Abramson Cancer Center At Penn Medicine

This study tested a precise type of radiation called proton therapy for people with rare tumors of the spine and skull base (chordomas and chondrosarcomas). The goal was to see if it was safe and could be given as planned. 54 adults took part, and researchers tracked side effects…

This early-phase trial looked at combining a special type of radiation (hypofractionated radiotherapy) with two immunotherapy drugs (MEDI4736 and tremelimumab) for people with advanced melanoma, lung, breast, or pancreatic cancer that had spread. The main goal was to find the saf…

This study tested whether the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab can help people with non-small cell lung cancer that has spread to only a few spots (oligometastatic). All 51 participants had already completed their initial treatment and then received pembrolizumab every 3 weeks fo…

This early-phase trial tested a combination of three drugs (olaparib, palbociclib, and fulvestrant) in 9 adults with BRCA-mutated, hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer that had spread or could not be removed. The main goal was to see if the combination was safe …

This study compared four different programs to help underserved smokers quit smoking for at least 6 months. Over 3,200 participants who were referred for lung cancer screening took part. The goal was to find the most effective approach to help them stop smoking and improve their …

This study tested a new type of counseling called BAPS to help smokers with HIV quit. 651 participants were split into two groups: one received standard smoking cessation counseling, the other received BAPS. The goal was to see which approach led to more people quitting smoking b…

This early-phase study tested whether giving the heart medication carvedilol to breast cancer patients at high risk for heart problems could safely protect their hearts during chemotherapy with doxorubicin and/or trastuzumab. 68 women with stage I-III breast cancer participated. …

This study tested a drug called niraparib in 11 men with advanced prostate cancer that was no longer responding to hormone therapy. All participants had previously received platinum chemotherapy and had specific DNA repair defects. The goal was to see if niraparib could slow canc…

This study tested whether anti-vaping social media messages designed specifically for sexual and gender minority (SGM) teens could prevent them from starting to vape. Over 1,100 SGM youth aged 13-20 who had not vaped recently received either tailored or generic messages. The goal…

This study tested whether using virtual reality (VR) for mindfulness and relaxation is practical for cancer patients before their radiation planning session. Twenty-five adults scheduled for radiation treatment tried a VR program designed to reduce anxiety. The main goal was to s…

This study tested whether sending reminders (nudges) to doctors, patients, or both could increase the number of women with extremely dense breasts who get a breast MRI. Over 1,300 women aged 40-74 took part. The goal was to see if these nudges work and if the effect differs betwe…

This study tested a program that uses computer algorithms and patient navigators to help people in low-income areas complete their colorectal cancer screening. 385 adults from specific Philadelphia zip codes who had not finished a colonoscopy or stool test were included. The goal…

This project offered free transportation coordination to help people in Philadelphia attend lung cancer screening appointments. The study included 252 adults who had upcoming or missed low-dose CT scans. Researchers compared attendance among those who used the free rides, those w…

This study tested a simple way to help hospitalized patients with advanced lung or gastrointestinal cancers talk about their care goals with their cancer doctor after leaving the hospital. About 80 patients took part, with half completing a short survey about their wishes and pre…

This study watched 44 adults with leukemia or lymphoma who were getting CAR T-cell therapy. Researchers checked their heart health before and after treatment using heart scans and blood tests. The goal was to see how often heart problems happen and who might be at higher risk.

This study looked at 172 breast cancer patients to see how proton or photon radiation affects the heart. Researchers measured heart function and blood markers before, during, and up to one year after treatment. The goal was to understand which type of radiation might cause less h…

This study tested a community support program (CSP) to see if it helps people attend lung cancer screening appointments. Researchers compared attendance rates among West Philadelphia residents who opted into the program, those who did not, and a group from another area. The goal …

This study looked at whether changing how PET/CT scans are taken can give clearer images of lung cancer spread. Thirty adults with non-small cell lung cancer had extra scan time to test different settings. The goal was to see if these adjustments help doctors stage the disease mo…

This early-phase study tested a special PET/CT scan that uses a tracer to detect immune cells (CD8+ T cells) in tumors. Six adults with advanced melanoma who were also on immunotherapy and hydroxychloroquine received the scan before and after treatment. The goal was to see if cha…

This study looked at whether fun social rewards, like game-like challenges and donations to charity, can encourage families to walk more. About 779 people from the Philadelphia area, including at least one older adult per family, wore Fitbits to track their steps for 12 months. T…

This study looked at whether the color of a cigarette package changes how people smoke low-nicotine cigarettes, how much harmful chemicals they breathe in, and what they think about the risks. About 219 adult smokers took part over 35 days. Researchers measured things like how ma…

This study tested a robotic platform that uses motion cameras to keep a person's head still in real time. Twenty healthy volunteers participated, and no radiation was used. The goal was to collect motion data to help develop better head stabilization methods for future brain radi…

This study tested whether trained patient ambassadors (peers) could help more people with advanced or recurrent gynecologic cancer learn about and enroll in clinical trials. 23 patients participated. The goal was to see if the program was practical and well-liked, not to test a n…

This study looked at how to best encourage DPYD testing in people with gastrointestinal cancer before they start certain chemotherapy drugs. DPYD testing can show who is at higher risk for severe or even deadly side effects. Researchers tested different messages with 50 participa…

This study tested whether a chatbot named Penny could help adults who had cancer as children or young adults get back into follow-up care. Participants had not seen a doctor for their cancer history in at least three years. The chatbot sent texts to help them schedule appointment…

This study tested a decision aid for 60 adults aged 76-85 with low health literacy to help them decide about colorectal cancer screening. The goal was to see if the tool helped people make screening choices that matched their health and risk. The study measured changes in screeni…

This study tested whether sending reminders to cancer patients and alerts to their nurses improves how often patients fill out symptom surveys. About 476 adults starting new cancer treatment took part. The goal was to see if these simple nudges help track symptoms better during t…

This study collected blood from 43 healthy adults aged 18-60 to serve as a control group for a test that detects cancer cells in the blood. Participants completed a health questionnaire and gave small blood samples up to 20 times. The goal was to help validate the accuracy of the…

This study tested different methods to encourage more people to get genetic testing for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer risk. Researchers used electronic health records to find over 1,300 eligible patients at Penn Medicine gynecology clinics. They tried sending messages dire…