Pittsburgh – October 16, 2026 -- Allegheny Health Network (AHN) Cancer Center has launched RANDY'S Trial, a clinical study funded by a gala that raised $44,000 in 2025, to test whether existing medications can break down fibrosis that blocks surgery in patients with appendiceal and other peritoneal cancers.
The trial is formally titled Repurposed And Naturally-Derived Drugs for the Treatment of Fibrosis in Peritoneal Carcinomatosis. It is supported by The Randy & Stephanie Meyer Spread Goodness Fund and is named for the late Lt. Randy Meyer II, a City of Pittsburgh firefighter who battled a rare form of appendix cancer for more than a decade.
Fibrosis complicates cytoreduction surgery in peritoneal cancers
The study targets dense scar tissue that can surround tumors and adhere to healthy tissue, making cytoreduction surgery difficult. Scar tissue can obscure normal anatomy, making it hard to tell where healthy tissue ends and diseased tissue begins. It can also trap hidden cancer cells, and separating healthy tissue from scar tissue raises the risk of organ damage.
In cancer patients, abdominal scar tissue can form through inflammation or through previous surgeries.
Researchers will test repurposed FDA-approved drugs to remodel scar tissue
Investigators will evaluate established medications that may help break down or remodel scar tissue. The goal is to increase the number of patients eligible for surgery and improve outcomes. The trial builds on research into whether FDA-approved drugs previously used for other conditions can alter the scar tissue surrounding certain peritoneal tumors.
Patrick Wagner, MD, a surgical oncologist with AHN Cancer Center, is principal investigator. He leads a multidisciplinary AHN team specializing in peritoneal malignancies. Wagner said philanthropy allowed the team to move the concept from the drawing board into a clinical trial that may help more patients become surgical candidates.
Gala proceeds fund the study through the Bartlett Cancer Research Fund
Funding was raised through the fund's annual La Sera d'Oro Gala (The Golden Evening), held each November to support the Bartlett Cancer Research Fund. The 2025 event raised $44,000. Stephanie Meyer, Randy Meyer's wife, continued the fund's work after his death.
David Bartlett, MD, director of AHN Cancer Center, said philanthropic investment is often the catalyst that turns innovative ideas into opportunities for patients with rare cancers.
The third annual gala is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 28. Tickets and sponsorships are available until Nov. 14. Patient enrollment is beginning, and AHN researchers expect the study to generate new insights into treating fibrosis associated with peritoneal cancers.