Clinical Trials

The second leading cause of death in the United States is Cancer. Clinical Trials are a leading tool in the process of controlling this disease.   New treatment programs and medications are evaluated, old ones are refined; cancer prevention methods, techniques to ameliorate side effects are tested thru these trials.

 People who participate in clinical trials are heroes in their own right.  Through their participation they benefit from treatment that is as good, if not better than, the current standard of care.  They also pave the way for others yet to be diagnosed with this devastating disease.

Oakwood Healthcare System thru its participation in the Community Clinical Oncology Program of the National Cancer Institute (CCOP) offers patients the opportunity to enroll in Cancer related Clinical Trials. 

National trials such as the STAR trial evaluating the effect of Tamoxifen and Raloxifene on the prevention of breast cancer and the SELECT trial evaluating the effects of Selenium and Vitamin E on the prevention of Prostate Cancer are administered through the Cancer Clinical Trials office.  Oakwood participates in Cancer Treatment Trials for Breast, Colon, Prostate, Lung, Leukemia, Lymphoma as well as other cancers.  In all, Oakwood patients have access to over 100 clinical trials for the treatment and prevention of cancer through a number of affiliations with national and local research organizations.  These affiliations include:

• Michigan Cancer Research Consortium
• Southwest Oncology Group
• National Surgical Adjuvant Breast & Bowel Project
• Clinical Trial Support Unit of the National Cancer Institute
• University of Michigan Cancer Center Network
• North Central Cancer Therapy Group
• Radiation Therapy Oncology Group
• Mayo Clinic
• Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group
• M.D. Anderson Cancer Center