To meet patients' needs and enhance its range of services, The Valley Hospital recently began participating in clinical trials through cooperation with study groups at New York Presbyterian Hospital and other institutions. Valley is currently involved in 35 clinical trials and conducts research studies in medical, surgical, and radiation oncology. Of special interest is the S.T.A.R. trial, a national study of thousands of women that is comparing the effects of tamoxifen and raloxifene. Raloxifen, a newer estrogen-blocking drug, seems to have fewer side effects. If research shows that raloxifene is as effective as tamoxifen, it may be a better treatment option.
Clinical trials evaluate all types of treatment for cancer in humans.
In evaluating drugs, researchers may study doses, frequency of doses, combination of drugs, effectiveness of drugs, and side effects. They may also evaluate chemotherapy, radiation, and combinations of treatments such as surgery and drugs, surgery and chemotherapy, surgery and radiation, radiation and chemotherapy, or a combination of chemotherapy treatments. In some clinical trials, researchers evaluate devices. When comparing treatments, researchers want to determine which therapy will prove most effective with the least amount of negative impact. Results showed that the less invasive surgery cured breast cancer as well as the more invasive one but with less physical deformity.