ASCO And Cancer Foundation Recognize Community Oncology Practices' Dedication To Clinical Research

Main Category: Cancer / Oncology
Article Date: 09 May 2008 - 4:00 PDT

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The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and The ASCO Cancer Foundation are honoring 10 community oncology practices for their efforts to improve care of people with cancer through participation in clinical trials. The Clinical Trials Participation Awards will be presented Sunday, June 1, 2008 at ASCO's 44th Annual Meeting in Chicago.

"Virtually every cancer treatment available today is the direct result of clinical research," said ASCO President Nancy Davidson, MD. "The Clinical Trials Participation Awards honor practices' dedication to developing new ways to slow, halt, cure and prevent cancer through clinical research."

Today two-thirds of cancer patients survive at least five years after diagnosis, compared with half in the 1970s, thanks in large part to the knowledge gained through clinical trials. A number of cancer advances that are common practice today were identified as a result of clinical trials, including:

- Cancer screening techniques, such as mammography, Pap tests and colonoscopy, which help increase early detection rates and reduce cancer incidence and mortality.

- Chemotherapy after surgery (adjuvant chemotherapy), which can increase survival for many cancers, including breast and lung cancers.

- Targeted therapies, which allow doctors to target the genetic and molecular defects that make a cell cancerous, while minimizing toxicity to healthy cells.

- Cancer vaccines and "chemoprevention" drugs, which can reduce the risk of ever developing cancer.

- Gene profiling, which can yield important insights as to whether patients will respond to specific cancer treatments.

- New insights on the long-term health of cancer survivors, who are at greater risk of heart problems, second cancers and other health issues.

The award winners were selected based on a number of factors, including their patient accrual rates and accrual of minority and underrepresented populations. Further consideration was given to practices with high-quality audit reports and investigators in good standing.

The 2008 Honorees include:

Cancer Care Specialists of Central Illinois
Decatur, Ill.

Cancer Consultants
Las Vegas, Nev.

Fort Wayne Medical Oncology & Hematology, Inc.
Fort Wayne, Ind.

Hematology-Oncology Associates of Central New York
East Syracuse, N.Y.

Southern California Kaiser Permanente Oncology Research Program
San Diego, Calif.

Medical Oncology-Hematology Consultants, PA
Wilmington, Del.

MeritCare Roger Marris Cancer Center CCOP
Fargo, N.D.

Ochsner Clinic Foundation
New Orleans, La.

Texas Oncology-Baylor Sammons Cancer Center
Dallas, Texas

William Beaumont Hospital
Royal Oak, Mich

Since 2003, 63 community-based practices have received ASCO's Clinical Trials Participation Award. The program is supported by a grant from the Coalition of Cancer Cooperative Groups, which enables ASCO to provide award recipients with a travel grant to attend ASCO's Annual Meeting.

Nominations from across the country were submitted by National Cancer Institute (NCI) Cooperative Groups, the ASCO Clinical Practice Committee, the NCI Community Clinical Oncology Program, and community-based oncology research networks, including US Oncology, Minnie Pearl Cancer Research Network, UCLA Oncology Research Network, and Hoosier Oncology Group. All nominated practices were invited to submit an application for the award, and the applications were peer-reviewed by a subcommittee of ASCO's Cancer Research Committee.

For more information on participating in a clinical trial, including matters concerning patient safety, decision factors, and questions to ask the research team, visit ASCO's patient Web site, People Living With Cancer at http://www.cancer.net/clinicaltrials.

The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) is the world's leading professional organization representing physicians who care for people with cancer. With more than 25,000 members, ASCO is committed to improving cancer care through scientific meetings, educational programs and peer-reviewed journals. For ASCO information and resources, visit http://www.asco.org/presscenter. Patient-oriented cancer information is available at http://www.cancer.net.

The ASCO Cancer Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. The ASCO Cancer Foundation is dedicated to improving the lives of people with cancer through programs that support cutting-edge research and education in oncology. The ASCO Cancer Foundation is the torch bearer for the next generation of oncology researchers and the purveyor of knowledge to cancer patients. With the support of the cancer community and the public at large, The ASCO Cancer Foundation is making a world of difference in cancer care.

American Society of Clinical Oncology