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Particularly promising cancer studies at the University Medical Center Freiburg selected for the BMBF's National Decade Against Cancer / Three of 13 nationwide studies from Freiburg / Close involvement of patient representatives

At the beginning of the year, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) proclaimed the National Decade against Cancer. Now 13 projects have been selected that have a particularly high potential to improve the care and treatment of cancer patients. With three projects, the University Medical Center Freiburg is the institution with the most successful applications nationwide. In a first step, the planning of the studies will now be funded. Subsequently, after a second round of assessments, a decision will be made on further funding. The Freiburg trials are investigating whether surgery can be dispensed with in certain cases of oesophageal cancer, the benefits of high-precision radiotherapy for prostate cancer and whether older patients with CNS lymphoma also benefit from an autologous stem cell transplant.

"We are delighted that so many projects from the University Medical Center Freiburg are being funded despite strong competition nationwide. This shows the high level of expertise in oncological research and treatment at the Medical Center," says Prof. Dr. Frederik Wenz, Chief Medical Director of the Freiburg University Medical Center. "Patients and patient representatives are involved in the planning right from the start to ensure that the studies are optimally tailored to the needs of patients."

ESORES - Does esophageal cancer always require surgery?

Esophageal cancer is a type of tumor that is often difficult and costly to treat, and until now most curable patients have undergone surgery to remove the affected part of the esophagus after radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The esophagus often has to be replaced by part of the stomach or intestine. The ESORES study now aims to clarify whether this is actually also necessary in patients who have responded very well clinically to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. "Dispensing with this complex surgical procedure would be a great relief for those affected and could result in a significant improvement in their quality of life," says project leader Prof. Dr. Jens Höppner, Managing Senior Physician at the Department of General and Visceral Surgery at the Freiburg University Medical Center.

HypoFocal - high-precision radiation for prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men. The majority of patients currently receive high-dose radiation of the entire prostate during the course of treatment, even if the tumor tissue is only located in a clearly defined area. The HypoFocal study will now investigate whether patients benefit from individually tailored radiotherapy in which only the precisely circumscribed tumor area is irradiated. "Today, we can very precisely delineate the shape and function of the tumor from healthy tissue. This makes it possible to irradiate the suspected tissue in high doses and spare adjacent tissue," says project leader Prof. Dr. Anca-L. Grosu, Medical Director of the Department of Radiation Oncology at the Freiburg University Medical Center.

PRIMA-CNS - stem cells for older patients with brain tumors

CNS lymphoma is an accumulation of malignant immune cells in the brain or spinal cord. If left untreated, the disease leads to death within a short time. Until now, patients over the age of 65 have been treated with chemotherapy and long-term supportive maintenance therapy. The PRIMA-CNS study now aims to find out whether patients benefit more from shorter but more intensive high-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation. This involves transplanting the patient's own blood stem cells, which were removed before the high-dose chemotherapy. "Numerous preliminary studies have already enabled us to establish this therapeutic principle as the international standard of care for younger patients. Initial experience with older patients is very promising. We want to use this study to find out whether intensified treatment will also represent a new therapeutic standard for older people," said project leader Dr. Elisabeth Schorb, a specialist at the Department of Internal Medicine I at the Freiburg University Medical Center.

Contact: 
Prof. Dr. Jens Höppner
Managing Senior Physician
Department of General and Visceral Surgery
Freiburg University Medical Center
Phone: 0761 270-25440
jens.hoeppner@uniklinik-freiburg.de

Prof. Dr. med. Anca-L. Grosu
Medical Director
Department of Radiation Oncology
Freiburg University Medical Center
Phone: 0761 270-94610

Dr. Elisabeth Schorb
Specialist
Department of Internal Medicine I (specializing in haematology, oncology and stem cell transplants)
Freiburg University Medical Centre
Phone: 0761 270-35360
elisabeth.schorb@uniklinik-freiburg.de