Cancer clinical trials are vital to developing new treatments that save patients’ lives. “I can tell you that every treatment that we give as standard of care to a patient now, started as a clinical trial,” said Dr. Philip Gold, director, clinical research, Swedish Cancer Institute. “Without courageous patients willing to make that step into research, we wouldn’t have the treatments we have today or treatments we’re developing for the future.” Dr. Gold says there is a transformation going on in cancer medicine as researchers learn how to harness our own immune systems for treatment, leading to breakthroughs. Swedish offers 360 cancer clinical trials, with 200 actively accruing patients at any one time. The Swedish Cancer Institute is home to an immunotherapy trial for pancreatic cancer and was the first site to start the trial. “We have a very efficient research program, and we’re able to open up studies faster than many other sites,” Dr. Gold said. “We’re often able to get the first patients on such studies.” Swedish offers the full continuum of care, starting with screening/prevention and early disease detection. Doctors provide a proven standard of care, and should cancer recur, the institute offers cutting-edge, advanced treatments. “For the oncologists here at Swedish, we really look at it as taking care of the patient from the time they’re diagnosed or screened and found to have cancer throughout their entire journey of cancer,” Dr. Gold said. Patients are often able to stay with Swedish for their entire cancer journey because of so many available personalized treatment options, including clinical trials. “We all know our patients so well, and they know us,” Dr. Gold said. “It really makes for a collaborative team moving forward in the best interest of the patient.” For more information on clinical trials and cancer care at Swedish, visit the Swedish Cancer Institute website. Sponsored by Providence Swedish. ​Segment Producer Suzie Wiley. Watch New Day Northwest at 11 a.m. weekdays on KING 5 and streaming live on KING5.com. Contact New Day. ​