Clinical Trials

CLINICAL TRIAL: The systematic investigation and evaluation of treatment methods such as surgery, drugs or radiation techniques. Also investigated are methods of prevention, detection and diagnosis. Through clinical trials, physicians and researchers are able to determine which approaches to a disease are more effective than others in a safe, controlled environment. Many trials deal with new treatments for cancer. These treatments, alone or in a combination with others, offer patients the opportunity to improve their overall quality of life, including treatments and cures.

In the Urology Department at Wayne State University, Harper Hospital, Karmanos Cancer Institute, we are able to offer a variety of clinical trials. These trials fall into three main groups:

  1. National Cooperative Group Trials, many associated with the American Cancer Society, the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health or the Food and Drug Administration.
  2. Pharmaceutical Company sponsored clinical trials.
  3. Local, Wayne State University based clinical trials.

These three main groups are then divided into disease site, and then further broken down into specific stages of the disease.

We currently have studies available for the following:

BLADDER CANCER

  • superficial bladder cancer
  • recurrent or metastic bladder cancer
  • inoperable bladder cancer

RENAL CELL (KIDNEY) CANCER

  • advanced kidney cancer

TESTICULAR CANCER

  • advanced, untreated testicular cancer

PROSTATE CANCER

  • localized prostate cancer
  • locally advanced prostate cancer
  • metastatic prostate cancer
  • recurrent prostate cancer
  • hormone refractory prostate cancer
  • decreasing acute side effects of radiation therapy
  • significance of micro-metastases

For all the current protocols organized in a graphical database visit the Karmanos Cancer Institute Clinical Research Home Page.

For more information on these studies, including the eligibility criteria and treatment plans, contact:

Sara Heath, RN (313) 745-0529
Karmanos Cancer Institute Clinical Trials Office (313) 745-4703
heaths@karmanos.org


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