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NHOH Clinical Research ProgramThe doctors at New Hampshire Oncology-Hematology, PA, offer a wide array of opportunities for patients to participate in research. Clinical trials are structured research on humans. These are mostly programs of treatment with new drugs or established drugs used in a new way for patients with cancer and blood diseases. These trials are written by national or international experts and are funded by the NCI (National Cancer Institute) or pharmaceutical companies. The trials are formally reviewed by an IRB (Investigational Review Board) comprised of doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and laypersons in the community to ensure that the research is scientifically justified, consistent with ethical and legal standards, and to be certain that all appropriate risks are clearly explained to potential participants. Why consider a clinical trial? Patients may want to participate in a trial to have the opportunity to receive a therapy that they cannot receive outside of a trial setting. Many trial treatments involve new drugs or medicines used in new ways. These treatments may offer patients the prospect of more effective, less toxic, or more convenient treatment. Many patients choose to enroll in a clinical trial to help others. By participating in high-quality clinical research, patients are helping blaze the trail to better, safer, and easier treatment for all cancer patients. What kind of clinical trials are offered at NHOH? A wide variety of clinical trials are offered at the offices of NHOH. Most of the studies are testing new ways of treating cancer. For example, several new drugs have generated much excitement for their new means of battling cancerous tumors and their limited toxicities. Bevacizumab is a drug that attaches to a protein called VEGF that is important in providing blood supply to tumors. This agent has been shown to kill the supply of nutrients and oxygen to tumors. The drug has been shown to hold great promise in colon cancer and is offering hope for improvement in the treatment of kidney, pancreas, breast, lung, and prostate cancer. Cetuximab is a drug that binds to a protein called EGF-R and offers hope for advances in the treatment of colon cancer and other tumor types. Gefitinib is an oral drug that interferes with the work of the EGF-R protein. This drug is now approved to treat patients with advanced lung cancer. The drug is being evaluated as a treatment for earlier stages of lung cancer. It is also being looked at as a treatment for several other types of cancer. Celecoxib is an oral drug used in the treatment of arthritis. It has been demonstrated to be effective in preventing polyps in patients with inherited tendency to develop numerous colon polyps. This drug is available in clinical trials of patients with colon, breast, and lung cancer. In addition to trials testing drugs that battle cancer, there are studies looking at ways to lessen the side effects of our treatments. For example, we offer a trial of a strong bone-building drug, in the hopes of lessening the risk of osteoporosis in young women with breast cancer treated with chemotherapy. We also participate in studies that test new drugs that treat anemia in cancer patients treated with chemotherapy. Cancer prevention trials are extremely important, as the most powerful way of reducing cancer-related illness and death would be to prevent the disease from surfacing. The research program at NHOH participates in breast, lung, and prostate cancer prevention trials. Individuals believed to be at high risk of developing one of these cancers are candidates for the prevention trials. Is
there a clinical trial for me? Choose the disease that you are interested in below and view the available trials offered through NHOH. Breast Cancer Not all clinical trials are available at all NHOH practice locations. |
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