knowledge in the field, improve clinical outcomes and survival among obese cancer patients.
Contact: Signe Borgquist Chair, Professor, Senior Consultant, MD, PhD, Department of Oncology; clinical/translational oncology, Arhus University Hospital. E-mail: signe.borgquist@auh.rm.dk
2) Research: New study will lead the way to more effective brain tumour radiation
Official title: Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) for RT target definition and dose escalation in glioblastoma (GBM)
DCCC has funded 200,000 DKKK to the preparation of this national and multidisciplinary investigator-initiated study.
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and aggressive brain tumour among adults, who in average only survive 13 months after diagnosed. The standard treatment consists of radiotherapy and chemotherapy, but most patients experience relapse within 6-8 months. The aim of this national prospective study is to investigate if a higher radiation dose in a limited area of the brain, will improve survival ship and/or side effects.
The preparations are made in collaboration with Danish Neuro-Oncology Group (DNOG) and with participation from all four treatment facilities in Denmark.
Contact: Slávka Lukacova MD, PhD, Specialty Registrar, Aarhus University Hospital, Chair of RT Committee of DNOG. E-mail: slavka.lukacova@auh.rm.dk
3) Study preparations to slow down division of cancer cells
Official title: A Danish Nationwide Phase II Trial on HER2 targeted Therapy in Combination with Physicians Choice Chemotherapy for Patients with HER2 positive Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
DCCC has funded 126,000 DKKK to the preparation of this national and multidisciplinary investigator-initiated study.
This preparatory effort will lay out, how large a proportion of Danish patients with Gastric- and Esophageal cancer, who have HER2-molecules on cancer cells. HER2 causes overstimulation and uncontrollable division of cells. A treatment for HER2 exits, but is not tested on this type of cancer – which the DCCC funding will contribute to investigate. The preliminary work is done in collaboration with Danish EsophagoGastric Cancer Group (DEGC) and with participation from all four treatment facilities in Denmark.
Contact: Morten Mau-Sørensen, Consultant, Department of Oncology, Rigshospitalet, E-mail: mms@rh.regionh.dk
4) Last step for promising treatment: can we train the body's own cells to fight lymphoma?
Official title: CAR T-cell therapy combined with radiotherapy as bridging for patients with R/R aggressive B-cell malignancies
DCCC has funded 200,000 DKKK to the preparation of this national and multidisciplinary investigator-initiated study.
Promising results with Car T-cells have been found among patients with lymphoma. Car T-treatment is where one takes the patient's own cells and "train" them to attack cancer cells. This preliminary work consists of investigating if it is possible to enhance effect and diminish side effects of Car T-treatment by giving radiotherapy instead of chemotherapy the first 2-4 months, where the cells develop. The initiation of the study will give patients without current alternative treatments access to Car T-treatment, which is unviable in Denmark, presently.
Study preparations are anchored in Danish Lymphoma Group and done in collaboration with Nordic Lymphoma Group and DALROG (Danish Lymphoma Radiation Oncology Group) and with participation from all four treatment facilities in Denmark.
Contact: Judit Mészáros Jørgensen, Consultant, Department of Haematology, Aarhus University Hospital. E-mail: judit.joergensen@aarhus.rm.dk
5) Preliminary investigation on blood samples as tool to improve treatments and discover residual cancer
Official title: CIRCPAC: Implementing non-invasive circulating tumour DNA and circular DNA analysis in patients with local pancreatic cancer to optimize the pre- and postoperative treatment: predicting resectability and recurrence and changing prognosis over time.
DCCC has funded 200,000 DKKK to the preparation of this national and multidisciplinary investigator-initiated study.
Pancreatic cancer is a very deadly disease, and only very few survive after 5 years. It is known, that Circulating tumour (ct)DNA is a strong indicator for recurrence and survival. This study will investigate if circulating ctDNA in blood among patients with pancreatic cancer, who can be operated, can give better treatment, increased survival ship and identify recurrence earlier than CT-scanning.
Study preparations are done in collaboration with the Danish Pancreas Cancer Group (DPCG) and the study will be anchored in DCCC Danish Research Centre for circulating tumour DNA guided treatment.
