Dr. Pakkala on Clinical Trial Enrollment for Patients With Breast Cancer and Brain Metastases

Suchita Pakkala, MD, assistant professor, Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology site medical director, Infusion Services, Emory University School of Medicine, Emory University Hospital Midtown, discusses the importance for clinical trial enrollment for patients with breast cancer who have brain metastases.

Additional efforts are ongoing to enroll patients with metastatic breast cancer who have brain metastases to clinical trials to better evaluate if drugs are active against central nervous system (CNS) metastases, Pakkala says. Patients with breast cancer and CNS metastases typically have a smaller window for treatment, making it vital to quickly find clinical trials where they could be eligible, Pakkala explains.

Keeping trials open at many institutions can benefit patients with brain metastases and provide additional insights into the effectiveness of different treatments, Pakkala concludes.