Scarborough first for global research study

Research staff at Scarborough Hospital have good reason to celebrate International Clinical Trials Day (20 May) after becoming the first team in the world to recruit a patient for a global research study to improve treatments for breast cancer.

The study will provide essential up-to-date information which will help improve treatment for patients with certain breast cancers.

Within three days of the study opening the oncology research team at Scarborough Hospital signed up the very first of 390 patients required for a world wide study.

Alison Ames, Senior Research Nurse, said: "Our research and development department worked hard to enable us to be the first site to open the study in the UK. We are a small team in a small hospital working with one clinician with only one clinic a week, so this is a significant achievement for us. The study is recruiting from 28 sites globally and is looking for 90 patients in the UK. We are delighted to have recruited the first participant and have in fact also recruited the second.

"Eligible patients for this study are not commonly seen in our clinic so it is even more of an achievement to have the first patients in a global trial and to offer them the opportunity to contribute answers to important questions on treatments and outcomes."

The study will observe treatment patterns and outcomes　in inoperable, locally advanced or　secondary breast cancers. It will look at national and regional differences, response rates to treatment and how long it takes patients to respond to treatment.　

Alison added: "This kind of data, in this setting , is currently limited but increasingly important in terms of clinical decision making and　finding the optimum treatment strategies for patients throughout the course of this disease. Such data also informs funding agencies and can support access to treatments."

The study is being led at Scarborough by Clinical Oncology Consultant, Dr Amandeep Dhadda with support from Senior Research Nurse Alison Ames, Clinical Trials Assistant Alicia Rodgers and members of the Scarborough Oncology and Haematology Research Team.

The study is part of a portfolio of research approved by the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR).

Anyone interested in finding out more about the research carried out at Scarborough Hospital or wishing to take part can contact the team on 01723 342175. There will be a stand in the hospital this week promoting the 'OK to Ask' national campaign to raise the profile of research.

19 May 2015