Frequently Asked Questions

I found a lot of information on the site, but how can I get more personalized information about cancer? Contact Roswell Park Cancer Institute’s Information Program at 1-877-ASK-RPCI (1-877-275-7724) or e-mail askrpci@roswellpark.org. Trained information specialists will offer you information about cancer, treatment options and supportive care services.

If you have any problems with the function of this website, please e-mail Delmar Reid at webmaster@roswellpark.org. If you have questions or suggestions for new content on the site, please e-mail Catherine Donnelly at suggestion.box@roswellpark.org. Comments or questions about the graphics or images on the website? E-mail Benjamin Richey at graphics@roswellpark.org.

What is a Comprehensive Cancer Center? Roswell Park Cancer Institute is the only Upstate New York health care facility to hold the National Cancer Institute-conferred designation of "comprehensive cancer center." This designation means that a cancer center’s combined research, treatment and educational programs have weathered extensive peer review, met rigorous national standards, and made fundamental contributions to reducing the cancer burden. Today, there are 41 such centers in the United States. RPCI has held this designation, without interruption, from 1971 until the present.

What is a Clinical Trial? A clinical trial is a study that is conducted with patients, usually to evaluate a promising new therapy. The search for new cancer treatments begins in the laboratory, where cell and animal studies are conducted. But animals are not human beings and no matter how promising a treatment looks in the lab, no one can predict with any certainty how effective and safe it will be for patients unless it is tested in patients. Clinical trials are done for this reason.

Roswell Park’s mission is to extend the boundaries of cancer treatment through clinical research. Physicians and researchers have always worked closely, and in cooperation with the National Cancer Institute, to ensure the swift bench-to-bedside transfer of new treatments. Encouraging community physicians and patients to look to treatment studies as an option for cancer care has always been part of our facility's tradition. About 50% of RPCI’s patients are eligible to participate in clinical trials. Search available clinical trials.