The University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center has enrolled its 10,000th patient in the Oncology Research Information Exchange Network (ORIEN) since joining the alliance in 2017.
ORIEN is a national consortium of 19 leading cancer centers that collaborate by sharing anonymized patient data and tissue samples through the Total Cancer Care® (TCC) protocol. This comprehensive approach follows consented patients throughout their lifetime, allowing researchers to develop more targeted treatments and anticipate changes in patients' conditions.
"Enrolling our 10,000th patient in the Total Cancer Care protocol reflects the dedicated and diligent efforts of our clinical research team and our amazing clinicians who engage patients in their clinics," said Michael Cavnar, M.D., who serves as UK Markey Cancer Center's ORIEN site principal investigator. "As this database continues to mature and grow, we're excited to develop new research projects that will enhance our understanding of cancer and improve outcomes for patients throughout Kentucky and beyond."
Markey Cancer Center joined ORIEN in 2017 and quickly established itself as a leading contributor to the network. Within its first year, Markey had already enrolled more than 1,000 participants, placing it in the top third of consortium members in terms of accrual rate.
The TCC protocol allows clinicians and researchers to track patients' molecular, clinical, and epidemiological data, creating a searchable database that helps match patients to targeted treatments. Patients who participate in the program allow researchers to study their tissue samples and medical information — potentially identifying them for clinical trials as new treatments become available.
ORIEN is the largest and longest-running academic cancer research consortium of its kind in the U.S. Fifteen of its 19 member institutions are NCI-designated cancer centers. Among those, 14 have comprehensive status, including Markey Cancer Center.
Markey has leveraged its ORIEN membership to lead several research projects, including studies examining genomic profiles of colon and breast cancers in Appalachian Kentucky, molecular landscapes of early-onset oral tongue cancer, and radiogenomic biomarker development for lung cancer patients.
"It is exactly this type of collaboration between Markey and our patients that allows cutting edge translational research to occur," said Susanne Arnold, M.D., associate director of Clinical Translation at Markey and the Buck-Kentucky Lung Cancer Research Chair. "It is already yielding important cancer discoveries that will help us better serve our patients."
Patients interested in learning more about participating in the Total Cancer Care protocol can visit Markey's Total Cancer Care page for patients. Clinicians and researchers who want to learn more about ORIEN research opportunities can find additional information here.
