Breast

RTOG 0413/NSABP B-39: A Randomized Phase III Study of Conventional Whole Breast Irradiation (WBI) versus Partial Breast Irradiation (PBI) for Women with Stage 0, I, or II Breast Cancer

RTOG 0974/NSABP B-43: A Phase III Clinical Trial Comparing Trastuzumab Given Concurrently with Radiation Therapy and Radiation Therapy Alone for Women with HER-2 Positive Ductal Carcinoma In Situ Resected by Lumpectomy.

Lung

RTOG 0538: CALGB 30610/Endorsed Study: Phase III Comparison of Thoracic Radiotherapy Regimens in Patients with Limited Small Cell Lung Cancer Also Receiving Cisplatin and Etoposide

RTOG 0813: Seamless Phase I/II Study of Stereotactic Lung Radiotherapy (SBRT) for Early Stage, Centrally Located, Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) in Medically Inoperable Patients

RTOG 0937: Randomized Phase II Study Comparing Prophylactic Cranial Irradiation Alone To Prophylactic Cranial Irradiation And Consolidative Extra-Cranial Irradiation For Extensive Disease Small Cell Lung Cancer (ED-SCLC)

Jefferson/Genentech #OSI4327s: A Phase II Study of Erlotinib (Tarceva) and hypofractionated thoracic radiotherapy for patients with advanced or inoperable non-small lung cancer

Prostate

RTOG 0526: A Prospective Phase II Trial of Transperineal Ultrasound-Guided Brachytherapy for Locally Recurrent Prostate Adenocarcinoma Following External Beam Radiotherapy

RTOG 0534: A Phase III Trial of Short Term Androgen Deprivation With Pelvic Lymph Node or Prostate Bed Only Radiotherapy (SPPORT) in Prostate Cancer Patients With a Rising PSA After Radical Prostatectomy

RTOG 0622: A Phase II Trial of Samarium 153 Followed By Salvage Prostatic Fossa 3D-CRT or IMRT Irradiation In High-Risk, Clinically Non-Metastatic Prostate Cancer after Radical Prostatectomy

RTOG 0815: A Phase III Prospective Randomized Trial of Dose-Escalated Radiotherapy with or without Short-Term Androgen Deprivation Therapy for Patients with Intermediate-Risk Prostate Cancer

RTOG 0924: Androgen Deprivation Therapy and High Dose Radiotherapy With or Without Whole-Pelvic Radiotherapy in Unfavorable Intermediate or Favorable High Risk Prostate Cancer: A Phase III Randomized Trial

Brain

RTOG 0837: Randomized, Phase II, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Conventional Chemoradiation and Adjuvant Temozolomide Plus Cediranib versus Conventional Chemoradiation and Adjuvant Temozolomide Plus Placebo in Patients with Newly Diagnosed Glioblastoma

RTOG 0933: A Phase II Trial of Hippocampal Avoidance During Whole Brain Radiotherapy for Brain Metastases--RTOG CCOP Study

Bladder

RTOG 0524: A Phase I/II Trial of a Combination of Paclitaxel and Trastuzumab With Daily Irradiation or Paclitaxel alone With Daily Irradiation Following Transurethral Surgery for Non-Cystectomy Candidates With Muscle-Invasive Bladder

Gastrointestinal

RTOG 0436: A Phase III Trial Evaluating the Addition of Cetuximab to Paclitaxel, Cisplatin, and Radiation for Patients With Esophageal Cancer Who Are Treated Without Surgery

RTOG 0848: A Phase III Trial Evaluating both Erlotinib And Chemoradiation as Adjuvant Treatment for Patients with Resected Head of Pancreas Adenocarcinoma

RTOG 1010: A Phase III Trial Evaluating the Addition of Trastuzumab to Trimodality Treatment of Her2-Overexpressing Esophageal Adenocarcinoma

Head and Neck

RTOG 0920: A Phase III Study of Postoperative Radiation Therapy (IMRT) +/- Cetuximab for Locally-Advanced Resected Head and Neck Cancer

RTOG 1016: Phase III Trial of Radiotherapy Plus Cetuximab Versus Chemoradiotherapy in HPV-Associated Oropharynx Cancer

About Cancer Clinical Research:


The team of physicians at Northeast Radiation Oncology Center (NROC) is dedicated to providing the most advanced treatment and the highest standards of care.  One way we do this is by offering cancer patients in Northeastern Pennsylvania the opportunity to participate in cancer clinical research trials sponsored by the National Cancer Institute (NCI).  These trials are available through all our NROC sites, so patients do not have to travel long distances to benefit from state-of-the-art cancer therapies.

Cancer clinical trials are research studies conducted with patients to evaluate new treatments.  Each study is designed to answer specific medical questions and to find new and better ways to help people with cancer.

Research trials sponsored by NCI are offered to patients only by experienced physicians in accredited facilities such as NROC.  People decide to enroll in a clinical trial only after they have discussed the study thoroughly with their physician and they have made an informed decision to participate.

In most treatment studies, scientists seek to determine if new treatments are safe, effective, and superior to standard treatments.  These cancer studies look at many types of treatments, such as new drugs or vaccines, new approaches to surgery, radiation therapy or chemotherapy, or new combinations of these treatments.

Other studies seek to improve the quality of life for cancer patients.  Or, they may seek to find the most effective way to prevent a recurrence of cancer after treatment.

Cancer treatments currently available for patients often are the result of earlier clinical trials.  In turn, today’s standard treatments may be the basis for new clinical trials to find better ways to treat cancer.

Still other research studies, known as prevention trials, look at ways to prevent cancer.

NROC Research Accreditation:


The doctors at NROC are accredited by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to participate in cancer research trials.  This means they have access to the newest, most advanced treatment protocols available in the country for cancer treatment.

Cancer treatment facilities that offer such state-of-the-art NCI-sponsored research must meet very high standards not demanded in non-participating institutions.

Patients who wish to benefit from these cancer clinical trials may do so only in cancer centers such as NROC that are accredited by the National Cancer Institute.

 

NROC Research Experience:

NROC physicians have participated as Principal Investigators in cancer research trials in Northeastern Pennsylvania for over 20 years through the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG), sponsored by the National Cancer Institute.  The NROC research team has been recognized nationally for the outstanding quality of its research, and hundreds of patients have participated and benefited from these research studies. 

 

Patient Research Participation at NROC:

Clinical trials are available for most types and stages of cancer.  The doctors at NROC determine whether patients are eligible to participate in these clinical research trials.

For eligible patients, the decision to participate in a trial ultimately rests with them. Patients participate only after they have received comprehensive information about the trial and have voluntarily decided to be part of the study that is applicable to their case.

For more information about clinical trials, click here.

NROC Research Network:

Most of the cancer trials available through NROC are offered through the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG).  NROC physicians have participated in RTOG research studies for nearly 20 years.

RTOG is a multi-institutional cooperative cancer research organization funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI).  RTOG, which is composed of 250 major research groups such as NROC, has been the leader in radiation therapy cancer research for 30 years in the United States and Canada.  Click here for more information about RTOG.

NROC physicians also collaborate with physicians at the Thomas Jefferson University Hospital Cancer Network for RTOG research.  For more information about the radiation therapy clinical trials available through the Jefferson Cancer Network, click here.