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A new clinical trial of Zactima (zd6474) as a treatment for children with hereditary Medullary Thyroid Cancer is enrolling patients starting in summer 2007.

The clinical trial is being conducted as a collaborative effort between Samuel A. Wells, M.D. of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the Pediatric Oncology Branch of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland, which is just outside Washington, DC.

Zactima has shown promising activity for hereditary Medullary Thyroid Cancer (MTC) in adults. There are also children with advanced MTC who need further treatment. This trial is intended for children with advanced local or metastatic MTC who have been advised by their doctor that they need further treatment. To qualify for the study, they need to have a measurable tumor that is at least 2 cm (or 1 cm if measured on a spiral CT).

Enrollment will be open to children who live in the U.S. or Canada.

All patients will be admitted to the NCI Clinical Center.

However, some of the patient's treatment can be managed by their local doctor. Therefore, travel to the NIH will not be as frequent as with the adult trials.

The NIH has set up as streamlined a process as possible, providing all services and covering all expenses for these families (medical, travel, lodging).

For more information, contact Dr. Wells directly at:

Samuel A. Wells, M.D.
919-201-0310
wellss@mail.nih.gov
OR
wellss@wudosis.wustl.edu

For more information about Pediatric Medullary Thyroid Cancer, visit:
http://www.thyca.org/pediatric/treatment-med.htm.