The Promise of Prostate Cancer Research
Doctors all over the country are conducting many types of clinical trials or research studies in which people take part voluntarily. At Columbia-St. Mary's you have an opportunity to be enrolled in a clinical trial as part of your treatment for cancer.
Clinical trials are designed to determine if a new drug or treatment is effective. When you hear a news story about a new drug working to control cancer often the drug effectiveness has been determined through a clinical trial. By conducting clinical trials Columbia-St. Mary's provides you with an additional treatment options which could include a promising new investigational drug or a treatment combination that may be as good or better that the accepted standard treatment for the disease. Clinical trials are often at the cutting edge of cancer treatment.
Columbia-St. Mary's is currently participating in clinical research trials through two nationwide cooperative groups, both with oversight by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the subject to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rules and regulations. The two groups are the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) and the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG).
We currently have approximately 70 different studies available for the virtually all types of cancer. Studies presently available include the following sites: brain, breast, stomach, esophagus, colon, liver, rectal, anal, bladder, urinary tract, kidney, prostate, uterus, head and neck and lung. Studies are also available for leukemia, lymphoma, melanoma, pain control, and metastatic cancer.
Prostate studies include ways to prevent, detect, diagnose, and treat prostate cancer; studies of the psychological effects of the disease; and studies of ways to improve comfort and quality of life. Research already has led to advances in these areas, and researchers continue to search for more effective approaches.
Every study has strict guidelines regarding informed consent, treatment, and follow-up care, as well as detailed description of all risks and possible side effects. The importance of participating in clinical research trials is quite evident, both for our patients and for future treatments of cancer patients. For more information about clinical trials at Columbia-St. Mary's please call our clinical studies coordinator at: 291-1000 extension 4061
Researchers also are investigating whether diets that are low in fat and high in soy, fruits, vegetables, and other food products might prevent a recurrence.
