Mount Auburn Hospital Participating in Novartis SIGNATURE Cancer Study

Mount Auburn Hospital is approved and joining hospitals around the country in participating in the innovativeSIGNATURE study, clinical trials for cancer treatment, focusing on targeting specific genetic mutations in tumors. This is the first time this study has been made available to the communities Mount Auburn serves including Cambridge, Arlington, Belmont, Lexington, Watertown and Waltham.

Traditional cancer trials group patients based on their cancer diagnosis, such as lung or breast, and that determines the type of treatment they receive. However, based on research and studies over the past few years, the key to treatment may lie in targeting geneticmutations, which could overlap among different types of cancer. The SIGNATURE study, sponsored by Novartis,focuses on treatments based on genetic mutations, regardless of the location of the cancer. “It opens up the possibility that a patient with lung cancer could receive successful treatment from the same drug as a patient with breast cancer, if they have the same genetic mutation despite the different location of their cancer”, says Mount Auburn Hospital’s Chief of Hematology/Oncology, Dr. Lisa Weissmann, MD.

These trials move at a quicker and more efficient pace, because they are available in the local community, thus extensive travel is not required. Instead of a drug company opening a trial at a specific location and waiting or searching for patients with the right criteria to participate, the Novartis study comes to the patients at approved care centers, such as Mount Auburn Hospital. This gives patients the opportunity to receive access to this breaking research at their local community hospital.

“We are excited to bring this type of opportunity to our patients, allowing them access to cutting edge research without leaving their familiar and comfortable environment” Dr. Weissmann concludes.