Cancer in focus: Sanford Healths research efforts [Video]

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Saturday night brings the “Stand Up To Cancer” fundraising special on KELO-TV at 7:00 Central time.

Ahead of that, KELOLAND News had a chance to look at cancer research efforts from Sanford Health. A technician is introducing different drugs to leukemia cells; the goal is learning about how the drugs impact the cells. Nearby, a researcher’s work allows for a detailed look at the behavior of cancer cells thanks to 3D modeling.

Oncologist Dr. Steven Powell helps lead Sanford’s cancer research. He says that clinical trials are important components of the effort.

“Right now we have over a hundred active clinical trials,” Powell said. “Now, some of those trials may be done taking patients, it might just be following patients, some of them may be accruing patients actively. So it’s always changing, but in general we have about a hundred trials in cancer.”

Keith Miskimins …