1,400 Cancer Patients Call In for Trial Drug

Nearly 1,400 cancer patients called Tuesday to sign up for the first human trials of endostatin, an experimental drug that has been shown to shrink tumors in mice.

Researchers will select from 15 to 30 people.

“It is really a great breakthrough to begin the clinical trials,” said Dr. David Rosenthal, a spokesman for the American Cancer Society and a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.

The search is being conducted by Dana-Farber/Partners Cancer Care, a collaboration of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Researchers are looking for volunteers over age 17 with solid tumors who have not benefited from other treatment. Patients with leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma or primary brain tumors are not eligible.