Dr. Adedayo Onitilo, Marshfield Clinic Health System oncologist and researcher with Cancer Care and Research Center, and his research staff received recognition recently for being the highest accruing physician in the country for oncology clinical trials sponsored by the National Cancer Institute’s Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP).

NCORP is a National Cancer Institute (NCI) supported network that brings cancer prevention clinical trials and cancer care delivery research to people in their communities.

“Clinical trials are an important tool in treating patients when their cancer defies conventional treatments,” said Dr. Onitilo. “Participating in a trial provides hope for a patient, which is an integral part of treatment. Successful clinical trials also potentially create hope and better survivorship odds for future cancer patients.”

This year’s award is based on accruals from Aug. 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018.

“I was very proud to represent Marshfield Clinic Health System for this award,” Dr. Onitilo said. “It was with the help of my Cancer Care team that I was able to be up on that stage. Most importantly it is a team effort and much kudos to everyone in the oncology research program. I especially would like to thank the research nurses and coordinators at the Weston and Minocqua centers going above and beyond the call of duty for our patients constantly.”

Dr. Onitilo also presented a break out session at the event about the integration of disparities research in NCORP.

Cancer Care and Research participates in many clinical trials in different specialties, including more than 60 oncology clinical trials actively enrolling adult and pediatric patients.

The Health System also is a member of Wisconsin NCI Community Oncology Research Program (WiNCORP). The Health System along with its partners, Gundersen Health System and St. Vincent Regional Cancer Center, provide access to NCI-sponsored clinical trials to over 680,000 community members within its collective, largely rural, service area spanning most of Wisconsin, upper Michigan and adjacent counties in northern Iowa and southeastern Minnesota. WiNCORP has accrued nearly 9,000 people for clinical trials during the program's history.

WiNCORP recently was awarded a $2.3 million National Institutes of Health grant for the next year to continue providing access to clinical trials.