The death of his mother from breast cancer inspired a young Dr. William West to build what is now one of the leading cancer treatment, education and research centers in the United States. In 1979, what would eventually become the West Cancer Center (WCC) opened its doors in Memphis, Tennessee, with a mission to provide world-class, patient-focused care while conducting cutting-edge research and developing innovative cancer treatments. Now partnered with Methodist Healthcare and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, the WCC has established a reputation for clinical excellence and is considered a leader in adult cancer research and care.
More than 30 thousand people are treated at West Cancer Center each year and are offered the full-spectrum of care and support services. The Center's focus on ground-breaking research and innovative clinical trials provides these patients with an effective and individualised model of care, by a multi-disciplinary team that includes experts in nutrition, psychology, and rehabilitation. Leading this team is Dr. Lee Schwartzberg, Executive Director of WCC, a medical oncologist, and hematologist who specialises in the treatment of breast cancer.
Alongside his professorial appointment at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and his clinical duties, Dr. Schwartzberg researches new therapeutic approaches to breast cancer, targeted therapy, and supportive care, and provides academic leadership in clinical oncology to George Clinical, a leading North American and Asia-Pacific clinical research organization (CRO). Dr. Schwartzberg, a graduate of the State University of New York at Buffalo, and the New York Medical College, partnered with Dr. West and co-founder Dr. Kurt Tauer to drive the growth of the WCC during the early years of the center's practice.
Dr. Schwartzberg's career track record emphasises his commitment to and expertise in clinical oncology practice and research. He is founder and editor-in-chief of an academic journal, Community Oncology, member of a number of editorial boards and prominent medical journal peer review panels, and member of the Board of Directors for the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. His academic publication record is prolific, and his work in clinical trials, medical innovation, and clinical practice has been recognised with several awards.
Targeted therapy, supportive care, and patient-reported outcomes are cornerstones of Dr. Schwartzberg's research interests and reflect the patient-focused approach that is at the core of WCC's work. A testament to the vision and passion of its three founders, WCC is now leading adult cancer care and research, with various specialty oncology focus, and home to an extensive portfolio of clinical trials, designed to examine and develop potential new cancer treatment options.
Clinical trials are divided into four phases (I to IV): stages that examine the effectiveness of a drug or treatment before it is approved for market and public use. Earlier phases determine the safety and efficacy of a drug, the appropriate dose to give, and potential side effects. Later phase trials compare the drug or treatment to existing treatments, in combination with other therapies, or to determine the longer-term effects of a drug.
The WCC's research programs include Phase I to Phase IV clinical trials in new and innovative treatments for a range of cancers, including ovarian, breast, and melanoma. With its team of more than 40 experienced research professionals, and their combined expertise in lab, clinical and translational research, the WCC is developing cutting-edge therapies to treat cancer.
Part of the WCC’s successful clinical trials program is its partnership with CROs like George Clinical. A leading provider of evidence in oncology data and research services in 13 countries throughout North America and the Asia-Pacific, and with comprehensive medical, scientific, and operational expertise, George Clinical is ideally-placed as a clinical trials partner for oncology centers and research teams. As a CRO, George Clinical offers full-service and customisable clinical operations, with experience in more than 300 oncology studies and a range of oncology and tumour types, and hematologic diseases, across early and late phase trials. Currently, breast cancer trials make up a quarter of George Clinical's studies, with lung cancer and hematological projects comprising a third in total. The scope of George Clinical's oncology expertise includes - but is not limited to - melanoma, gynaecological, sarcoma/bone, supportive care, and oncology diagnostics.
A worldwide leader in the design and delivery of real-world and patient-based oncology research, George Clinical's success is underpinned by scientific leadership and expertise from a global network of clinician-researchers and experienced clinical project teams. With access to some of the most innovative and experienced oncology research teams across the globe, George Clinical enables organizations like the WCC to deliver innovative oncology trials that incorporate cutting-edge immunotherapies, across all phases of research and treatment development. As a CRO, George Clinical is uniquely-placed to meet the precise and complex demands of today's oncology research, and with expertise from dedicated scientific leaders like Dr. Schwartzberg, George Clinical helps drive innovative new cancer therapies. In 2016 alone, WCC treated more than 36 thousand cancer patients for almost 20 types of cancer. With its collaboration with CROs like George Clinical, the WCC is using new insights, clinical expertise, and cutting-edge treatments to offer 'precision medicine,' providing customised, compassionate - treatment to thousands of Americans with cancer, and offering true patient-centered care.
For further information about George Clinical, please visit:
https://www.georgeclinical.com/therapeutic-expertise/oncology-cro
George Clinical is a leading independent Asia-Pacific based clinical research organisation (CRO) with global capabilities differentiated by scientific leadership, innovation, and extensive investigator networks. With staff operating in over 15 countries, George Clinical provides the full range of clinical trial services to biopharmaceutical, medical device, and diagnostic customers, for all trial phases, registration, and post-marketing trials. George Clinical combines scientific and clinical leadership with expert trial delivery capability to create a distinctive world-class service.