People take part in cancer clinical trials for many reasons. Certainly, they hope to benefit personally from the new approach under study, since clinical trials also give them access to the latest advances available in the nation. Others participate as a way to prevent or treat cancer that may arise in their family or community at large.
At Penn Medicine's Abramson Cancer Center, oncology clinical trials are available through Pennsylvania Oncology Hematology Associates, the private medical oncology practice. These include studies that are sponsored by the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG), the Gynecologic Oncology Group, the AIDS Malignancy Consortium and Accelerated Clinical Oncology Research Network (ACORN). In addition, Phase I, II and III studies initiated by a number of pharmaceutical organizations are available.
If you are interested in participating in clinical research, you should talk to your doctor. Our oncologists are leaders in providing you access to these new therapeutic modalities. In addition to the clinical trials conducted at the Joan Karnell Cancer Center you will have access to a number of other studies available at the Abramson Cancer Center.