Many people would be encouraged to learn that today’s clinical trials are often seen as a patient’s first line of potential cancer treatment. “Clinical trials lead to the establishment of standards of care,” says Randall Oyer, MD, Lancaster General Health Oncology Program Medical Director and Principal Investigator for the oncology clinical trials program. “They are best considered early on, from the very beginning of a cancer diagnosis.”

New trials offer the potential for improving known treatments with targeted and more effective therapies, as well as an improved quality of life. In addition, there are many clinical trials that help to identify better ways to prevent or diagnose cancer at earlier stages.

The clinical trials team at Lancaster General Health works to educate the community about the availability of clinical trails and ensure that if a patient is diagnosed with cancer, that all members of their treatment team understand the benefits of participation in clinical trials. Lancaster General Health is a member of the Penn Cancer Network. These collaborations allow leading-edge treatments to be easily accessible for the community.

“One benefit of Penn’s Cancer Network membership is that patients can enroll in most clinical trials and have access to the protocols without having to leave the area,” says Teresa Smink, RN, BSN, CCRP, Clinical Manager, Oncology Research. “The greatest barrier is lack of awareness.”

“When a patient receives that diagnosis of cancer, there’s a flood of emotions, and patients can’t absorb all you are telling them,” says Cindy Stern, RN, MSN, CCRP, Cancer Network Admisistrator for Penn Cencer Network. “That’s why it’s so important for patients to hear from the beginning that clinical trials may be part of their care.”

 

In addition to benefiting individual patients, clinical trials benefit the greater community, which is why advocates are determined to increase participation. With greater awareness, Cindy believes participation will significantly increase.“In a survey about patients’ experience on trials, more than 90 percent would recommend it to others; they felt they received good care; and they felt that they were helping future patients,” says Cindy.

 

For more information on cancer care and trials, visit our web site at www.LancasterGeneral.org/cancer and visit our “Oncology Clinical Trials” section.