NEW YORK, November 2, 2000 – Information about clinical trials – which test new approaches to preventing, diagnosing or treating disease in people – is in demand by cancer patients and their family members who are gaining access to health and medical information through the Internet at unprecedented numbers. In response to that demand, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center today launched a lay language database of high priority trials for its web site.
"The information presented on our web site is continually updated with current data from our in-house clinical trial database and includes summaries of each study’s purpose, methods and eligibility criteria, written in easy to understand language," says Roger Wilson, MD, Chairman of the Institutional Review Board at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.
The new clinical trials section of Memorial Sloan-Kettering’s web site includes a listing of select studies actively enrolling patients at the Center, and provides clear descriptions about each trial’s objective, methods and requirements for participation, as well as contact information for the clinical investigator leading the study. The web site is automatically updated whenever the status of a study changes.
"Because the World Wide Web is an evolving medium, it is important for us to make sure new content is added – and existing content is updated – on a real-time basis," says Dr. Wilson. "At the same time, we wanted the information to be easily understandable to patients and members of the public," he adds.
Information about Memorial Sloan-Kettering’s open trials has not been previously available in straightforward language that is easily grasped by individuals who do not have a medical background. This new, user-friendly section on the site allows the general public to easily navigate through the browser and identify the trials that are of interest to them.
In addition, a link is provided to the National Institutes of Health clinical trial database, where individuals can get additional information on cancer-related research studies being conducted at Memorial Sloan-Kettering and at other institutions in the United States. Individuals may also call a national, toll-free telephone number (1-800-525-2225), which is available to assist anyone who wishes to see a physician or join a clinical trial at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.
Launched in 1996, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center’s web site offers comprehensive information on cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment, as well as detailed descriptions of the Center’s broad range of services, facilities and staff. The site is designed to be a source of high quality information that is useful for patients, medical professionals and researchers alike. In 2000 alone, the site has recorded more than 1.4 million user sessions averaging about 10 minutes per session. About 5 to 10 percent of the site’s visitors access the web site from overseas on any given day.
Another well-received on-line feature of the site is Lately@MSKCC, a free, monthly electronic newsletter delivered to more than 14,000 subscribers. The newsletter, which was introduced in 1997, offers information on cancer-related topics and updates readers on what is new at the Center – from newly published research to upcoming educational lectures on cancer and live chats during which users can log on and ask questions of Memorial Sloan-Kettering physicians.
The web site also serves as an umbrella for the Sloan-Kettering Institute’s web site, where researchers can share information with the scientific community about their work in the lab. Memorial Sloan-Kettering’s web site is located at www.mskcc.org.
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center is the world’s oldest and largest private institution devoted to prevention, patient care, research and education in cancer. Throughout its long and distinguished history, the Center has played a leadership role in defining the standard of care for patients with cancer.