Contact: Julia Sidenius Johansen, Professor, Department of Oncology and Medicine, Herlev-Gentofte Hospital. E-mail: Julia.Sidenius.Johansen@regionh.dk
6) National network to lift quality among cancer screening programmes
Official title: The future cancer screening programmes
The network receives 198,950 DKK
cancer screening programmes are made to prevent, detect, diagnose and treat earlier than before. Also, the unintended consequences of screening should be limited, e.g. over-diagnostics, profound control programmes and unnecessary use of resources. We want to establish a national network to identify, investigate and qualify future elements of significance to cancer screenings programmes. The initiative will unite researchers and experts from Denmark with the aim to lift research and implementation across screenings programmes and disciplines. The network will also work towards a nationally coordinated effort on public participation in relation to the screening programmes.
The network will with the funding from DCCC work on establishing a new national, interdisciplinary research centre in the field.
Contact: Berit Andersen, Professor, Head Consultant, Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Clinic for Cancer Screening, Rigshospitalet, Randers/Aarhus University, E-mail: berand@rm.dk
7) Patients with colon cancer get better treatment with MR-scanning
Official title: Whole Body – MRI in Colon Cancer
DCCC has funded 200,000 DKKK to the preparation of this national and multidisciplinary investigator-initiated study.
Patients with colon cancer are offered a CT-scan which stage cancer, meaning it helps describe where a cancer is located, if or where it has spread, and whether it is affecting other parts of the body. CT-scanning thus make it possible for doctors to best determine the appropriate treatment option. However, CT-scanning is not the most optimal method. Patients often go through several scans and there is risk of suboptimal treatment due to missing cancer staging. MR-scanning may fill this void. The aim of the preliminary study work is to investigate if whole body MR-scanning can improve cancer staging, hence decrease additional scans per patient and faster referral to optimal treatment. Study preparations are completed in collaboration between the radiological-, surgical- and oncological departments at Vejle Hospital, Herlev Hospital and Aalborg Hospital.
Contact: Laurids Østergaard Poulsen, Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Oncology, Aalborg University Hospital, E-mail: laop@rn.dk
8) Proton treatment may be as effective, but give less side effects.
Official title: PROton versus Photon Therapy – A randomized controlled trial for local/locally advanced PROstate cancer (PRO-PROstate1)
DCCC has funded 195,000 DKKK to the preparation of this national and multidisciplinary investigator-initiated study.
At present, we are preparing a clinical trial on high-risk prostate cancer to compare the currently best possible proton therapy treatment in Denmark to the state-of-the-art photon treatment. The goal is to improve the quality of life for the patients by irradiating the normal tissue in the pelvic area to a lower dose leading to less severe side effects from the gastrointestinal and genitourinary systems, as well as the sexual organs – while ensuring the same tumour control. Improved quality of life for the affected patients is of great importance, as prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men and affect around 4500 Danish men annually.
Study preparations are anchored in Danish Urological Cancer Group (DaProCa) and with participation from Danish Centre for Particle Therapy, Aarhus University Hospital, Odense University Hospital, Herlev Hospital, Vejle Hospital, Rigshospitalet, and Aalborg University hospital
Contact: Ludvig Paul Muren, Professor, Group Leader, Danish Centre for Particle Therapy, Aarhus University Hospital, E-mail: ludvmure@rm.dk
9) Improved mapping of brain tumours will specify linear accelerator
Official title: National Quality Assurance program for radiotherapy delineation in brain cancer patients
DCCC has funded 200,000 DKKK to the preparation of this national and multidisciplinary investigator-initiated study.
Patients with brain tumours are, among other options, treated with modern, high precision radiotherapy. Treatment with high precision radiotherapy is dependent on a very precise tumour mapping, so the radiation only impact, where it is beneficial. With the DCCC funding, researchers with international experience from all over Denmark, will collect available knowledge on brain tumour mapping with artificial intelligence, thus tumour mapping improves, become more accurate and reduces side effects. This project is a part of a larger, interdisciplinary initiative by Danish Neuro-Oncology Group (DNOG).
Study preparations are anchored in the coming research centre DCCC Brain Tumour Center and with participation from all four treatment facilities in Denmark and Danish Centre for Particle Therapy.
Contact: Jesper Kallehauge, Hospital Physicist, Associate Professor, Aarhus University Hospital, E-mail: jespkall@rm.dk
