Research

Both GCS and AOA perform their own clinical research, and as such GCTCC facilities are at the forefront of cutting edge cancer treatments.

The GCTCC at Macon-Coliseum is one of five GCS research sites in Georgia. Through its partnership with the University of Alabama Comprehensive Cancer Center (UABCCC), GCS is the only private oncology practice in Georgia to offer Phase I clinical trials. View a current list of clinical trials offered by GCS.

AOA participates in National Cancer Institute (NCI) and Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) trials, as well as other clinical trials through collaborative group research. Further, AOA cooperates closely with medical oncologists, urologists, and others in the effort to deliver the highest quality of multidisciplinary care in a closely supervised and cooperative medical environment.

Clinical trials provide crucial information about the safety, effectiveness, and proper use of new drugs, diagnostic tests, and treatments. They are usually done in the laboratory or clinic setting of a major institution such as a university or hospital, or at a pharmaceutical company, or at a private medical practice.

Clinical trials are divided into four categories: Phases I through IV:

Phase I: Drugs are given for the first time to a small group of people. Please be aware that Phase I trials are not designed to show effectiveness; they are designed to show that the drug is not toxic in humans. Little is known about the drugs in Phase I trials, because this is when they are usually tested in humans for the first time or are evaluations of a new dosage or new mode of administration.
Phase II: Drugs are given to a larger group of participants to further evaluate their safety.
Phase III: Drugs are given to large groups of people to confirm their effectiveness, monitor side effects, and compare them to established FDA-approved treatments.
Phase IV: These studies are usually done after the drug has reached the mainstream patient population and is FDA-approved. Information continues to be collected to determine long-term use effects.

Please be aware that Phase I trials are not designed to show effectiveness; they are designed to show that the drug is not toxic in humans. Little is known about the drugs in Phase I trials, because this is when they are usually tested in humans for the first time, or are evaluations of a new dosage or new mode of administration.