Toms River, N.J., July 14, 2003 – Community Medical Center announced today that Lawrence R. Coia, M.D., Chairman of the hospital’s Radiation Oncology department, has been awarded a grant from the New Jersey Commission on Cancer Research to undertake a study entitled, “Elderly and Clinical Radiation Trials.”
The grant, in the amount of $98,278 to Community Medical Center, will fund a study to help determine some of the reasons why elderly patients with cancer do or do not participate in nationwide clinical studies involving radiation therapy.
Dr. Coia said in general, elderly patients (those age 65 and older), are underrepresented in clinical trials, but since cancer cases increase with age, it is important to have the elderly well represented in these types of studies. Furthermore, Dr. Coia said there is a large population of elderly patients in Ocean and Monmouth counties who could benefit from participation in such trials.
“It is important to include the elderly in clinical trials since the clinical applicability of a treatment trial depends on whether the sample of patients is representative of the entire population,” Dr. Coia said. “By examining specific impediments for elderly patients with cancer to enter clinical trials, we hope to provide information that may be useful in future clinical radiation trial design, and help patients better understand the nature and importance of clinical trials.”
Clinical trials are research studies that test new medical treatments in people. The treatments can vary from a drug to a piece of equipment, a new test to disease prevention methods. Clinical trials are experiments, and their goal is to determine if a certain treatment is safe and effective. There is no guarantee a clinical trial will produce a certain or expected outcome, which is why they are undertaken on many different types of people with various forms of a condition or disease.
There are many different types of clinical trials, including treatment trials, prevention trials, screening trials, diagnostic trials and genetic studies.
The study undertaken by Dr. Coia will gather information about factors that might make participation in research trials difficult for the elderly population. Some of the factors to be analyzed are the patient’s physical condition; medical condition; insurance and/or financial needs; transportation problems; patient’ and/or physician’s attitude toward research trials; culture; race; gender; educational status; psychological or social issues.
The study will involve patients with cancer who seek treatment at the Radiation Therapy Departments of Community Medical Center and Monmouth Medical Center, both affiliates of the Saint Barnabas Health Care System, between July 1, 2003 and June 30, 2004. Dr. Coia said he anticipates approximately 1,000 patients age 65 and older will be eligible for the study during this time frame.
As part of the study, cancer patients will be assessed to determine if they are eligible to participate in an existing clinical trial currently underway at one of the two hospitals. Currently, there are 17 clinical trials relating to radiation therapy available at Community Medical Center and 31 available at Monmouth Medical Center. Those who agree to participate in one of the trials will be asked to complete a questionnaire regarding the reasons why they decided to participate in a clinical trial; while those who decide not to participate will be asked their reasons for not partaking in a clinical trial.
The results of the study will provide additional knowledge about why the elderly are underrepresented in research studies. “With this information, researchers may be able to design studies that are more acceptable and accessible to older adults,” Dr. Coia said.
Before joining Community Medical Center in 1996, Dr. Coia was the Clinical Director and Vice Chairman of Radiation Oncology at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia. He has been widely published in medical journals and has held positions on many national cancer committees including his current role as a member of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiation and Oncology’s Board of Directors.
In addition to Dr. Coia, several other radiation oncologists from Community Medical Center will also participate in this study, including Bong Chang, M.D.; Joseph Lattanzi, M.D.; Rajesh Iyer, M.D.; Smitha Gollamudi, M.D.; and Mitchell Weiss, M.D.
Participation in the study is voluntary and confidential. Patients have the right to withdraw at any time. Dr. Coia said a patient’s care will remain the same whether they choose to participate or not. At its conclusion, the study will be reviewed and approved by the Research Review Committees and Investigational Review Boards of Community and Monmouth Medical Centers.
“While significant efforts have been made to include women and minorities in clinical trials, there have not been as many efforts made for inclusion of elderly patients,” Dr. Coia said. “It is our hope that the results of this study will enhance the way clinical trials for cancer patients are designed in the future, so that more older adults can and will participate.”
Community Medical Center (CMC) is an affiliate of the Saint Barnabas Health Care System, the largest integrated health care delivery system in New Jersey, with nine acute care hospitals, nine nursing homes, five ambulatory care facilities, three geriatric centers, three assisted living residencies, a freestanding 100-bed inpatient psychiatric facility and a statewide behavioral health network. Located in Toms River, Community is a fully accredited, acute-care 596-bed facility offering the most advanced, ultra-modern diagnostic and treatment services, including emergency and urgent care, laser and arthroscopic surgery, maternity and a Level II special care nursery and pediatrics unit. CMC offers the Community Regional Cancer Center, affiliated with the renowned Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia; state-of-the-art Radiation Oncology; a Renal Dialysis Center; a Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, as well as general medical and health care services to the residents of Ocean County; and the Center for Kids and Family with sites located in Toms River and Lacey. Community Medical Center has been awarded the esteemed Magnet Status for Nursing Excellence from the American Nurses Association's Credentialing Center (ANCC).
