Ask the Doctor at Saint John’s: Attacking Cancer At Every Level

Q: What part do clinical trials play in fighting cancer?

A: By Lee Rosen, M.D., Member of the John Wayne Cancer Institute at Saint John’s Health Center and Founder of Premiere Oncology.

Premiere Oncology specializes in medical oncology, which is the treatment of cancer through drug therapy. The idea behind Premiere Oncology is to make sure that our patients have access to the world’s most up-to-date cancer care right here in Los Angeles.

As someone who grew up here, it’s gratifying for me to know we’re working with Saint John’s Health Center to do just that. Our physicians are involved in routine hematology (the treatment of blood and blood-forming tissues) and oncology care with clinical trials also being available.

Treating cancer patients who need help now is closely aligned with our commitment to community education and our research work. We’re involved in the design and administration of research studies to determine whether or not particular new therapies merit consideration for United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval. Often we are the first in the world to test some agents; other studies test existing drugs in new ways.

Premiere’s researchers might be involved in 25 separate clinical trials. Volunteers in these trials are contributing to the welfare of future patients who benefit from the drugs we develop. These participants may also benefit from cancer medications not yet available to the general public.

To find out more about clinical trials, please visit the websites for Premiere Oncology at www.premiereoncology.com and the John Wayne Cancer Institute at www.jwci.org.

Our ultimate mission is elimination of cancer. Unfortunately, there are still many instances in which cancer is not curable. Every patient’s cancer has unique characteristics. This “signature” is something that must be considered in every instance. The earlier the cancer is discovered, the sooner treatment can begin, and the greater the patient’s chances for survival are. That’s one reason regular checkups and precaution is so important.

What does the future hold in store? While a complete cure for cancer remains elusive, there are valuable alternative treatments. Currently, treatments such as chemotherapy involve very unpleasant side effects for patients. That’s why we’re involved in research to find new ways of providing ongoing control of the disease along with excellent quality of life. Think of diabetes control as a suitable comparison.

At Premiere Oncology and the Saint John’s Health Center, the most highly trained specialists in every aspect of cancer treatment and research are fighting the good fight, one significant step at a time.

Dr. Rosen is a member of the John Wayne Cancer Institute at Saint John’s Health Center, and is founder of Premiere Oncology. For more information about Dr. Rosen or other Saint John’s services, please call
(310) 829-8990 or visit the website at www.stjohns.org. For a physician referral or a second opinion, please call 1-888-ASK-SJHC.

Want to learn about a variety of health and lifestyle issues? Watch “Coffee Break,” a weekly, live television show broadcast Wednesdays at 2 – 3 p.m. on Santa Monica City TV Channel 16 and LA City TV Channel 36.