Interview With Dr Zeynep Eroglu Medical Oncologist Moffitt Cancer Center
Dr. Zeynep Eroglu is a medical oncologist at Moffitt Cancer Center in Florida. Dr. Eroglus research interests are translational and clinical research in targeted therapies and combination immunotherapeutics for melanoma and other skin cancers, along with development of personalized treatment strategies and biomarkers for patients with melanoma. Dr. Eroglu is also a member of Women in Melanoma, a group that the late Valerie Guild, founder of AIM at Melanoma, established in 2017.
AIM interviewed Dr. Eroglu about her research and asked her to describe what feels particularly promising in her work.
What kind of research do you generally do?
My background has been in translational and clinical researchthat means working with laboratory-based scientists to try to bring some of the lab findings into the clinic, especially with the design and writing of clinical trial protocols and carrying out those trials. In terms of clinical research, my work is in overseeing the conduct of clinical trials and analyzing their data, and trying to find better treatment options. I also focus on blood-based biomarkers to see if we can find better ways of surveillance for patients with melanoma.
You specialize in melanoma brain metastasis. Where does that interest come from?
Why were patients with brain mets excluded from earlier clinical trials?
What draws you to the difficult challenge of brain mets?
Tell us about some of your ongoing research in brain mets.
What excites you about this research?
Does An App Improve Decision Making
In Rivers PCORI-funded study, which will be carried out in medical settings, 300 newly diagnosed patients with prostate cancer, each with his caregiver, will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. During a six-week period, one group will use the app and the other will receive printed information booklets from the National Cancer Institute. A specially trained layperson called a community navigator will guide the participants through the material, whether the app or the booklets, which the participants will also take home to review at their leisure.
Over the next three years, both the patients and their caregivers will answer survey questions to determine how the information provided by the app or booklets affected their knowledge of prostate cancer, the difficulty they experienced in making their treatment decision, the degree to which the patient and his doctor shared the decision making, the patients satisfaction with the decision, and his quality of life. We want to make sure patients are cognizant of all their treatment options and are not unduly influenced based upon the expertise or specialty of their health care providers, Rivers says.
He stresses that the app isnt meant to replace any of the medical care the men receive but rather to augment and enhance and strengthen, so that the patient can be that much more involved in the process.
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Our cancer centers provide a range of services, such as various therapies, counseling and support groups to help patients navigate the challenges associated with a cancer diagnosis. Patients will also have access to clinical trials and the latest advances in cancer treatment, including access to world-renowned researchers at Cleveland Clinics Taussig Cancer Center in Ohio, and other institutions throughout the world.
Cleveland Clinic Floridas cancer centers are here to support you through this journey and deliver the highest quality of care for you and your family with utmost compassion.
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Research At Moffitt Cancer Center
Moffitt is one of the few cancer hospitals in the world with specialists in evolutionary biology and mathematical oncology, cancer biology, computer science, and informatics working collaboratively to anticipate a tumors path and harness the bodys own immune system to fight cancer.
Moffitt conducted nationwide clinical trials that led to the initial FDA approvals of CAR T-cell therapy, a personalized therapy using a patients own immune cells to fight certain types of cancers.
Types Of Doctors That Treat Prostate Cancer
At Moffitt, each prostate cancer doctor specializes in a certain aspect of prostate cancer diagnosis or treatment. These specialists include:
- Urologists, who perform surgical procedures such as robotic surgery, traditional open surgery and laparoscopic radical prostatectomy to physically remove cancerous tissue
- Radiation oncologists, who develop the treatment plan for radiation therapy, which may include intensity modulated radiation therapy , image guided radiation therapy , stereotactic ablative radiotherapy or brachytherapy
- Interventional radiologists, who specialize in minimally invasive procedures, such as radiofrequency ablation and image-guided therapies, as well as administration of radiopharmaceutical therapies
- Medical oncologists, who determine the combination of drugs and dosage most appropriate for a patient receiving chemotherapy and/or hormonal therapy
- Uropathologists, who perform biopsies and run lab tests to detect the presence of cancer and the nature of the cancerous tissue
- Uroradiologists, who use ultrasound, bone scans, CT scans, MRIs and other medical imaging to determine the location of the cancer and whether or not it has spread
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Adaptive Abiraterone Therapy For Metastatic Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer
| The safety and scientific validity of this study is the responsibility of the study sponsor and investigators. Listing a study does not mean it has been evaluated by the U.S. Federal Government. Read our disclaimer for details. |
| Recruitment Status : Active, not recruitingFirst Posted : April 14, 2015Last Update Posted : November 14, 2022 |
Abiraterone is approved in the United States by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat metastatic prostate cancer at 1000 mg daily.
