The hallmark of
cancer care is often the availability of clinical
trials. Carefully conducted clinical trials are the fastest and safest way to find
treatments that work in people and ways to improve health. All of today's
standard cancer treatments were first tested and proven effective in clinical
trials. The ongoing support and participation in clinical trials is a key
to success of developing new and better cancer treatments.
The Regional Cancer Center participates in Gynecologic Oncology Group Cooperative Group studies for women with a
gynecologic cancer and Cancer Trials Support Unit clinical trials. To learn more about clinical
trials, please visit
www.ClinicalTrials.gov.
The Regional Cancer Center has been participating in oncology clinical research
for almost 20 years (in our current facility and previously at the Lee Memorial
Hospital). We are committed to providing excellent patient care, while
insuring ethical conduct and scientific integrity. Please contact the clinical
research coordinator at 239-343-9547 if you need more information about our
clinical trials.What is a clinical trial?
Clinical Trials are
studies that are conducted with human subjects that consist of giving
specific drugs in an orderly, carefully planned way. The purpose of
clinical trials is to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of a
particular intervention or drug regimen in preventing, treating or
eliminating a disease. Clinical trials also can evaluate whether a
particular regimen improves upon the current treatment, which often is
referred to as the standard of care. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Institutional Review Committee
(IRC) approve all
clinical trials before patients are recruited. Clinical trials go through
a standard process or phase and each phase has specific goals. The phases
of a clinical trial are identified as: Phase I, Phase II, Phase III and Phase IV.
Clinical Trials: Frequently Asked
Questions
Click here to
read the article about clinical trials, as recently published in the
August/September 2011 issue of the Healthy News.
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