By Becky Wiese
“The quality of the care that an
oncology patient receives is one of the most important aspects of a
successful treatment outcome.” (qopi.asco.org)
To be recognized
as one of the top cancer treatment centers in the country is no small
feat. In fact, such recognition is the result of a huge amount of time
and effort that the physicians, mid-level providers, nurses, and other
support staff at Illinois CancerCare, P.C., put forth to provide high
quality care to their patients.
Illinois CancerCare, which
includes 17 physicians and 17 advanced practice nurses in 13 clinic
locations, is the largest hematology and oncology practice in central
and western Illinois. Bloomington-Normal area patients are served by a
team consisting of Dr. Pankaj Kumar, Dr. Patrick Gomez, advanced
practice nurses Nancy Erwin and Sarah Lindsey, plus several nurses and
office staff. “We are truly a team,” explains Lindsey. “We know and see
each other’s patients on a regular basis,” especially if the follow-up
for a patient is dictated by the protocol of a clinical trial.
Dr. Pankaj Kumar is an oncologist and hemotologist who received the
2012-2013 Outstanding Clinical, Technological, or Scholarly Achievements
Applied to Medical Research Award from the University of Illinois
College of Medicine at Peoria for his continued efforts in cancer
research. According to Dr. Kumar, Illinois CancerCare has a robust
internal system for quality control that includes reviews of patient
data, peer-reviewed treatment protocols, surveys of patient experiences,
and constant vigilance regarding treatment options for the patient.
Dr. Kumar explains that all facets of the practice are on point for
providing the best care possible for each patient. Everyone works to
increase their education regarding new therapies, drug treatments, and
patient care — anything that will help the patient. Nurses go through
intensive training upon joining the practice regarding the “art” of
working with oncology patients. The pharmacists and pharmacy technicians
triple check dosages to make sure a patient is getting exactly the
right amount. As a result, errors in chemotherapy drug dosages at
Illinois CancerCare are almost nonexistent.
The high standards
for quality patient care at Illinois CancerCare are what drew Dr. Gomez,
a board-certified oncologist and hematologist, to Central Illinois in
2007. “I joined Illinois CancerCare because of the excellent delivery of
state-of-the-art oncology care. I am proud to be working with people
devoted to giving the best and most compassionate care possible.”
Illinois CancerCare has been recognized by the Quality Oncology
Practice Initiative (QOPI®) Certification Program which provides a
three-year certification for outpatient hematology-oncology practices
that meet the highest national standards for quality cancer care. As the
first practice in the Peoria/Bloomington-Normal area that has met the
rigorous standards set forth by QOPI, Illinois CancerCare’s
certification is a testament to the focus on excellent patient care.
“Clinical Trials are the vital link between breakthroughs in the lab
and new treatments that extend and improve patients’ lives.”
(www.cancerprogress.net)
For more than 35 years, Illinois
CancerCare’s focus has been twofold: to provide the highest quality
treatment and care to patients, as well as to take part in clinical
trials that provide cutting-edge approaches to cancer prevention and
treatment. To that end, they have helped lead the effort nationally to
take the practice, physicians, and nurses to outlying communities to
provide state-of-the-art cancer care to patients in their home
communities. Most patients can receive care at a location within an
hour’s travel of their home.
The long-standing commitment to
research began in 1978 when the practice became part of the North
Central Cancer Treatment Group established through Mayo Clinic. This
research relationship was unique in that it focused on the community,
rather than academic settings at major medical universities, as being
the most appropriate venue for conducting clinical trials and providing
new approaches to cancer treatment. The first patient from central
Illinois entered a cancer clinical trial in 1979.
Clinical
trials represent the final step in bringing a new treatment or drug to
market. Although extensive research is involved in developing new drugs,
lab work and artificially simulated environments cannot substitute for
real-life situations. In addition to providing new ways to treat
disease, cancer clinical trials also help researchers find ways to
diagnose, prevent, and manage symptoms of cancer and side effects from
treatment.
“Clinical trials are a lot of work — it’s a very
involved process of checks, balances, and reviews,” says Dr. Kumar. “The
purpose of a clinical trial is to improve the current standard of
treatment.”
According to Erwin patients are encouraged to be
proactive in decisions about their own care. “It is important that
patients and families understand the goal of therapy and that they are
allowed to participate in treatment decisions.” Enrolling in a clinical
trial for which the patient is an eligible candidate is one such
decision. Lindsey adds, “We are focused on quality patient care, and
clinical trials are often a part of that care.”
In other words,
clinical trials are invaluable resources for current and future methods
of fighting cancer. Dr. Gomez credits on-going research and clinical
trial results for changing the way cancer is now treated. For example,
the development of targeted therapies for cancer has made treatment more
effective and has helped minimize the side effects patients experience.
Cancer research is not cheap, however. Janet Varnes, the Executive
Director of the Illinois CancerCare Foundation, explains, “We [the
Foundation] help cover the shortfall between the funding provided by the
National Cancer Institute and the actual cost of administering the
research program.”
