Grant Should Improve Participation In Clinical Trials

NEW MILFORD — Connecticut Oncology and Hematology, which is the medical oncology physician team at the New Milford Hospital Regional Cancer Center, was awarded a $15,000 grant from the Connecticut Clinical Oncology Trials Network to improve access to clinical research trials for patients and the community. The practice, which includes Ivan Lowenthal, MD, Michael Magnifico, MD, Jedd Levine, MD, Debra Brandt, DO, Anne Chiang, MD, PhD, and Gerard Kruger, MD, has collaborated on numerous cancer initiatives at the Hospital, which celebrates the tenth anniversary of opening its dedicated Regional Cancer Center in April.

The goal of this grant is to educate patients and the public about the importance of clinical trials and increase participation in cancer clinical trials. The focus of education will be on dispelling myths as well as informing the community and physicians about the importance of these trials in finding “the cure” and developing improved treatment options.

Ivan Lowenthal, MD, founding member of the Connecticut Oncology and Hematology, said that cancer services at New Milford Hospital continue to grow to benefit the community and to support patients and their families.

“We continue to be encouraged by the many ways we can partner with our patients, their families, and hospital staff to improve people’s lives with treatment and support. Breakthroughs will continue to help fight this disease because of the commitment of so many people and organizations that support continued screening, education and research in community settings,” Dr Lowenthal explained. “With this grant, we can improve awareness about the many benefits of clinical trials, and the convenient access we have in Litchfield County.”

Debra S. Brandt, DO, the research program director at the hospital, agrees.

“Clinical trials in the community setting bring some of the latest treatment options to patients who might otherwise not consider them, or who would have to travel to large, urban cancer centers to participate,” said Dr Brandt. “Our longstanding commitment to bring research to the local setting offers our patients a win-win proposition. They have convenient access to some of the most advanced treatment available. Clinical trials can be for patients who are newly diagnosed or who have advance disease. They give patients the opportunity to contribute on a very high level to improve cancer care everywhere,” Dr Brandt added.

For a complete list of cancer trials, patients and physicians should visit www.newmilfordhospital.org (select Cancer Center and then Clinical Trials/Research), or call Carol Mazzucco, RN, research nurse coordinator, at 860-210-7498.