Was/is your response to treatment beyond expectations?

Then please ask your physician to participate in this important study

http://www.cancer.gov/newscenter/newsfromnci/2014/ExceptionalRespondersInitiativeSept2014?cid=EBeripa1ex_pr

Today, NCI announced the Exceptional Responders Initiative, a study to investigate the molecular underpinnings of exceptional responses to systemic treatment in cancer patients.

To support this initiative, NCI asks clinicians to identify potential exceptional responder cases. An exceptional responder is a patient having either complete or partial response to experimental or standard cancer therapy lasting for six months or more. This could be from patients enrolled in early phase clinical trials where fewer than 10 percent responded or could be from patients treated on later phase trials of single agents or combinations. It can also be from patients having exceptional responses from established cancer treatment.

NCI plans to examine tissue and clinical data from up to 300 exceptional responder cases and will conduct genome sequencing analyses. The information will be stored in a controlled access database so that qualified investigators will be able to access it for further research.

For more information on the Exceptional Responders Initiative, please see the press release, “NIH exceptional responders to cancer therapy study launched,” as well as these questions and answers. Questions from investigators, physicians, and hospitals looking to contribute tumor samples can be sent by email to the Exceptional Responders email box at NCIExceptionalResponders@mail.nih.gov.