WAILUKU, Maui — When Robyn Crozier was diagnosed with colon cancer four years ago, she wanted "to fight it with everything I got."

The 44-year-old mother of three said she didn't hesitate to sign up for a clinical trial of new drug treatment offered by the Cancer Research Center of Hawai'i. She is now cancer free and although data are still being analyzed to determine whether the new treatment contributed to her recovery, Crozier encourages other cancer patients to consider clinical trials to improve their chances of survival and help future patients.

Crozier is one of only 20 Neighbor Islanders — all from Maui — who have been able to take advantage of the newest drugs and cancer therapies as a participant in Cancer Research Center clinical trials.

That number is expected to grow with the hiring of a Maui-based clinical research associate whose position is being funded by a 2006 increase in the state's cigarette tax.

Dr. Carl-Wilhelm Vogel, director of the Cancer Research Center, said the soon-to-be-hired associate will make the process of participating in research treatments easier for patients and researchers.

Only 2.5 percent of the state's cancer patients enroll in clinical trials, a much lower percentage than elsewhere, according to Vogel. He said he'd like to see that increase to 10 percent, and enabling more Neighbor Island participation is one way to make that happen.

For more on this story, see tomorrow's edition of The Advertiser.