Dana-farber Cancer Institute

This study tested how well a daily pill called neratinib works for people with a specific type of breast cancer (HER2-positive) that has spread to the brain. The goal was to see if the drug could shrink or stabilize the brain tumors. Researchers also wanted to understand how much…

This study tested the safety and effectiveness of combining four drugs to treat advanced stomach and esophageal cancers that have a specific marker called HER2. The treatment combined two chemotherapy drugs with two targeted antibody drugs designed to attack the cancer's blood su…

This early-stage study tested a personalized vaccine designed to train the immune system to fight metastatic melanoma. Doctors created the vaccine for each of the 23 participants using proteins from their own surgically removed tumor cells, combined with immune-stimulating agents…

This early-stage study tested a new oral medication called CUDC-907 in children and young adults whose cancers had returned or stopped responding to standard treatments. The main goals were to check for side effects and find the safest dose for children, since this drug had only …

This study tested whether adding an experimental drug called ganetespib to the standard hormone therapy fulvestrant could better control advanced breast cancer that had stopped responding to other hormone treatments. It involved 50 people with hormone receptor-positive, HER2-nega…

This early-stage study tested the safety of a new combination treatment for advanced head and neck cancer. It involved giving patients immune cells from a donor, along with several drugs, to see if the body could better fight the cancer. The main goal was to find a safe dose and …

This study aimed to find the best way to give a crucial drug called asparaginase to children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). It directly compared a newer, longer-lasting version given by IV with the standard version given by injection. The main goal was to see which meth…

This study tested whether adding a drug called Interleukin-2 (IL-2) to a standard light-based blood treatment (ECP) could help control chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in adults. The 25 participants had GVHD that did not improve with steroid medications. They received ECP…

This study tested a combination of two drugs, idelalisib and ofatumumab, for people with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) who had not yet received treatment. The goal was to see if using these drugs together was safe and effective at controll…

This study tested a combination of three cancer drugs (lenalidomide, bortezomib, and dexamethasone) in 46 adults newly diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a cancer of plasma cells. The main goals were to see how well the treatment worked to control the cancer and to check if giving …

This early-stage trial tested the safety and best dose of a two-drug combination for people with advanced lung cancer driven by a specific KRAS gene change. The study involved 34 adults and combined two oral medications, palbociclib and binimetinib, which work together to block d…

This study tested if a newer drug called T-DM1 causes fewer serious side effects than the standard two-drug combination (paclitaxel and trastuzumab) for early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer. It involved 512 women who had recently had breast cancer surgery. The main goals were …

This early-phase study tested whether adding an experimental pill called afatinib to standard radiation therapy (with or without chemotherapy) was safe for people who had surgery for head and neck cancer. The main goal was to find the highest dose of afatinib that patients could …

This early-stage study tested a new combination of two immunotherapy drugs, ASP8374 and cemiplimab, in adults with an aggressive brain tumor that had returned. The main goals were to find the safest dose of the drug combo and to see if giving it right before surgery changed the i…

This study tested whether adding the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab after a patient's own stem cell transplant could help keep certain aggressive lymphomas from returning. It involved 82 adults with Hodgkin lymphoma, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, or T-cell lymphoma that had co…

This early-stage study tested the safety of combining two drugs, pembrolizumab and AMG386, in 62 patients with advanced solid tumors like melanoma, ovarian, kidney, or colorectal cancer. The goal was to see if the combination was safe and to find the right dose, as lab research s…

This study tested a combination of three drugs—paclitaxel, trastuzumab, and pertuzumab—given to patients before surgery for a fast-growing type of breast cancer called inflammatory breast cancer. The main goals were to see if the treatment could completely eliminate the cancer fr…

This study tested whether adjusting the dose of a key chemotherapy drug (L-asparaginase) based on individual patient measurements could help adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia complete their full treatment course. It involved 100 adults aged 18-50 who received multi-phase c…

This early-stage study tested the safety and initial effectiveness of the drug venetoclax for adults with a rare and aggressive blood cancer called BPDCN. The trial involved a small group of patients to find the safest dose and see if the drug could help control the disease. It w…

This study tested a new oral rinse that looks for HPV DNA in saliva. Researchers wanted to see if the test could tell the difference between a common HPV infection and actual throat cancer. They compared results from 360 people—some with HPV-positive throat cancer and some withou…

This study tested whether a drug called obinutuzumab could prevent chronic Graft-vs-Host Disease (cGVHD) in patients who received a stem cell transplant. cGVHD is a serious condition where the donor's immune cells attack the recipient's body. In this trial, 181 adult transplant p…

This study tested whether fasting for 14 hours overnight could help prevent blood cancer in overweight people with early-stage blood cell conditions. 23 participants were randomly assigned to either follow the fasting schedule or receive general healthy lifestyle advice for 4 mon…

This study tested whether acupuncture could prevent or reduce chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN)—a common side effect causing pain, numbness, and tingling in hands and feet. Researchers enrolled 89 women with early-stage breast cancer who were starting taxane chemo…

This small study tested whether giving blood transfusions at home is a practical and acceptable option for patients with advanced blood cancers who are in hospice care. It involved 10 patients with a life expectancy of six months or less, along with their caregivers. The main goa…

This study tested a support program called BOLSTER for people with gynecologic or gastrointestinal cancers and their caregivers. The goal was to help them better manage the transition home after a hospital stay by providing education, skills training, and symptom support. The res…

This study tested whether a single online education session could help cancer survivors with insomnia sleep better. About 70 participants were randomly assigned to either a sleep education program or a relaxation program. Researchers measured changes in sleep quality and mood ove…

This study tested whether a program using educational videos for patients and communication training for doctors could improve how older adults with advanced cancer plan for their future medical care. It involved over 13,800 participants across 30 cancer clinics. The main goal wa…

This study tested whether a smartphone app paired with a Fitbit could help women manage symptoms during treatment for recurrent gynecologic cancers. The app asked patients to report side effects daily and provided tailored advice or alerts to call their doctor based on symptom se…

This study tested whether testosterone replacement therapy could safely improve quality of life for men who had prostate cancer surgery. Researchers enrolled 136 prostate cancer survivors experiencing low energy, sexual problems, or physical decline due to low testosterone. Parti…

This study tested whether a single online sleep education session could help young adult cancer survivors who struggle with insomnia. About 56 participants were randomly assigned to receive the education alone or with two extra coaching sessions. Researchers measured changes in s…

This study tested whether acupuncture could help reduce hot flashes in breast cancer patients taking hormone-blocking medications. Researchers compared acupuncture treatment against usual care in 84 women who experienced frequent, bothersome hot flashes. The goal was to see if th…

This study tested a program called PRISM, designed to help teens and young adults (ages 12-24) with advanced cancer. The program taught skills like stress management, goal-setting, and finding meaning to improve their quality of life and reduce anxiety and depression. Researchers…

This study aimed to find a better way to choose chemotherapy for patients with triple-negative breast cancer before surgery. Researchers tested if a specific biomarker (called HRD score) from a tumor sample could predict whether a patient would respond better to the drug cisplati…

This study aimed to find out how often breast cancer is actually present near two specific types of benign findings seen on a needle biopsy. Researchers studied 246 women who had these findings to see if a follow-up surgical biopsy was necessary to rule out hidden cancer. The goa…