MARSHALL — For people battling cancer, getting a chance to take part in a research trial of a new treatment can sometimes make a big difference. Starting next year, patients at the Avera Cancer Institute in Marshall could have the chance to take part in cancer studies without having to leave southwest Minnesota.

Avera representatives said the Avera Health system plans to roll out expanded cancer research opportunities in the Marshall region starting in 2025. The Avera system has already opened up some exciting research opportunities over the past several years, said Dr. Ryan Vaca, an oncologist with Avera.

“It’s giving people in the South Dakota, Iowa and Minnesota area access to some of those clinical trial opportunities that they would have to travel very long distances for,” Vaca said.

“These are the type of trials that before, they would say you have to go to Mayo, or you would have to go to the University of Minnesota or Texas,” said Jessica Moriarty, advanced oncology certified nurse practitioner at the Avera Cancer Institute.

The news that access to clinical trials will be expanded to the Avera Cancer Institute in Marshall came at the same time that the Avera Health system was highlighting the importance of rural cancer care. Avera marked National Rural Health Day on Nov. 20, by talking about the impact of cancer care on the region.

“It is rare that a community cancer center like Avera Cancer Institute would offer options like Phase 1, first-in-human clinical trials, or extend participation in clinical trials to rural sites, but we do,” said David Starks, MD, MPH, Avera gynecologic oncologist and clinical research director for Avera Cancer Institute.

Avera has had an oncology program since the 1980s. In 2010, Avera built a cancer care center in Sioux Falls. Similar treatment centers were later established at locations in South Dakota, and in Marshall.

Avera Sioux Falls started doing cancer research around 7 years ago, Moriarty said. “And then Avera started getting good at it, and so we started getting a variety of trials,” she said.

Being able to conduct research in earlier phases of clinical trials was exciting for Avera, Vaca said. They were becoming more able to participate in clinical trials that might normally be available in bigger cancer programs.

“Now we’re beginning to really establish, I think, a strong foothold and confidence in moving into Phase 1 trials, which is earlier and earlier into the development of a new drug,” he said.

There are different phases of clinical trials for cancer treatments. A Phase 1 trial is earlier in the research process, and focuses on finding a safe dose for a new cancer drug. A Phase 2 trial is open to a larger group of participants, and looks at how effective the drug is in treating certain types of cancer. Phase 3 trials are open to the most people, and look at whether the new drug is just as good or better than the standard of care for cancer treatment.

Vaca and Moriarty said patients taking part in a clinical trial for cancer treatment would generally receive the treatment being studied, in addition to the normal standard of care.

More opportunities for patients at the Avera Cancer Institute in Marshall to take part in research trials are anticipated to open up starting in 2025, Moriarty said.

“Part of the holdup for us is that our pharmacy was in a tight area,” she said. However, a newly-constructed hospital pharmacy closer to the Cancer Institute will be opening in January, with more space for storing and preparing trial medications. “Some of the trial stuff has to be housed specifically, just to maintain that high level of quality of care,” she said. “Before we could go live here, we needed to be able to replicate the steps that they have in Sioux Falls and other regions.”

Moriarty said the Cancer Institute in Marshall wouldn’t start offering treatment trials right away. They would likely start with research like studying the genetics of tumors, before offering treatment trials.

“Because we want it to be as high-level as Avera in Sioux Falls, we’re not going to just dive in,” she said. “We’re going to start with that style of study so we can have all of our ducks in a row.”

“And the nice thing is, the way that Avera is rolling it out, it’s the same team that runs the studies in Sioux Falls that will help coordinate the studies in the regions. So you have the same level of experience, expectation and quality as if you were going to Sioux Falls,” Moriarty said.

Being able to do clinical trials at the Cancer Institute in Marshall would have a big impact on area residents, Vaca said.

“A lot of these trials, to be participating in them, if you were to have to direct travel somewhere, you’d have to move there and stay there for the duration of the trial generally. It can be a very, very challenging thing,”he said. “You’re having to balance being close to family or potentially getting a life-saving treatment.”

Vaca said he encourages people getting cancer treatment to ask about clinical trial options, if they’re interested in being part of one. At the same time, he said, “We have standardized processes where we talk about genetic counseling for everyone. We talk about screening and trying to identify trials. If there’s a trial that a person is a candidate for, we talk about that.”

“And when we roll out, we’ll have a research coordinator who will be working with the Marshall site, and she will review all new patients to see if they qualify for trials,” Moriarty said.

Avera Marshall had a lot of resources to help support cancer research and treatment, from radiation oncology to surgical specialists, Vaca said.

“I think a really strong foundation is being built, to really kind of have this is a hub in southwest Minnesota,” he said.