Methodist Estabrook Cancer Center, a leader in cancer treatment and research, offers access to cutting-edge clinical treatment trials through its Oncology Research Department. A highly-trained, multidisciplinary team of cancer specialists coordinates care and carefully oversees patient participation in approximately 100 ongoing national trials designed to test whether promising treatment approaches should become the new standard of cancer care.
At Methodist Estabrook Cancer Center, nearly
10 percent of cancer patients are enrolled in clinical trials. This is a higher level of participation than most other institutions, both in academic and community settings, and, according to the National Cancer Institute, well beyond the national 3 percent participation rate.
Every patient at Methodist Estabrook Cancer Center is evaluated for eligibility in clinical trials that may be of benefit. The list of active trials changes continually. Each trial has participation criteria, based upon such factors as age, health status, family history, symptoms, tumor size, stage and type of cancer. Participation is entirely voluntary, and participants may withdraw from a study at any time.
“Patients are often surprised and quite pleased to learn that they have access to the latest NCI-approved studies testing investigational drugs and treatment techniques right here at our facility. This allows our patients to stay home, and that is very important to us,” explains Robert Langdon, MD, medical director of the Oncology Research Department.
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In July 2006, Methodist Estabrook Cancer Center opened its first Phase I lung cancer trial. Phase I trials are the first human trials after laboratory testing is complete. Small groups of patients, typically those who have exhausted all other treatment options, help determine the safest dose or method of delivery of a new therapy. Only after satisfactory treatment results are achieved throughout Phases I, II and III of a clinical trial is FDA approval granted. Clinical trials available at Methodist Estabrook Cancer Center represent all four phases open to cancer patients.
For more information on clinical treatment trials,
call Kim Bland, MS, APRN, AOCN, coordinator
of the Oncology Research Department, at
(402) 354-5144.
In addition to providing clinical treatment trials for cancer patients, Methodist Estabrook Cancer Center also offers cancer prevention trials for people who are currently free of cancer but at increased risk of developing the disease. These are clinical trials that test the ability of a drug or therapy to help prevent a type of cancer while assessing potential side effects. Participation is voluntary, and participants may withdraw from a study at any time.
For more information on cancer prevention trials,
call Kathy Christiansen, RN, BSN, OCN, coordinator
of the Cancer Prevention and Hereditary Cancer
Risk Program, at (402) 354-5276.
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