This vital assistance can come in the form of
transportation assistance, reducing financial barriers to participation
in clinical trials or providing Thanksgiving meals or holiday gifts for
patients and their families experiencing financial difficulty. “The
Foundation will support a patient regardless of which clinic within the
Illinois CancerCare network they go to,” she says. The goal is to make
it easier for patients to participate, leading to advances in new cancer
treatments.
With such a deep history of clinical trial
participation, it is no surprise that Illinois CancerCare’s Community
Clinical Oncology Program (CCOP) ranks in the top 10 programs nationwide
for enrolling patients in treatment and cancer control trials according
to the Alliance of Clinical Trials in Oncology Accrual Data and
Protocol listing. The national average for patient enrollment into
cancer clinical trials is 4 percent; Illinois CancerCare’s average is 11
percent.
Opportunities to enroll in clinical trials allows
patients to participate in cutting-edge research found most often in
large comprehensive cancer centers or academic institutions. These
advanced treatment options allow patients to remain in central Illinois
for the best care possible, where they can be surrounded by family and
friends. The CCOP offers more than 100 studies that focus on cancer
treatment, symptom management, and prevention. More than 9,000 patients
from central Illinois have entered clinical trials through Illinois
CancerCare.
“I certainly don’t want to give up; that’s why I was
so willing to be a part of the clinical trial.” (Barbara Harris,
Illinois CancerCare patient)
Barb Harris’s world shifted
unexpectedly in late October 2012. One day at work, she noticed that her
left hand did not seem to be moving appropriately. Thinking this odd
but not alarming, she didn’t seek medical attention right away. Several
days later, she completely lost use of her hand, which prompted a visit
to her physician. Her symptoms concerned him enough to send her to the
emergency room for an immediate CAT scan.
The result of the CAT
scan showed a frightening reality: a serious, life-threatening brain
tumor; officially, a Grade 4 Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM). GBM is the
most common and aggressive malignant brain tumor, primarily because it
is impossible to remove it completely.
In less than a week,
Harris underwent brain surgery to remove the tumor. “They removed as
much of the tumor as they could see, but because it has tentacles that
spread throughout the brain, they couldn’t get it all with surgery,”
explains Harris. Her neurosurgeon, Dr. Ann Stroink, referred her to Dr.
Kumar at Illinois CancerCare. Dr. Kumar recommended participation in a
current clinical trial for newly diagnosed GBM patients through Illinois
CancerCare’s CCOP conducted in conjunction with the North Central
Cancer Treatment Group (NCCTG) at Mayo Clinic.
Harris had known
people who participated in other clinical trials, so she agreed
immediately. She feels it’s beneficial to be a part of the trial because
“in order to make progress, you have to have clinical trials; the
current standard treatment is the result of a previous clinical trial.”
Standard treatment for GBM includes radiation therapy, which uses
high-energy X-rays to kill tumor cells, plus the chemotherapy drug
temozolomide, which stops the growth of tumor cells by killing them or
preventing cell division.
The purpose of the trial is to
determine whether dasatinib, a drug used to treat various kinds of
leukemia and other cancers, makes radiation therapy and temozolomide
more effective in treating GBM patients. The premise is that dasatinib
may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes
needed for cell growth as well as cause the tumor cells to be more
sensitive to radiation therapy.
One huge benefit to being a part
of this clinical trial through Illinois CancerCare is that she is able
to be at home and in familiar surroundings. “I take a pill at home every
day — no IV, no needles,” and she comes to Bloomington for her
radiation treatment.
In the meantime, she is trying to live
every day to the fullest and focusing on the most important things: her
relationships with her family, including her three children and 12
grandchildren. “It was a shock to learn I had an invasive, aggressive
form of brain cancer. It certainly has helped me focus on what’s really
important in life.”
Patients like Barb Harris and the people who
work at Illinois CancerCare are helping to make strides against cancer
and its effects. “I feel very fortunate about the people I work with.
Working at Illinois CancerCare is extremely satisfying; our patients and
their families are very affectionate and caring,” says Dr. Kumar.
“Patients develop close bonds with their doctors and nurses — that’s
part of the culture here. We want to do the right thing, the best thing,
for the patient.”
The physicians, nurses, and staff at Illinois
CancerCare spend a lot of time talking to their patients and explaining
the diagnosis and treatment options. “We help people live with cancer
by tailoring both clinical and emotional aspects to each individual
patient. We try to take the fear out of the treatments and processes and
help our patients navigate through each step.”
Illinois CancerCare’s Bloomington office is located at Eastland Medical
Plaza I, 1505 Eastland Drive, Suite 110. The phone number is
309-662-2102. Information for other Illinois CancerCare facilities in
Central Illinois can be found at www.illinoiscancercare.com. Information about clinical trials can be found at www.clinicaltrials.gov.