The purpose of this study is to find out if an on and off schedule of taking abiraterone would prolong the participant’s cancer’s response to this drug and maintain their functionality to perform their daily activities.
| Early Phase 1 |
The study will be terminated early if less than 3 of the first 10 enrolled participants can complete 2 cycles of the adaptive abiraterone.
| Study Type : |
| A Pilot Study of Adaptive Abiraterone Therapy for Metastatic Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer |
| Actual Study Start Date : |
Select Scientific Initiatives At Moffitt Cancer Center
Moffitts five multidisciplinary research programs consist of integrated teams working together to tackle the complexity of cancer. The five programs are:
- Cancer Biology and Evolution, which focuses on investigating and defining the complex dynamics that govern the biology and therapeutic responses of cancer, and to deliver new agents and strategies to prevent and treat refractory or relapsed malignancies.
- Cancer Epidemiology, which contributes to reducing cases of cancer through research to identify risk factors across the cancer continuum comprising etiology, progression, and outcome, and the translation of that knowledge into successful prevention and early detection interventions.
- Chemical Biology and Molecular Medicine, which integrates chemical biology and systems biology technologies to develop new therapeutic approaches for the treatment of cancer.
- Health Outcomes and Behavior, which contributes to the prevention, detection, and control of cancer through the study of health-related behaviors, health care practices, and health-related quality of life.
- Immunology, which applies basic research findings to the treatment of human malignancies to develop and deliver advanced clinical immunotherapies that benefit cancer patients. The goal is achieved through close integration of basic, translational, and clinical researchers to discover basic mechanisms and rapidly translate them from the bench to the bedside.
This profile was provided by Moffitt Cancer Center.
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Guiding Men Through Prostate Cancer Treatment Options
Barbershop owner and community health advocate Emerson L. Tillman interacts with men in this Gulf Coast community all day long. And while he does, men often share their health concerns.
People tell their barbers things they dont tell their wives or their doctors, says Tillman. In my outreach efforts to barbershops and also churches, I encounter many men who have been treated for prostate cancer. These men share their experiences with me and express their concerns about their quality of life. I engage men in conversations about health issues related to prostate cancer treatment because there is not much information available to them.
In 2008, the nearby H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute began working with Tillman as a health advocate. He had previously participated in numerous prostate-cancer advocacy, research, and outreach efforts, primarily targeting African-American communities. Tillman teamed up with Brian M. Rivers, PhD, MPH, in developing an iPad app targeted to men newly diagnosed with prostate cancer. The app is intended to help them understand their treatment options and make their choice.
Moffitt Researchers Analyze Va Data To Study Prostate Cancer Disparities
“Equal access system shows how African American men are disproportionately affected
H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute
TAMPA, Fla. Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in American men, second only to skin cancer. One in eight men will develop the disease in his lifetime. While nearly 250,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer each year, research has shown that the disease is often more aggressive and more deadly for African American men.
Moffitt Cancer Center has been conducting research on disparities in prostate cancer, specifically evaluating the interplay between social and biological mechanisms that drive the disease among different races and ethnicities, for many years.
