Titles and Affiliations

Professor of Oncology
Regis Professor of Breast Cancer Research

Research area

Reducing the side effects of breast cancer treatments in order to improve quality of life for patients during and after treatment. 

Impact

Breast cancer patients may experience distressing side effects and toxicities related to treatment that can significantly interfere with their everyday activities. While some go away quickly, others persist long after therapy ends, and others may not appear until several years later. Dr. Loprinzi is conducting a series of studies aimed at reducing or avoiding treatment-related side effects so that patients are better able to live their lives while undergoing treatment and in the years that follow. Through BCRF support, Dr Loprinzi has conducted 13 studies related to symptom control following breast cancer treatment. From a series of ongoing clinical trials, his team has shown that several treatment related side effects can be successfully managed.  The results of his studies will help breast cancer patients control treatment-related side effects and ultimately improve their quality of life.   

Progress Thus Far

Based on his findings, Dr. Loprinzi has developed several clinical trials and will continue to accrue patients to these trials and analyze the resulting data. This includes:  

  • expand the testing of rose germanium oil to alleviate nasal vestibulitis
  • test the use of fingolimod to prevent chemotherapy-induced neuropathy 
  • test Mepitel film as a way to reduce radiation-associated skin toxicity
  • test olanzapine for alleviating nausea/vomiting associated with advanced cancer
  • determine if the risk of cardiotoxicity with neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy could be evaluated by a combination of clinical, echocardiographic, and laboratory parameters at baseline and early during the course of therapy
  • test methods to decrease the incidence of alopecia during therapy  

What's next

Ongoing analysis of the data obtained from these trials will inform clinical decision-making, identify ways to decrease the untoward effects of breast cancer treatment, and improve treatment outcomes and quality of life for patients.   

Biography

Charles Loprinzi, MD is currently the Regis Professor of Breast Cancer Research at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN where he is an emeritus chair of the Division of Medical Oncology and an emeritus Vice-Chair of the Department of Oncology. 

He has run an active cancer control program directed toward both cancer prevention efforts and symptom control efforts, which has led to the publication of over 500 articles and book chapters, with over 100 publications in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Dr. Loprinzi served as the founding editor for the Art of Oncology section of the Journal of Clinical Oncology from 2000 through 2010. In addition, he edited two anthologies of articles from the Art of Oncology series that are available via a Kindle electronic book format.  

His work has led to him receiving two awards from the Susan G. Komen Foundation: the Komen Foundation Brinker award in 2002 and the 2005 Komen Foundation Professor of Survivorship.  In 2005, he was awarded the 2006 Clinical Research Award by the Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC).   In 2006, he was awarded the North American Menopausal Society (NAMS) Vasomotor Symptoms Research Award.

BCRF Investigator Since

2008

Areas of Focus