Saint Luke's Cancer Institute Announces New Clinical Trials Affiliation with Washington University School of Medicine

Affiliation will expand clinical trial access for Saint Luke's Cancer Institute patients

Kansas City, Mo. (PRWEB) May 22, 2017

Saint Luke's Cancer Institute today announced an affiliation with Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis that will expand the number of National Cancer Institute-supported clinical trials available to Saint Luke's cancer patients.

This affiliation will provide Saint Luke's Cancer Institute physicians and patients access to approximately 175 trials of investigational therapies and 35 other cancer-related trials. Saint Luke's will become a clinical trials affiliate of Washington University School of Medicine, effective June 1, 2017, giving Saint Luke's cancer patients expanded access to clinical trials beginning in late summer. Saint Luke's patients participating in a clinical trial will remain under the care of their Saint Luke's doctors.

"Washington University School of Medicine is one of the nation's top medical research institutions, recognized by the National Cancer Institute as a Comprehensive Cancer Center," said Timothy Pluard, M.D., Saint Luke's Cancer Institute medical director. "This is a significant affiliation and offers tremendous benefit to our patients by making available a larger number of the latest NCI clinical trials."

Ranked among U.S. News & World Report's top 10 U.S. medical schools for research, Washington University School of Medicine has more than 450 scientists and physicians focused on cancer who collectively receive more than $150 million annually in basic and clinical oncology research grants. At any time, Washington University School of Medicine – through its NCI-designated Siteman Cancer Center – conducts about 500 therapeutic clinical trials for cancer, giving patients access to investigational therapies that generally are not available to the public.

"We're pleased to work with Saint Luke's to offer Kansas City-area residents access to clinical trials," said Nancy Bartlett, M.D., the Koman Professor of Medical Oncology at Washington University School of Medicine. "Many patients, particularly those with complex cases, want access to a broad range of treatment options, including investigational therapies, without having to travel far away from their homes or families."

"Cancer is a highly complex and individualized disease that is constantly evolving. Our mission is to always provide the best treatment option for every patient," said Pluard. "To accomplish that we need access to as many treatment research studies as possible. This new affiliation is a tremendous benefit to all our patients, as well as to Kansas City."

Saint Luke's Cancer Institute
Saint Luke's Cancer Institute is part of Saint Luke's Health System which consists of 10 area hospitals and campuses as well as multiple primary and specialty care practices, and provides a range of inpatient, outpatient, and home care services. Founded as a faith-based, not-for-profit organization, our mission includes a commitment to the highest levels of excellence in health care and the advancement of medical research and education. The health system is an aligned organization in which the physicians and hospitals assume responsibility for enhancing the physical, mental, and spiritual health of people in the metropolitan Kansas City area and the surrounding region.

Saint Luke's Cancer Institute offers care at nine locations throughout the Kansas City region, and provides services through clinical affiliation at Liberty Hospital, Bates County Memorial Hospital and Western Missouri Medical Center. For additional information visit http://www.saintlukeshealthsystem.org/services/cancer-care or call 855-ONE-SLCI.

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2017/05/prweb14357668.htm