An oral drug that blocks activity of enzymes that change proteins in cells that leads to cancer is being tested at the National Institutes of Health.

R935788 or Fostamatinib, a protein kinase inhibitor, is in a Phase II clinical trial for patients with several types of advanced cancer, including colorectal cancer.  Patients whose cancer has gotten worse on previous treatment are eligible to participate.  The trial is being conducted at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.

Patients will take fostamatinib twice a day during 4 week cycles.  They’ll see a doctor at the NIH Clinical Center at the beginning of each cycle.  Weekly blood tests and blood pressure checks can be done in an outpatient clinic or by the patient’s own doctor.

There is no charge for medical care received at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center in Bethesda. Patients need to pay their own travel costs for the first screening visit, but once enrolled, the National Cancer Institute pays for transportation to the Washington area.  During outpatient visits, NCI pays a small daily amount for for hotel and meals.

Patients are encouraged to maintain their own insurance to cover health care costs outside of the NIH Clinical Center.

To be considered for the trial, patients or their doctors should contact research nurses:

• Janelle Bingham, R.N.
• Phone: 301-435-2715
• jbingham@mail.nih.gov

or

• Mary Ann Yancey, R.N.
• Phone: 301-435-9227
• yancym@mail.nih.gov

Shivaani Kummar, MD is leading the study.  She can be reached at 301-435-5402 or  kummars@mail.nih.gov

Find more answers to  your questions about the trial.  A full description is on the NCI Clinical Trials PDQ.