Cancer Program Receives Platinum Award for Patient Participation in Cancer Research Clinical Trials

For the high number of patients enrolled in cancer research clinical trials, the Delaware/ChristianaCare National Cancer Institute Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP) earned the highest honor – the Platinum Award – for “exceptional achievement” at the 2024 NCORP annual meeting held in Bethesda, Maryland, on Sept. 19.

Last year, nearly 30% of all patients enrolled in approximately 110 clinical trials at ChristianaCare’s Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute. Over 300 of those enrollments were through the NCORP, more than seven times the national average of 4%.

“Each year the clinical trials program at the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute receives top honors and high praise for the number of patients who enroll in cancer research trials. This year is no different,” said Thomas Schwaab, M.D., Ph.D., the Bank of America Endowed Medical Director of the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute.

Patient enrollments in clinical trials through the Graham Cancer Center are more than seven times the national average.

“This recognition is testimony to our entire staff of clinicians, administrators and support personnel who are dedicated to providing our patients with the very best care,” Schwaab said. “They understand the many benefits patients receive from participating in research clinical trials.”

Advantages of participating in a cancer research trial

A leader in groundbreaking research, the Graham Cancer Center brings scientists and clinicians together to investigate innovative ways to diagnose cancer earlier and treat it more effectively. According to the National Cancer Institute, some of the advantages of participating in a cancer research trial include:

• Patients gain access to a treatment that is under study that may not be available to people outside the trial.
• If the treatment being studied is more effective than the standard treatment, participating patients may be among the first to benefit.
• The research team watches patients closely, adding an extra layer of care to their health.
• The trial may help researchers learn more about cancer and help people in the future.

NCORP recognizes Graham Cancer Center clinicians

NCORP recognized the following clinicians from the Graham Cancer Center for their success in recruiting patients to cancer clinical trials:

Gold Award

• Gaurav Shukla, M.D., Ph.D.
• Ramya Varadarajan, M.D.
• Adam Raben, M.D.
• Timothy Kegelman, M.D., Ph.D.
• Dhaval Shah, MBBS
• Amy McGhee-Jez, M.D.

Silver Award

• Jamil Khatri, M.D.
• Gregory Masters, M.D.
• Philip Margiotta, M.D.
• Evan Lapinsky, M.D.

Non-Physician Gold Award

• Emily Broadbent, PA
• Robyn Crisp, PA

Non-Physician Silver Award

• Jennifer Campoli, NP
• Megan Lee, PA

NCORP is a national network that brings treatment, cancer control and cancer care delivery trials to people in their own communities. The Graham Cancer Center, among the original National Cancer Institute Community Cancer Centers Program sites in the United States, is one of 46 community site centers participating in NCORP.