El Paso Children’s Hospital to conduct clinical trials on drug to help treat pediatric cancer

The Federal Drug Administration recently expanded approval of the drug Desatinib to help treat pediatric cancer and clinical trials will soon begin at El Paso Children’s Hospital.

Dr. Lisa Hartman, lead investigator for El Paso Children’s Oncology department, said the drug helps target the mutation that’s involved in the pathways of increased cellular growth, which is what causes cancer.

“So if you can actually target that mutation in the cells, then you can prevent the cancer cells from dividing,” Dr. Hartman said.

El Paso Children’s recently became an institutional member of the Children’s Oncology Group which enables residents to have access to up front therapies and treatment without having to travel from home.

The St. Baldrick’s Foundation, an organization that has helped raise money locally will give EPCH a grant totaling $48,750.

St. Baldrick’s is known for its head-shaving events to raise money for pediatric cancer research. It most recently hosted a fundraiser in El Paso that collected $10,000 in June.

The foundation said El Paso has raised more than $24,000 this year.

EPCH officials said the grant will help with personnel to enroll patients in the clinical trials. Dr. Hartman said the hospital will collect data to learn more about how patients respond to the treatment.

“It’s actually really rewarding when you get to take care of kids, cure them of their cancer and see them grow up and live normal lives,” Dr. Hartman said.