Southern Illinois Healthcare is expanding its portfolio of cancer clinical trials, giving patients across the region access to therapies traditionally available only at major academic medical centers.
SIH is preparing to offer additional bi-specific antibody therapies, a new class of immunotherapy that leverages dual immune pathways to target cancers such as small cell lung cancer, lymphoma and multiple myeloma.
One of the most significant recent additions is a global Phase III clinical trial. The study includes sites across the United States, Europe, China and Japan, placing SIH among an elite group of cancer centers participating in the trial. Prior Phase II results showed promising benefits compared to current standard treatments.
SIH serves a community with high rates of lung cancer and other complex diagnoses. Clinical trials reduce travel burden, increase access to multidisciplinary expertise and help patients stay close to family during treatment.
The SIH Office of Clinical Research is working to expand industry partnerships and increase specialized staff to support complex therapies. SIH also plans to broaden opportunities for clinicians to serve as principal investigators, enhancing collaboration across the medical staff.
Approximately 4% of SIH Cancer Institute patients now participate in clinical trials, which officials say is a significant achievement for a rural cancer program.
