Research Matters
Developments in cancer research
Affiliation sought with prestigious Community Clinical Oncology Program
Aurora Health Care is seeking to become a member of the Community Clinical Oncology
Program (CCOP), a national network for community medical practitioners conducting cancer prevention and clinical trials. Created in 1983 by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the CCOP
network allows patients and physicians to participate in state-of-the-art, NCI-sponsored clinical trials for cancer prevention and treatment in their local communities. CCOP also provides
funding for research. There are only 50 CCOPs in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Leading the way on the proposal is Dhimant Patel, M.D., as principal investigator, along with associate principal
investigators Peter Johnson, M.D., and Judy Tjoe, M.D. Since joining Aurora in 2006, Dr. Patel has been among the top 25 percent of physicians enrolling participants into NCI-approved
trials. He helped develop the current cancer clinical trial infrastructure at Aurora and was instrumental in establishing standards for quality monitoring in breast and lung cancer trials.
In applying for membership to the CCOP, Aurora noted its commitment to enhancing and growing cancer care through the hiring of Joseph Mirro, M.D., as vice president for cancer services for
the entire system, in March 2009, and Randall Lambrecht, Ph.D., as vice president for research and academic relations, in fall of 2008. The grant development team at Aurora, headed by
Director Gina Graham, is involved in this effort.
Lombardi Clinic gets cancer research certificate of excellence
The Aurora Vince Lombardi Cancer Clinic in Sheboygan recently received a National Cancer Institute Certificate of Excellence for reaching the milestone of enrolling 50 patients as part of the Cancer Trials Support Unit Independent Clinical Research Site program. The clinic also ranked fifth in the nation on total enrollment of patients in clinical trials, with a total of 52. The team includes Santosh Kumar, M.D.; Craig Schulz, M.D.; Max Haid, and nurses Debbie Gray and Mary Theodoroff.
