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As a leader in cancer research, Karmanos is able to offer patients access to innovative treatments and clinical trials that are often times not available anywhere else.
To offer hope and longer life to patients with all types of cancer, Karmanos offers the latest types of therapy through our clinical trials program. Through clinical trials, we are creating new knowledge about how therapies fight cancer and provide national leadership in testing these new therapies.
We understand that cancer is a complex disease that demands complex care. We provide each patient with a dynamic, carefully constructed treatment plan focused on their specific cancer and their unique needs.
We listen to you to design a plan that provides you with respect, compassionate care and is responsive to your emotional and practical concerns.
Identify and validate novel therapeutics, targets and pathways for selective tumor targeting and where possible advancing these into clinical trials. Research focus includes:
Drs. Matherly and Polin have developed potent novel tumor-targeted cytotoxic agents based on the folate platform with selective membrane transport by the proton-coupled folate transporter (PCFT) and folate receptor (FR) α over the ubiquitously expressed reduced folate carrier. PCFT and FRα are highly expressed in tumors and provide means of selective tumor targeting. Studies in clinically relevant tumor cell models confirmed antitumor effects and in vivo efficacies were demonstrated with FRα- and PCFT- expressing human ovarian and mesothelioma xenografts in SCID mice. Plans are to progress these novel agents to clinical trials.
Drs. Mohammad and Philip identified rationally designed nuclear transport inhibitors for treating pancreatic cancer. Their focus is on chromosome maintenance protein 1 (CRM1), a ubiquitous transport receptor that controls the nuclear export of key tumor suppressor and growth regulatory proteins. Over-expression of CRM1 is frequent in pancreatic cancer and is associated with increased histological grade, tumor size, metastasis and decreased survival. Based on promising preclinical results in pancreatic cancer cell lines and non-transformed human pancreatic ductal epithelial cells, patients are being enrolled on a phase I/IIb investigator-initiated clinical trial with the lead compound of this series.
Investigation of ELK1 as a regulator of androgen receptor growth signaling receptors in prostate cancer. Researchers found that ELK1 directs a selective and sustained induction of genes that are critical for growth signaling by androgen receptor in prostate cancer cells. Studies are exploring whether disrupting the ELK1-androgen receptor interaction is possible and whether drugs can be developed for this purpose. With Dr. Heath, Dr. Ratnam is extending these studies to patients with the goal of an investigator-initiated clinical trial targeting the ELK1-AR interaction in prostate cancer patients.
Hour Detroit’s 2025 Top Docs List is out; over 80 physicians from the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute are listed. This yea...
The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute , cancer centers, and other organizations nationwide recognize October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month....
There was something in the corner of Jerry Melendez’s eye, in the tear duct. He thought it was a stye or a cyst. “The eye doctor gave me steroids,...