Neuro-Oncology: Research at MUSC

 

Transcript:

 

Guest:  Dr. Pierre Giglio

Host:  Dr. Linda Austin – Psychiatry

            

Dr. Linda Austin:  I’m Dr. Linda Austin.  I’m interviewing Dr. Pierre Giglio who is Assistant Professor of Neurosciences and director of the medical neuro-oncology group here at the Medical University of South Carolina.  Dr. Giglio, I understand that you’re very involved in research here, in brain tumors.  Can you tell us about some of the research studies that are going on here that some folks might be interested in participating in?

 

Dr. Pierre Giglio:  Certainly.  We are participating in the radiation therapy oncology group trial and we have, in fact, two that are currently active through the RTOG mechanism.  One of them is for the treatment of glioblastoma, which is the most malignant type of primary brain tumor at the time of initial diagnosis.  Another of these trials is for the treatment of the same type of tumor when it comes back after the original therapy has been administered. 

 

The other clinical trials that we have are looking at treatment of patients with spread of cancer from other parts of the body to the brain.  So, they are mainly dealing with the treatment of metastatic cancer, metastasis.  There is another clinical trial that is currently active at the university, as well as is the Cotara trial, which is a very exciting trial looking at treatment of malignant brain tumors when they recur after original treatment.  It is a surgical trial in which therapy is directly instilled into the brain tumor cavity at the time of reoperation.  So, we have quite a few interesting clinical trials going on right now.

 

Dr. Linda Austin:  If someone listening to this wants to learn more about these clinical trials, whom should they contact?  How would they become involved?

 

Dr. Pierre Giglio:  There are various mechanisms.  The Hollings Cancer Center has a website which lists the various clinical trials available.  We also have a neuro-oncology coordinator who can be contacted directly about trials that are available right now.  That is Christa Lizzi at:  (843) 792-9279.

 

Dr. Linda Austin:  Well, good luck with these trials.  There is so much exciting new research going on in this area that offers hope to patients.

 

Dr. Pierre Giglio:  Thank you.

 

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