Clinical Research

The Clinical Research Department at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) at Southwestern Regional Medical Center conducts clinical trials initiated by our physicians, as well as those that are sponsored by contract research organizations on behalf of entities such as pharmaceutical companies.

Clinical Trials at CTCA

Clinical trials often compare the standard treatment (the treatment most accepted at the time) with the new treatment, which is believed to show promise. At CTCA, if you decide to participate in a clinical trial, you will receive either the best accepted treatment for the type of cancer you have, or, you will have the option to receive the new treatment, which may be better.

Our physicians determine whether patients are eligible for a research study.

Clinical trials at CTCA hospitals are registered on ClinicalTrials.gov, a well-known listing of federally and privately supported clinical studies. The website is provided by The U.S. National Institutes of Health.

To view a list of clinical trials being conducted at CTCA, click on the links below:

• Clinical Trials by Facility
• Clinical Trials by Cancer Type

Our Team & Trials

The Clinical Research team at Southwestern Regional Medical Center includes Carol Goetz, J.J. Stark, and Michele Sumner. They coordinate all clinical research trials.

Our physicians often develop research trials, which can provide some of our patients with access to innovative treatments before they are widely available. For example, Douglas Kelly, MD, offers TheraSphere^® as a radiation treatment option to certain patients with both primary and metastatic liver cancer. Daniel Nader, DO, FCCP, is conducting a clinical trial for lung cancer treatment, which combines radiation therapy with intratumoral chemotherapy. Additionally, Petra Ketterl, MD, is able to offer chronomodulated (specific timing) chemotherapy to particular patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.

Through our research efforts, we also continue to learn new ways to optimize our patients' care and help improve their quality of life. For instance, we have participated in outcomes-based research for anemia treatments. These trials allow our facilities to continue to improve patient care and stay above the national standard.

In another study, which was conducted with other hospitals across the country, we looked at how cancer patients handled nausea and vomiting after receiving chemotherapy (also known as Chemotherapy Induced Nausea and Vomiting or CINV). Clinical research coordinator Stark worked with Dr. Ketterl, who served as the principal investigator of the study for Southwestern Regional Medical Center.

Stark says, “Our physicians welcomed this opportunity to see how their treatment practices compared nationwide and to see if anything could be learned to improve care for our patients.”

This study helped our staff to empower patients. We now tell patients to notify their care managers if they are having CINV symptoms after treatments. This way, physicians know what patients are experiencing, and thereby, can treat their symptoms to help improve their quality of life.

Results from the study were published in Oncology Nursing Forum and presented at the Oncology Nursing Society Congress in April 2007.

Find Out If You Are a Candidate for a Trial

If you’re interested in finding out more about current clinical trials being conducted at CTCA, please contact one of our Oncology Information Specialists at 800-615-3055. Or, if you prefer, click to chat now with one of our specialists. Our specialists are available around the clock to answer your questions.