In October 2019, our largest ever research project was launched, ICONIC, the UK’s first ever age-inclusive osteosarcoma clinical trial.
ICONIC now operates in 22 NHS centres across the UK and has brought together renowned surgeons and oncologists, pathologists and researchers who are collaborating to collect and analyse data from patients and tumour samples from the point of diagnosis, through treatment and beyond. Their aim is to develop better treatments and improve outcomes for osteosarcoma patients.
For ICONIC to be successful, patients need to be involved, and we have been overwhelmed by their response. Over 100 patients are now enrolled on the clinical trial and 18% of them are over the age of 40. Being diagnosed with osteosarcoma is an incredibly worrying time, but selflessly patients have come forward to be part of ICONIC to help those diagnosed in the future. Dr Strauss, Principal Investigator of ICONIC, shared with us:
ICONIC is about collaboration, with a major initial focus on gathering clinical data and tissue samples over time from all newly diagnosed patients across the UK, a resource sorely missed to date. This will help us learn more about the biology of osteosarcoma, understand why only some patients respond to treatment and survive, and identify patients for new treatment strategies.
Until now, the emphasis has been on young patients - despite the fact that we know that patients over the age of 40 years have a worse prognosis. In part, this is because this group is not able to tolerate all available treatment options, but 40 years of age is an arbitrary cut off point and by gathering more data on the disease across all ages, we hope to find more sophisticated ways to assess which patients will do best on which treatments.
Dr Davison, Head of Research, Information & Support at the charity, said:
Osteosarcoma survival rates haven't improved in the last 30 years. In the last 10 years, no new treatments for osteosarcoma have reached phase 3 clinical trials and patients over the age of forty have never been included in clinical trials. ICONIC is changing this, and we would like to offer our heartfelt thanks to all the patients who have agreed to be part of ICONIC. By being part of the trial you’re offering new hope to patients of the future.
ICONIC is open to every patient in the UK newly diagnosed with osteosarcoma. To find out more about ICONIC, click below.
The Bone Cancer Research Trust would like to thank the Kathleen Laurence Trust, Miss Margaret Butters Reekie Charitable Trust, P F Charitable Trust, and Doris Field Charitable Trust for their support of this clinical study.