PRESIDENT'S CANCER MOONSHOT INITIATIVE FOSTERS BREAKTHROUGH COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE, SMART PATIENTS, AND THE COLON CANCER ALLIANCE

WASHINGTON, June 30, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today online patient community Smart Patients and the leading national colorectal cancer advocacy group Colon Cancer Alliance announced their breakthrough collaboration on a free Clinical Trials Database and online community for patients with colorectal cancer. These tools utilize data from www.cancer.gov made available today by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) as part of the Cancer Moonshot Summit hosted by Vice President Biden in Washington, DC. Smart Patients was selected by the NCI and the VP's office to receive early access to this new data in order to provide feedback and incorporate the data into the Smart Patients online patient community.

In his remarks to the Cancer Moonshot Summit, Vice President Biden stated, "The Moonshot cannot be achieved by one person, one organization, one discipline, or even one collective approach." He added, "Solving the complexities of cancer will require the formation of new alliances to defy the bounds of innovation and accelerate the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and — ultimately — a cure. It's going to require millions of Americans speaking up and contributing what they're able. That's what the Cancer Moonshot Summit is all about."

With the release of their advanced Clinical Trials Database, which is now available at www.smartpatients.com/ten, the Colon Cancer Alliance and Smart Patients has immediately answered Vice President Biden's challenge. This user-friendly clinical trial search engine, designed specifically for colorectal cancer, supports personalization based on the molecular characteristics of one's cancer. This means patients can access the latest precision medicine trials. This free resource is also supported by the Smart Patients online community where patients can learn from each other's questions and experiences related to clinical trials and all aspects of their care. "We are at the beginning of a remarkable time in cancer care," said Smart Patients CEO Roni Zeiger, MD. "We have a growing number of promising therapies as well as powerful technology that allows patients and those who care for them to learn faster—and learn from each other."

Colorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in America. Colon cancer strikes both men and women equally and affects all races. About 130,000 Americans will be diagnosed with colon cancer this year alone and about 50,000 Americans die from colon cancer each year. "Patients and researchers have endorsed our clinical trials resource as a transformative tool for increasing clinical trial participation," commented Michael Sapienza, CEO of the Colon Cancer Alliance. "Easy access to clinical trials information and available patient navigation provides the hope that so many patients come to the Colon Cancer Alliance looking for. We are proud to be collaborating with Smart Patients and working to answer the President's call to end cancer as we know it."

About the Colon Cancer Alliance

The Colon Cancer Alliance was founded in 1999 by a group of 41 survivors, caregivers and friends who saw the need to educate the public about colon cancer and provide support to those affected by the disease. Since then, the organization has grown to be the nation's oldest and largest nonprofit dedicated to the disease, helping nearly 1.5 million patients and families every year. The Colon Cancer Alliance's mission is simple: to knock colon cancer out of the top three cancer killers. The organization is doing this by championing prevention, funding cutting-edge research, and providing the highest quality patient support services. Visit www.ccalliance.org for more information.

About Smart Patients

Smart Patients is an online community where patients and caregivers affected by complex illness learn from each other about treatments, challenges, and how it all fits into the context of their experience. We believe patients are the most underutilized resource in healthcare. We've watched patients become experts in their conditions – and we see that their knowledge improves the care they receive. With the right tools, you can do the same. Our newest tools for finding clinical trials are for colorectal cancer patients at www.smartpatients.com/ten/crc and for kidney cancer patients at www.smartpatients.com/ten/rcc. Follow us via our blog or on Twitter or Facebook.