ANNAPOLIS, Md., Dec. 8, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Metavivor Research and Support Inc., a national non-profit organization dedicated to funding research for stage IV metastatic breast cancer (MBC), announced a strategic partnership with consumer health tech company Ciitizen to bring a comprehensive new Clinical Trial Search Tool and Clinical Trial Matching Program to the stage 4 metastatic breast cancer community.
Metavivor took up the mantle for increased clinical trials in 2017 and since that time has been on a mission to improve clinical trials and encourage patient participation. During this time, the organization discovered that trial searches were lacking information or did not connect the right trial to the patients' particular metastatic breast cancer. With the help of Ciitizen, Metavivor can now offer clinical trial search and matching service options to those living with MBC. To transition metastatic breast cancer so that it is no longer a death sentence; increased research investment and participation in clinical trials is desperately needed. Metavivor is a leader on both sides of the equation: funding metastatic breast cancer research and empowering the metastatic breast cancer community to participate in critical research.
"No one dies from a tumor that remains in the breast, it is only when the cancer cells spread beyond the breast and metastasize to other organs in the body that breast cancer becomes fatal," said Metavivor Board President, Jamil Rivers. "Metastatic or stage 4 breast cancer research has been woefully underfunded for a long time. We have to give new treatments a chance, so people with metastatic breast cancer can live longer. Clinical trials are our key to finding life extending treatments."
Clinical trials are a key component in advancing medical treatment in cancer and in particular metastatic cancer. "Metavivor is thrilled to partner with Ciitizen to bring this multi-layered clinical trial search tool to the metastatic breast cancer community. It will help patients narrow down their options for the latest clinical trials and personalize them to their diagnosis," said Rivers. Participating in a trial can also afford patients access to high-quality care and new treatments. A recent large study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology showed, even when patients are matched for baseline characteristics, those on a clinical trial vs not a clinical trial had superior overall survival at 5 years (95.0% vs 90.2%) and 7 years (90.0% vs 78.0%). Put simply, finding a trial may extend a person's life.
Unfortunately a huge gulf exists between connecting eligible patients to trials, a problem that has only been exacerbated by the current COVID-19 pandemic. There is an urgent need to address this problem now.
METAvivor and Ciitizen are launching a new Clinical Trial Search Tool that makes exploring clinical trials easier and more accessible for stage 4 metastatic breast cancer patients. The tool allows patients to narrow in on applicable trials by answering a few questions about their condition. The tool then narrows potential trial options from the exhaustive set of all US based treatment trials. By streamlining multiple search queries into one report, we can ensure patients are aware of all their options. The user interface is clean, easy to use and accessible for patients with varied technical literacy.
The Clinical Trial Search Tool is accessible as part of METAvivor's MBC Patient Resource and Education Portal (MBC PREP) and can be accessed by visiting Metavivor Clinical Trial Search
To learn more about METAvivor and Ciitizen's partnership, please visit Metavivor Clinical Trial Search
ABOUT METAVIVOR
Metavivor Research and Support Inc. is an Annapolis-based, 501(c)(3), volunteer-led, non-profit organization founded by metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients in 2009. The organization's main focus is to fund critical research that will lead to advances in treatment options, quality of life and survival for patients diagnosed with MBC. Since 2009, Metavivor has awarded 106 research grants totaling $13.6 million. Metavivor is the only national organization with a peer-reviewed grant program aimed at exclusively funding MBC research, and 100% of all donations go to fund research.
Metavivor also raises awareness of MBC, provides support for people living with this disease, and offers opportunities for others to help make a difference for the metastatic community. Metavivor has gained a rapidly growing following within the breast cancer community and has become a leader in its field. For more information visit us at http://www.Metavivor.org, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @metavivor.
ABOUT CIITIZEN
Ciitizen is a leading consumer health technology company whose mission is to help patients get full control of their medical records so they can find better treatment options, participate in research and find clinical trials. As a patient-mediated platform, Ciitizen believes patients should have full control of directing the use of their data, which serves as one of the richest sources of real world evidence, unlocking new options for patients and the community. For more information, visit ciitizen.com or follow @ciitizen
Media Contact
Sonya Negley, METAvivor Research and Support, Inc, 818-860-1226, [email protected]
SOURCE METAvivor Research and Support, Inc
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