Oncology Clinical Trials

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Oncology Clinical Trials

From understanding the fundamentals of disease to developing the next generation of treatments, our team is on the path of innovation and bringing the world closer to a future where powerful healing overcomes any obstacle.

The comprehensive program at Sanford Research employs 56 oncology investigators across our footprint. In 2024, we had over 6,300 oncology analytical cases and 3,452 total oncology enrollments. Of these trial enrollments, 3,304 were NCI funded, 86 were industry-sponsored and 62 were investigator-initiated.

Primary performance sites:

  • Sioux Falls, South Dakota
  • Fargo, North Dakota
  • Bismarck, North Dakota
  • Bemidji, Minnesota
  • Ortonville, Minnesota
  • Worthington, Minnesota
  • Thief River Falls, Minnesota

An NCI-Sponsored Clinical Research Site

Our program is a National Cancer Institute Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP) Site. We’re supported by the NCI’s Division of Cancer Prevention and Sanford Health.

Our program:

  • Is one of 34 community programs
  • Has over 80 clinical trials open for patient enrollment at any given time
  • Offers the unique opportunity to conduct clinical research in community practice and to evaluate oncology care models through cancer care delivery research (CCDR) trials

Sanford Health has been a clinical research site sponsored by the NCI for 40 years.

 

Disease Associated Working Groups

Breast Cancer

Established in 2016 through a generous grant, the Edith Sanford Breast Center is leading the way in offering women the latest in national and international clinical trials.

Our integrated team approach includes:

  • Multidisciplinary case reviews
  • Weekly tumor boards to review new and challenging cases
  • Integration of clinical research staff to evaluate and offer clinical trial selection to every qualified patient
  • Specialized nurse navigators embedded into our breast program, offering guidance to each patient from diagnosis through treatment

Gastrointestinal

Gastrointestinal physicians from across the health system routinely come together to collaborate on clinical practice changes, research opportunities and clinical trials.

Our integrated team approach includes:

  • Multidisciplinary case reviews
  • Weekly tumor boards to review new and challenging cases
  • Integration of clinical research staff to evaluate and offer clinical trial selection to every qualified patient
  • Specialized nurse navigators embedded into our gastrointestinal program, offering guidance to each patient from diagnosis through treatment

Genitourinary Cancer

Sanford Research offers clinical trials for patients with cancer affecting their genitourinary system.

Our integrated team approach includes:

  • Multidisciplinary case reviews
  • Weekly tumor boards to review new and challenging cases
  • Integration of clinical research staff to evaluate and offer clinical trial selection to every qualified patient
  • Specialized nurse navigators embedded into our genitourinary program, offering guidance to each patient from diagnosis through treatment

Gynecologic Oncology

Our distinguished program includes the only gynecologic oncology physician in the Sanford Health footprint.

Our integrated team approach includes:

  • Multidisciplinary case reviews
  • Weekly tumor boards to review new and challenging cases
  • Integration of clinical research staff to evaluate and offer clinical trial selection to every qualified patient
  • Specialized nurse navigators embedded into our gynecologic oncology program, offering guidance to each patient from diagnosis through treatment

Head and Neck

Head and neck physicians from across the health system routinely come together to collaborate on clinical practice changes, research opportunities and clinical trials.

Our integrated team approach includes:

  • Multidisciplinary case reviews
  • Weekly tumor boards to review new and challenging cases
  • Integration of clinical research staff to evaluate and offer clinical trial selection to every qualified patient
  • Specialized nurse navigators embedded into our head and neck program, offering guidance to each patient from diagnosis through treatment

Hematology and Melanoma

Sanford Research offers clinical trials for patients with melanoma or cancerous blood disorders.

Our integrated team approach includes:

  • Multidisciplinary case reviews
  • Weekly tumor boards to review new and challenging cases
  • Integration of clinical research staff to evaluate and offer clinical trial selection to every qualified patient
  • Specialized nurse navigators embedded into our program, offering guidance to each patient from diagnosis through treatment

Lung

Sanford Research offers clinical trials for patients with lung cancer.

Our integrated team approach includes:

  • Multidisciplinary case reviews
  • Weekly tumor boards to review new and challenging cases
  • Integration of clinical research staff to evaluate and offer clinical trial selection to every qualified patient
  • Specialized nurse navigators embedded into our lung program, offering guidance to each patient from diagnosis through treatment

Pediatrics

Sanford Health is a member of the National Cancer Institute’s Children’s Oncology Group, the largest childhood cancer research organization in the world with over 100 clinical trials.

The pediatric oncology team routinely comes together to collaborate on clinical practice changes, research opportunities and clinical trials. Our pediatric genomic tumor board convenes to discuss and review new and challenging cases.

Our distinguished program is the only pediatric oncology group in the Dakotas and western Minnesota. We also offer the only hemophilia treatment centers in the Dakotas.

Precision Oncology

Our steering committee meets quarterly to improve strategies for gaining access to clinical trials that support genomic alterations and for the development of levels of evidence criteria.

Our enterprise-wide multidisciplinary genomic tumor board includes a collaborative team of experts with experience in cancer and genetics. We develop personalized care plans using genomic testing results. The board meets twice a week with an average of 11 cases presented each week.

Awards and Recognition

American Society of Clinical Oncology

QOPI Certification Program
Awarded to a program that creates a culture of excellence and self-examination that helps medical practices deliver the best care to patients.

NCI Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP)

Gold Award
Recognized for combined treatment and cancer control accrual between Aug. 1, 2014 and April 20, 2019.

Sanford NCORP of the Central Plains

NCORP Network
Recognized with an award for overall accrual of cancer control and treatment trials.

NCI Children's Oncology Group

Certificate of Excellence
Recognized for the timely activation of CCDR studies and submission of data and for the quality of data submitted.

Minnesota Cancer Clinical Trials Network

Awarded $350,000 to expand access to cancer clinical trials across Minnesota.

Sanford NCORP of the North Central Plains

NRG Main Member Status
Achieved main member status based on patient accrual and satisfactory data quality, timeliness and audit performance.

National Cancer Institute

NCI Connect
A new prospective cohort of 200,000 adults in the U.S. designed to further investigate the etiology of cancer and cancer outcomes, which may inform new approaches to precision prevention and early detection.

Wake Forest NCORP Research Base Annual Meeting

Third Place for Accrual to CCDR Trials
Recognized for efforts to launch CCDR.