Adult and Pediatric Clinical Research

What is a clinical trial?

Clinical trials, also called research studies, test new treatments or compare new treatments to standard treatments, to find better ways to prevent, screen, diagnose and treat cancer. It is one of the final stages of a long and careful cancer research process.

Why is a clinical trial important?

If a new treatment proves effective in a study, it may become a standard treatment that can help others. Clinical trials answer important scientific questions and often direct future research. Clinical trials offer patients access to cutting edge cancer treatment protocols.
Clinical research is an integral part of our commitment to providing our patients access to leading edge cancer treatments.  Local and National Clinical Trials are offered through our affiliation with several organizations including: 

Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG)

RTOG a clinical research component of the American College of Radiology (ACR). Funded primarily by the National Cancer Institute, RTOG has over 30 years of experience in conducting clinical trials and is comprised of over 250 major research institutions in the United States and Canada.

The Children’s Oncology Group (COG)*

The COG is a cooperative group incorporating all national pediatric clinical trials. COG is a result of the merge of four major children’s research groups – The Children’s Cancer Group, Pediatric Oncology Group, National Wilm’s Tumors Study Group, and the International Rhabdomyosarcoma Group.  The Children’s Oncology Group is considered the premier childhood cancer research organization in the world.    Funded by the National Cancer Institute, COG has over 50 years of experience in conducting clinical trials and is comprised of over 240 institutions worldwide including major children hospitals within the United States.  Since the 1950s, cooperative research has improved the survival rates for childhood cancer from less than 10% to over 77% overall.  (Cure rates vary according to each specific type of childhood cancer.)

University of Chicago Phase II Consortium*

The Phase II Consortium consists of a group of academic and community-based institutions which evaluate the effects of NCI sponsored agents alone or in combination with other therapies (including radiotherapy) to determine clinically relevant outcomes.  The Consortium includes Phase I, Phase II and pilot protocols which study agents alone or in combination that were developed by the pharmaceutical industry, academic investigators, as well as other agent development programs.  Phase II studies focus on rapid completion and data gathering through collaboration of both investigators and agent sponsors such as the pharmaceutical industry.  Mechanisms of anti-tumor activity, safety, and efficacy are the primary objectives of the Phase II Consortium research activity.

Local Research/Clinical Trials

Through cooperative efforts with Springfield area physicians and researchers St. John’s Cancer Institute studies cancer related issues and treatment outcome analysis.  Together we strive to bring the citizens of Illinois a place close to home to receive the best possible cancer care.

St. John's Cancer Institute’s Clinical Research Team features clinical research nurses specializing in both adult and pediatric clinical research.  Our team works together with the SIU School of Medicine as well as many other area physicians to bring patients access to the vast resources clinical trials and research performed throughout the United States and Canada can provide.

 

For more information on oncology clinical research contact:

Adult	Pediatric and Adolescent
Diana Weyhenmeyer	Carol Peterson
217-525-5666	217-525-5666

 

* Through our affiliation with the SimmonsCooper Cancer Institute at Southern Illinois University