Clinical Trials for Lung Cancer
Dr. Shepherd's major area of research is in the field of clinical trials for lung cancer. She has been instrumental in developing and evaluating combined modality treatment strategies and new treatment modalities at a local, national and international level for patients with both small cell and non-small cell lung cancer.
She has initiated and led several international Phase III studies in collaboration with cooperative groups and institutions all over North America and Europe. She has also been the principal investigator or co-investigator for numerous phase I and II investigational new drug trials in her institution or nationally through the National Cancer Institute of Canada.
Dr. Shepherd is the Chair of the National Cancer Institute of Canada Clinical Trials Group Lung Cancer Site. During her tenure, the group has undergone three external reviews, and on each occasion the Lung Cancer Site has been awarded the highest ranking. In that position, she has developed clinical trials research in lung cancer at a national and international level.
Under her direction, the NCI-Canada has been the lead cooperative group for numerous international inter-group studies in collaboration with the five large cooperative clinical cancer research groups in the United states, as well as with the European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer. An NCIC trial initiated and led by Dr. Shepherd has just reported that adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery for early stage non-small cell lung cancer can increase the cure rate by an astounding 30%. This trial will change treatment for patients with this cancer world-wide.
In addition to the inter-group studies, many other phase II and III lung cancer trials have been performed by the group under her leadership with participation from around the world. The latest trial, NCIC BR.21 that evaluated the role of Tarceva in advanced non-small cell lung cancer attracted participants from every continent of the globe. It is considered a landmark trial as it is the first to confirm a survival benefit for an epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor in lung cancer.
Dr. Shepherd's contribution to the development and conduct of clinical trials is recognized internationally. She is the President of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer. She was a member of the US National Institutes of Health Concept Evaluation Panel for Lung Cancer clinical trials. This body of CTEP (the Cancer Treatment Evaluation Program of the US NCI) was responsible for evaluating and approving all multi-center lung cancer clinical research studies submitted by the large US cooperative groups.
Dr. Shepherd has been instrumental in the design and conduct of research studies evaluating the new targeted agents and anti-angiogenesis agents in lung cancer. She has also undertaken translational research studies in this field. Most recently she has developed several large international randomized trials for some of the novel anti-cancer agents that are directed against the epidermal growth factor receptor and other molecular targets.
Dr. Shepherd has been devoted to collaboration with the basic scientists of the Ontario Cancer Institute to develop a Translational Research Program related to Lung Cancer. She was instrumental in the creation of NCIC trial-associated Lung Cancer Tumour Banks that contain both cancer and normal lung samples. These precious samples will play a critical role in furthering understanding of the molecular abnormalities of lung cancer in the future. It is also anticipated that future studies using these samples will help to identify patients who are most likely to derive benefit from specific therapies.
Additional Appointments
- Scott Taylor Chair in Lung Cancer Research
- Senior Staff Physician at the Princess Margaret Hospital
- Site Group Leader for the Lung Cancer site
- Professor of Medicine in the Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto
