Wellspring

In This Issue

• These Are Curious Times
• A Changing Arsenal
• A Shocking Diagnosis for a Man
• A One-in-a-Million Breast Cancer Diagnosis
• She Knows the Value of Mammograms
• Mastectomy Was Her Decision
• She's Making Each Day Count
• Grandmother's Strategy: Fight and Pray
• Clinical Trials Advance Treatment Options
• Breast Cancer Surgery Options
• Radiation Therapy Can Keep Cancer from Returning
• Stages of Breast Cancer
• Join the Army of Women Helping Breast Cancer Research
• Ten Cancer Myths
• Breast Cancer Death Rates on the Decline
• Lymphedema Management Program
• Understanding Breast Cancer
• Breast Cancer Getting the Facts, Finding Hope
• NorthBay Cancer Center Earns Approval with Six Commendations
• Relay Rallies Funds for American Cancer Society
• Digital Mammography Now Available at Women's Imaging Center
• Cardiac Surgery Has Successful Start
• First Mended Hearts Chapter Forms
• Saving a Heart of Gold
• NorthBay Awarded Chest Pain Center Designation
• NorthBay Health Care Launches Heart & Vascular Interventional Program
• Samer Kanaan, MD Joins Heart & Vascular Surgical Team
• A Dream With Wings
• NorthBay Invests in Green Technology
• Joint Replacement Program Celebrates Second Anniversary
• A Lifetime of Giving
• Wellspring Garners Publication Awards
• NorthBay Guild 'Care Carts' Visit Patients
• Local Teens Take on Nurse Camp
• Genentech's STRIDE Shares Gift with NorthBay's ABC Clinic
• NorthBay's Web Site Has New Look
• Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Celebrates 24 Years
• Experts Team Up for NorthBay Lecture Series
• Welcome New Physicians Fall 2009
• Community Health Education Classes

Clinical Trials Advance Treatment Options

September 21, 2009 · No Comments

There are hundreds of clinical trials currently under way exploring new ways to treat cancers, including breast cancer. Some things researchers are investigating involve new anti-cancer drugs, doses and treatment schedules, as well as drug combinations and hormonal therapy.

Some trials compare a new treatment with the standard treatment, while other trials use agents that haven’t been used in humans before. Treatments studied on clinical trials may become the newest standard of care.

"NorthBay has invested in clinical trials for more than a decade," says Keni Horiuchi, R.N./OACN, oncology nurse specialist. "However, although clinical trials are an important part of cancer care and are critical in improving cancer treatments, fewer than 5 percent of cancer patients participate in clinical trials. It seems that many patients are not aware of this option." To see a list of the trials available at NorthBay, go to the Web site at www.northbay.org, click on "Services" and then the Cancer Center page. Clinical trials are listed under "Treatments."

Tags: Cancer