About

The COMET Clinical Trials Consortium connects oncologists and cancer research professionals to information about the latest clinical trials available in Ontario, Canada and facilitates e-referrals between institutions.

What is the COMET Clinical Trials Consortium?

The COMET Clinical Trials Consortium (CCTC) is a web-based platform for oncology professionals in Ontario. In a few easy steps, you can find the closest and best clinical trial options for your patients and send e-referrals to participating institutions.

 

When the CCTC was founded in 2011, our focus was connecting the Community Oncologists in Metropolitan Toronto (COMET). Over our years of operation, we have garnered partnerships with institutions outside Toronto and across the province.

Better access = better care

Every patient undergoing cancer treatment in Ontario should have access to the best clinical trial options available. We understand that your patients’ access to clinical trials can depend on the treating hospital’s infrastructure to support trials, or the oncologist’s referral to another institution. The CCTC strives to fill these gaps by informing oncologists practicing in community and academic settings about open trials and simplifying e-referrals between institutions.

 

By maintaining a central database for oncology clinical trials in Ontario, COMET Trials hopes to improve accrual and access by assisting oncologists in connecting their patients to new treatment and supportive care options.

“We believe that every patient being treated for cancer in Ontario should be offered access to clinical trials, irrespective of where they live. The COMET Clinical Trials Consortium aims to improve collaboration between cancer centres and community hospitals across Ontario and raise awareness of recruiting clinical trials amongst oncologists and cancer research professionals in order to improve accrual rates and facilitate e-referrals.”

Dr. Christine Brezden-Masley

Founder, COMET Clinical Trials Consortium

Our team

Dr. Christine Brezden-Masley, MD, PhD, FRCPC
Founder

The COMET Clinical Trial Consortium (CCTC) website was conceptualized by Dr. Christine Brezden-Masley, who first presented the idea to COMET (Community Oncologists of Metropolitan Toronto) members in October 2010. The site officially launched in 2011 and has continued to grow in membership since then.

 

Dr. Christine Brezden-Masley is a practicing Medical Oncologist and the Director of the Marvelle Koffler Breast Centre at Mount Sinai Hospital. She is the Medical Director of the Cancer Program at Sinai Health System. She obtained her PhD in Medical Biophysics at Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto and her Medical Degree from the University of Toronto. She is currently an Associate Professor at the University of Toronto, an Associate Scientist at the Lunenfeld Tanenbaum Research Institute, and an Associate Scientist at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute.

Alexandra Moskalewicz, BSc
Project Manager

Our Project Manager is your point of contact for any general inquiries, assistance with your COMET Trials profile, and the website in general (e.g. posting a trial, searching for trials). They can be reached at [email protected].

 

In addition to supporting COMET Trials, Alexandra is completing a Master of Science degree in Health Services Research at the University of Toronto. Through the University of Waterloo’s undergraduate co-operative education program, she previously held roles as a Clinical Research Assistant in the oncology departments at St. Michael’s Hospital and Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre where she assisted with industry-sponsored clinical trials and investigator-initiated studies.

Our Sponsors

Roche logo
AstraZeneca logo

“My first time navigating through the COMET website was great; I found the website to be very user friendly. I was able to add our site to the trials very quickly and see what other sites are on the trial as well. The COMET website is a great tool for seeing what is available to our patients with just a couple of quick steps!”

Erin Ross

Southlake Regional Health Centre