Clinical Trials Program

Cancer care is constantly evolving and improving, thanks to ongoing research. Memorial Cancer Institute offers a wide variety of clinical trials in oncology and hematology. We welcome patients from inside and outside our network to explore these opportunities.

A clinical trial allows you to try advanced treatments not available everywhere. You can also help change the future of cancer care.

We conduct clinical trials for many disease types, including:

• Blood cancer
• Breast cancer
• Gastrointestinal cancer
• Gynecologic cancer
• Head and neck cancer
• Lung cancer
• Brain and spine cancer

Clinical Trials: Why Choose Memorial Cancer Institute?

When you come to Memorial to participate in a clinical trial, you’ll find:

• National collaborations: Memorial partners with large national research collaborative groups, such as the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology, and leading oncology institutions. This provides local patients access to some of the most impactful research currently happening throughout the county.
• Trusted experience: Our oncologists and oncology nurses have extensive experience connecting patients with the right clinical trials. We review every person’s case with the research team to provide as many treatment options as possible.
• Patient navigation: A clinical trial can be unfamiliar and complex compared to everyday interactions with healthcare institutions. Our nurse navigators and clinical research assistants help guide you and your family. We make sure you understand the process along the way and answer all your questions.
• Center of Excellence: Memorial is one of only a few institutions in Florida designated by the Department of Health as a Cancer Center of Excellence.
• Trials on the latest advances in cancer care: We participate in clinical research into some of the most important advances in cancer care. Examples include CAR T-cell therapy, immunotherapy and the CyberKnife registry. We also collect biological samples to participate in biobanking. This work explores how genes, environment and lifestyle influence cancer in diverse populations.

National Research Collaborations

Memorial Cancer Institute partners with some of the most productive research groups in the country and the world. We also work closely with other elite cancer institutions in Florida. This gives our region access to large and important trials. We collaborate with:

• NCI’s Alliance network, created by the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
• Florida Atlantic University
• Moffitt Cancer Center
• Hoosier Cancer Research Network
• Caris Precision Oncology Alliance™
• UCLA/Translational Research in Oncology US (TRIO-US)
• NCI Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG)
• Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR) bone marrow transplant registry and sample repository

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a clinical trial?
A clinical trial is a research study that tests a medical, surgical, or behavioral treatment in humans.

Why are clinical trials important?
Clinical research aims to demonstrate whether a particular treatment works. Every intervention available today has gone through a clinical trial to ensure it is safe and effective.

What’s the difference between phases 1, 2, 3 and 4?
Clinical research for a drug, device or therapy goes through four phases:

• Phase 1 tests whether the treatment is safe, explores its side effects and establishes the proper dose. It’s usually conducted on a smaller number of people.
• Phase 2 explores in a slightly larger group whether a treatment is effective. It also continues to determine safety and side effects.
• Phase 3 involves an even larger group and compares the experimental treatment to established treatment approaches. A successful phase 3 trial leads to approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
• Phase 4 examines the treatment’s effectiveness and safety in diverse populations over extended periods of time.

What are the benefits of joining a clinical trial?
By participating in a clinical trial, you may have access to a new treatment not available everywhere else. You also contribute to health information that can help others in the future.

Are clinical trials safe?
There are specific risks to almost every treatment and trial. Our research team will review the potential risks and benefits before you decide to enroll.

What are the costs involved in a clinical trial?
You generally do not pay any out-of-pocket costs to participate in a clinical trial. The costs are usually covered by the trial’s sponsor.