The newest study, published by JAMA Network Open, is a collaboration with the Prostate Cancer Foundation, the Veterans Affairs, and John and Daria Barry Foundation Precision Oncology Center of Excellence. Dr. Kosj Yamoah and his team evaluated 7.8 million veterans nationwide who were treated for prostate cancer between 2005 and 2019 with the goal of assessing racial disparities.
From a treatment perspective, African American men who received definitive primary treatment in a timely fashion experienced a lower risk of metastasis. But those who did not receive treatment right away or did not have any clear documentation of treatment had a worse risk of developing metastatic disease.
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Dr Levine On Evolving Treatment Options For Patients With Mcrpc
In Partnership With:
Richard M. Levine, MD, medical director, Moffitt International Plaza, Moffitt Cancer Center, discusses the available agents and their benefits for patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.
Richard M. Levine, MD, medical director, Moffitt International Plaza, Moffitt Cancer Center, discusses the available agents and their benefits for patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer .
There are many different options now for patients diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer, Levine explains, with most of them being associated with minimal side effects. The mainstay of treatment for prostate cancer is androgen-deprivation therapy, with leuprolide acetate for depot suspension or leuprolide acetate for injectable suspension , or degarelix . Patients can also receive bicalutamide . These types of agents have demonstrated encouraging response rates and can also relieve pain and improve quality of life.
Patients with prostate cancer that is metastatic to the bone often benefit from zoledronic acid , denosumab , or pamidronic acid . Additional agents include the immune therapy sipuleucel-T , radiation therapy for diffuse bone pain, abiraterone acetate , and enzalutamide .
Often Not An Easy Choice
That decision is often difficult. The list of treatments for prostate cancer is unusually long and includes various types of surgery, radiation therapy, and hormonal therapies. A patient will often receive a recommendation in the specialty most familiar to his clinician, which may not be the treatment that best suits the patients needs.
A lot of times in educational materials youll read a lot of information before you finally get to the part that interests you. This particular app lets you pick and choose.
Emerson L. Tillman Barbershop Owner, Community Health Advocate
Survival is high with all standard treatments. When prostate cancer is diagnosed early, about 90 percent of patients are alive after 10 years. The differences among treatments lie primarily in potential side effectssuch as incontinence and sexual dysfunctionthat can have a serious impact on a mans quality of life. Another approach often recommended when the cancer is detected very early is to submit to careful monitoring but not undergo any treatment unless the condition worsens. In Rivers previous research, many men said they werent given enough information to make an informed decision about which strategy to choose, which often led to regret and distress for them and their partners.
“It’s really important for the patient to be involved in the decision-making process, consider his values and preferences, and understand any potential late or long-term effects of the decision,” Rivers says.
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Prostate Cancer Center Of Excellence
Our Mission
The mission of the Prostate Cancer Center of Excellence is to provide superior clinical care and conduct multidisciplinary research on prostate cancer to improve outcomes in both quantity and quality of life for men affected by prostate cancer and in doing so, benefit both prostate cancer patients and their families.
Our Goals
The Prostate Cancer Center of Excellence:
- Increases outstanding collaborative multi-disciplinary research
- Promotes excellence in providing superior clinical care for patients
- Increases the number of clinical trials offered to patients
- Creates a distinct training program for the next generation of scientists
- Strengthens fundraising for prostate cancer research
- Promotes community outreach and research to decrease racial disparities
- Increases name recognition of the care and research at MCW
Who Might Benefit Most
Rivers and his colleagues will also see if they can identify which men and their caregivers are most likely to benefit from the app. They predict that the men with low education and income levels or who belong to a minority group will benefit most because those men typically receive less information or the information is difficult for them to understand.
Tillman will chair a Prostate Cancer Advisory Roundtable that will inform and guide all phases of the research project and help maintain communication between Moffitt Cancer Center and the community. Stakeholders from the medical, advocacy, and public health communities, as well as prostate cancer patients and caregivers, are expected to participate in this advisory group. Education and awareness about the study and its findings are Tillmans priority. Theres a lot of misinformation out there, he says. Its very important to pump research results into the community.”
Posted: April 8, 2014
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