Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian in Newport Beach, Orange County, California, will be the first in Southern California (and only one of a handful of trial sites worldwide) to launch a Phase 1 clinical trial to test the efficacy of a new cancer treatment that may change the face of cancer treatment. Led by Dr. Gary Ulaner—previously interviewed by TrialSite—the new agent, Actinium-225 DOTATATE, delivers alpha radiation, which is 100 times more powerful than beta radiation, providing the ability to treat cancer that may be resistant to beta radiation. In addition, alpha radiation travels far less distance than beta radiation; thus, more normal body tissues are spared from the damaging radiation, which is expected to lead to fewer side effects.
Dr. Ulaner believes that, if successful, this clinical trial will clear the path for other solid tumors to be treated with alpha radiation therapy, including prostate and breast cancers.