MU Health Care works to prevent cancer in partnership with the Siteman Cancer Center.

Columbia, Mo. (KMIZ)

MU Health Care’s Ellis Fischel Cancer Center in Columbia is now partnering with the Siteman Cancer Center of St. Louis with the goal of preventing cancer and strengthening cancer research.

Both centers have complementary cancer research and resources in the fight to cure cancer.

Many rural areas in the state lack the best access to cancer care. Experts believe that collaboration among cancer centers can help identify barriers and develop resources and policies to address barriers.

“Both the Simon Cancer Center and the Ellis Fischel Cancer Center have strengths that we want to leverage on both sides,” said Gerhard Hildebrandt, director of the MU Health Care Ellis Fischel Cancer Center.

Siteman is the only National Cancer Institute designated as a Comprehensive Cancer Center in the state.

“Siteman is one of the largest and most advanced cancer centers in the country,” Hildebrandt said. “It has extensive clinical trials for patients in urban and suburban areas.”

MU’s Ellis Fischel has many strengths of his own.

“Elice Fishel has strengths in both research and clinical practice, and as a veterinary school, we have a very strong veterinary school to conduct research in large animal models,” Hildebrandt said.

Veterinary school allows researchers to experiment with larger animals than mice. Large animals give researchers a more accurate picture of how treatment affects humans. MU Health Care told Siteman it was valuable to combine the clinical data with MU’s large animal testing.

The partnership is also working to expand access to clinical trials.

“For some patients, it’s easier for them to go to Columbia from St. Louis and vice versa,” Hildebrandt said. “If we open up trials on both sides, we’ll provide a new treatment for more patients, so access will be better.”

The partnership will expand its reach. Siteman’s 8 Ways to Prevent Cancer Campaign And about information Your risk of disease A tool developed by Siteman to help people estimate their risk of developing cancer.