About Us
Cancer Research for the Ozarks
(CRO), also known as the Ozarks Regional Community Clinical Oncology
Program (CCOP) was founded in 1985 by a grant from the National
Institute of Health, National Cancer Institute (NCI). It is one of 48
CCOPs in the United States. Since most cancer patients are treated in
the community setting, the program is designed to provide state of the
art treatment protocols to community oncologists. The program was
originally established as a cooperative venture of CoxHealth and St.
John's Health System and remains such today.
For 24
years, access to NCI research trials has been available to the
residents of southwest Missouri. Freeman Health System and St. John's
Regional Medical Center in Joplin, Missouri became affiliates in 1997
which expands the service area to 17 primary and 24 secondary counties
surrounding Springfield and Joplin. To date over 4,000 patients have
been enrolled on clinical trials. CRO for the past five years has
placed over 5% of eligible cancer patients on study which is double the
national average.
Embracing their sponsors CRO’s mission statement is as follows:
Cancer
Research for the Ozarks has a mission rooted in the spirit of
collaboration between the Health Systems of Cox and St. John’s in
Springfield, Missouri. Inspired by our faith-based call to serve
others, we seek to promote the quality of life within the communities
we serve by providing innovative cancer research, education, and
personal, compassionate presence with our patients, family members and
staff.
Patients may participate in clinical trials from eight research bases through Cancer Research for the Ozarks. They are:
Cancer Trials Support Unit (CTSU)
Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG)
MDAnderson
Moffitt Research Base
National Surgical Bowel and Breast Project (NSABP)
North Central Cancer Therapy Group (NCCTG)
Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG)
Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG)
Wake Forest University