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Assistant Professor, Robert Lentz, MD, is spearheading a new phase 2 clinical trial for patients with metastatic colon cancer for whom chemotherapy and biologic therapy are no longer effective treatment options.  Colorectal cancer is the third most common and third most deadly cancer among both men and women in the United States but in Dr. Lentz's opinion, "we really need to identify a way to generate an anti-tumor immune response in order to improve the lives of patients with colorectal cancer who do not respond to already-approved immune therapy drugs."   

This clinical trial is centered around "a novel combination that attempts to achieve an effective immunotherapy treatment where it has not succeeded in the past,” says Dr. Lentz.  Patients enrolled across five sites receiving treatment once a week should expect to see a response after at least nine weeks, ideally, tumor shrinkage or stability. The trial also includes a two-year overall survival follow-up to determine the longer-term effectiveness of the medication. Dr. Lentz along with his mentor, Wells Messersmith, MD, FACP, hope to have the study fully enrolled by the end of 2023.

Dr. Lentz says working on this study has been a great opportunity for him because he’s been able to track its development all the way from an early concept to the point where the first patient has actually received treatment.

“Over the next few months, the chance that some patients will respond to this is very gratifying,” he says. “It’s been a great educational experience not only in terms of scientific concepts and clinical and translational research, but also the nuts and bolts of developing a clinical trial. I think that all of those skills will set me up for success in order to lead future trials down the road.”

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