Overview of 
The Sylvia Koritan
Clinical Trials Advocacy Program 

The Sylvia Koritan Clinical Trials Advocacy Program at ICAN honors the indomitable spirit and tenacious battle of Sylvia and the indispensable advocacy of her family as models for gastrointestinal ("GI") cancer patients and their families facing this complex, multi-faceted battle. The Program addresses drug discovery and drug development issues through ICAN's Scientific Advisory Council. The Program focuses on special issues affecting the metastasis of GI cancer.

The Sylvia Koritan Clinical Trials Advocacy Program will evaluate the work of organic chemists and synthetic organic chemists seeking to discover and develop the successor or complementary drug combinations for FOLFOX; FOLFIRI, or CapeOX; or the successor or complementary single agents for the fluoropyrimidines such as 5-FU and capecitabine; platinum drugs such as oxaliplatin; as well as single agents such as cetuximab, bevacizumab, irinotecan, mitomycin, and panitumumab.

The Sylvia Koritan Clinical Trials Advocacy Program will emphasize the analysis of treatment options available and in the pipeline for lung and liver metastasis from rectal carcinoma. The Program will evaluate the cytotoxics, vascular disrupting agents, angiogenesis inhibitors, anti-EFGR agents, anti-VEGF agents, and all mechanisms of action pertinent to rectal cancer. The Program will encourage patients to consider DNA microarray/ gene expression profiling in order to identify differentially expressed genes in rectal cancer. The Program will encourage functional profiling of the patient's tumor or biopsy/wedge section of any metastasis. The Program will strongly advocate the need for expanded and accelerated clinical trials in GI cancers.

Because of our Generous Supporters, ICAN patients involved in
The Sylvia Koritan Clinical Trials Advocacy Program
have access to the following information services:

  • Referrals, at the patient contact's request, to medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, surgical oncologists, radiologists, interventional radiologists, anesthesiologists, and additional specialists relevant to the patient's ongoing care.
  • Referrals to support groups that may be of assistance in handling the emotional impact that cancer has on the patient and the patient's family.
  • Referrals to gastrointestinal cancer-specific organizations that may be of assistance in addressing insurance issues or employment termination issues (because of diagnosis or disclosure of metastatic disease).
  • Review of the nature/amelioration of specific side effects from chemotherapy (such as nausea and neuropathy) as well as from other treatment modalities.
  • Discussion of the interaction of diet and cancer chemotherapy drugs based on recent studies.
  • Delineation of the symptoms about which the patient should alert his/her oncologist.
  • Discussion of relevant imaging technology for GI cancers.
  • Discussion of pain management issues and treatment options that can be addressed with the patient's medical team.
  • Review of the relevant interventional radiology and radiation therapy options which the patient contact, in turn, may discuss with his/her medical team.
  • Discussion of the relevance of the patient's specific DNA microarray results as well as immunohistochemistry/flow cytometry/ morphology profile to available clinical trials so that the patient may explore all options with his/her medical team.
  • Analysis of relevant clinical trials options as well as the nature and purpose of clinical trials.
  • Review of relevant GI cancer-specific drugs in the anticancer pipeline.
  • Review of all relevant and complementary and alternative medicine ("CAM") avenues for GI diagnoses.
  • Review of the merits of filing a "Single Patient IND for Compassionate or Emergency Use" for a specific experimental cancer drug, if relevant to the patient's situation.
  • Exploration of options that might reduce travel costs for the patient contact, such as Corporate Angels Network, as well as ICAN supporters who have volunteered to host a clinical trials patient in a particular city.
  • Analysis of relevant cancer clinical trials options as well as the nature and purpose of clinical trials using Remission Coach®.
  • Explanation of the recommendations given or not given by the patient's oncology team; assistance in answering the patient's questions which remain either after or between appointments with the medical team.

The Sylvia Koritan Clinical Trials Advocacy Program
is a vital part of ICAN's Cancer Patient Advocacy and Clinical Trials Program Advocacy Services.

For more information about this special program, please click on.....

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ICAN is currently working on The Sylvia Koritan Clinical Trials Advocacy Program. We are working to put together a Family and Friends Advisory Council for the The Sylvia Koritan Clinical Trials Advocacy Program. If interested, please email us at Sylvia.Koritan.Program@askican.org.

If you would like to become involved as a donor and supporter or a member of our Cancer Research Literature team as a Research Team Leader (medical school students, physicians, nurses, and post-docs only please), you may reach us at Sylvia.Koritan.Program@askican.org.


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