CANCER INCIDENCE BY SITE

A Report from the SJH Research Program Medical DirectorApril 2010 marked the opening of John F. Scarpa Cancer Research Institute at the SJH Frank and EdithScarpa Regional Cancer Pavilion. Our active research team is new located all under one roof, workingtogether closely with physicians and surgeons involved in clinical cancer research.The cancer research program at SJH began in 1995 in partnership with Fox Chase Cancer Center andcurrently has 25 cancer clinical trials open for recruitment. This year our program opened six newstudies and twelve studies closed to accrual.We have a robust research program and since its inception, approximately 450 patients have enteredclinical research trials at SJH. Through National Cancer Institute (NCI) approved clinical research trials,our patients have access to newer treatment before they are approved. In the last fifteen years we havecontributed many articles and abstracts for publication in scientific medical journals and have assisted inthe approval process for new treatments.We expect to have enrolled approximately 80 patients in clinical trials this year, the highest number inthe history of our research program. We also have 223 patients in active follow up.In addition, SJH is collaborating with Fox Chase Cancer Center on a study titled “Understanding HowPatients Choose Cancer Treatments.” This research aims to determine how patients choose amongcancer treatments with varying efficacy, toxicity and cost. Patients will be recruited to this study at bothSJH and Fox Chase Cancer Center at the time of their appointments. Our goal is to recruit 400 totalpatients, with 200 at each site.South Jersey Healthcare will continue to provide cutting-edge, evidence-based, and high-quality cancercare to South Jersey patients, closer to home.Kush Sachdeva, M.D.