Excellent Cancer Care, Exclusive Clinical Trials

Thompson Cancer Survival Center research brings new hope to patients.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn., April 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Every treatment prescribed by a doctor today was once a part of research in a clinical trial. Clinical research is thriving at Thompson Cancer Survival Center.

Thirty years after its beginning, Thompson remains a leader in pivotal clinical research. David Chism, MD, medical oncologist and medical director of clinical research at Thompson, explains that this research can answer important questions and lay the groundwork for preserving quality of life or even saving lives.

"Our participation in key melanoma trials has paved the way for successful melanoma treatments used today," Dr. Chism says. Those early trials have resulted in higher survival rates for today's melanoma patients.

Dr. Chism and the clinical research team continue to spearhead oncology trials for patients in East Tennessee. Clinical trials offer new options for cancer patients now and new hope for cancer patients in the future.

"We have nearly 25 active oncology trials, ranging from individuals affected with triple-negative breast cancer to those diagnosed with aggressive non-small cell cancers," Dr. Chism says.

The research is so impactful that Thompson's clinical trials team has been chosen to deliver findings before national organizations, including a study of a combination of two treatments benefiting certain lymphoma patients to the American Society of Hematology, and a summary of research regarding treatment for certain prostate cancer patients to the American Society of Clinical Oncology. 

Earning a place on these national platforms is a very competitive process, and being selected is proof of the widespread respect for this community cancer center.

Thompson's clinical trials include Phase One studies, meaning that completing this study is the first step to transforming lab data into clinical data with three primary goals:

• Determining the toxic effects
• Determining pharmacological behavior (the way drugs interact with other factors)
• Determining the recommended dosage for future trials

"Encouraging Phase One data not only shows the treatment has an effect, but it also allows participants to be among the first to benefit," Dr. Chism says.

Later-phase clinical trials are underway at Thompson. One such study is examining different combinations of medication for patients who have muscle-invasive bladder cancer who aren't eligible for cisplatin chemotherapy before surgery.

"All patients benefit through participation, some directly, but always indirectly in helping push the field forward," Dr. Chism says.

Learn more about clinical trials at Thompson Cancer Survival Center.

SOURCE Covenant Health