Patients signing up to cancer drug trial

Jan 12 2008 by Audrey Barton, The Journal

PATIENTS are being recruited to a North-East trial to improve chemotherapy treatment for those with bowel cancer.

The study focuses on people in the advanced stages of the disease and aims to build on the improvements already made in treating the condition.

Cancer Research UK is funding the trial in South Shields focusing on two new approaches to treating bowel cancer that has spread to other parts of the body.

Known as the COIN trial, the study at South Tyneside District Hospital has been recruiting patients since March 2005 and so far nationally 1,591 patients have taken part.

COIN focuses on how effectively two different chemotherapy drugs work.

Doctors are also looking at the way they give the drugs to see if administering chemotherapy for 12 weeks at a time is as good as continuous chemotherapy, and if it causes fewer side-effects.

Dr Ashraf Azzabi, who is running the trial at South Tyneside District Hospital, said: “We have moved on in leaps and bounds in the management of bowel cancer. Even advanced bowel cancer has better prospects than a few years ago.

“Trials like this are extremely important. Around five years ago we only had one drug to use for bowel cancer and now we have more coming on line as a direct result of these trials.

“They open up the chance for more effective, less toxic medications to treat patients.”

A screening programme is under way in the region which sees self-testing kits sent to people aged between 60 and 69 to use at home.

The test doesn’t diagnose cancer but shows whether further investigations are needed. So far kits have been sent out automatically to those living in South Tyneside, Sunderland and Gateshead. County Durham and Darlington have also joined the scheme.

It is being rolled out in Newcastle, Northumberland and North Tyneside next.

For more information on Cancer Research UK clinical trials, visit www.cancerhelp.org.uk.