Sarah Cannon, Research Institute & Jason Green, Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Patient
Leukemia & Lymphoma Awareness Month is in September and Dr. Ian Flinn, will share information about how the patient benefits from clinical trials as well as the overall importance of them in terms of healthcare for the public. Patient Jason Green who was involved with the on such trial, will join Dr Flinn to talks about his courage and determination that led him to get involved with the clinical trials.
September is Leukemia & Lymphoma Awareness Month Leading Researcher and Patient Team Up During to Discuss the Importance of Clinical Trials for Finding New Cancer Treatments As the cost of healthcare continues to skyrocket out of control, more and more people are learning how to become pro-active when it comes to their health. We’ve all heard about the standard things we should be doing like eating more fruits/veggies and less processed foods, exercising for at least 30 minutes a day, and making sure we don’t smoke or drink too much alcohol. But what about more alternative ideas–especially if you already have an illness that requires costly hospital and doctor visits–not to mention expensive drugs. One cutting edge option is finding out how to get involve during the “clinical trial” stage of an experimental drug.
This is something to try when you have a more serious disease like cancer. Leukemia & Lymphoma Awareness Month is in September, and Dr. Ian Flinn, Director of Hematologic Malignancies Research Program shares information about how the patient benefits from clinical trials as well as the overall importance of them in terms of healthcare for the public. Patient Jason Green who was involved with the Tasigna trials, will join Dr Flinn to talks about his courage and determination that led him to get involved with the clinical trials.
Leukemia & Lymphoma Awareness Month also provides an opportunity to increase the public’s understanding of blood cancers, like CML, and to encourage people to support and participate in clinical trials aimed at finding new treatment options. Clinical trials are an important because they play an important role in the drug development process which helps provide new treatment options and improved care for patients with many diseases and conditions. Clinical trials also provide several advantages for those who participate, including playing an active role in their own health care, access to new treatments before they are widely available, access to care from leading medical experts, and potential to help others by contributing to medical research that can bring new treatments to all patients.
A recent example of how clinical trials bring new treatment options to patients is the clinical trial program for Tasigna (nilotinib) for a new indication for the treatment of adult patients with newly diagnosed Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia (Ph+ CML) in chronic phase.
CML is responsible for 10% to 15% of all adult cases of leukemia2. In 2009 alone, there were more than 5,000 newly diagnosed cases of CML in the United States.
* In 2001, Gleevec (imatinib mesylate) tablets** revolutionized the treatment of Ph+ CML, becoming the gold standard of care by demonstrating the highest overall survival rate observed for people with this type of cancer About CML Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow in which the body produces too many white blood cells. Chronic means a relatively slower-growing cancer that may take years to progress. Myeloid refers to the type of white blood cell being overproduced.
