Winter 2024/2025
The use of clinical trials (CT) as an innovative way to provision cancer care has become increasingly more common. Clinical trial participation has numerous benefits for patients, and innovative new therapy administration methods can improve outcomes.
Advantages of Participating in Clinical Trials
Given the advancements in identifying eligible clinical trial candidates (see sidebar), potential trial participants and providers should understand benefits and advantages1, as noted in the OPN Clinical Trial Discussion.2 Not only is there access to new and potentially more effective therapies not available outside the trial, participants receive increased medical attention from a dedicated clinical trial team. This focused care in many cases leads to improved outcomes and increased patient satisfaction (see Spotlight).3
In addition, clinical trials particularly benefit under-served communities by facilitating access to cutting-edge treatments that might otherwise be unavailable, often due to high/prohibitive out-of-pocket expenses. Drug innovators also typically cover lab, imaging and pathology costs. CT participants can additionally receive assistance with certain socio-economic hurdles such as transportation.
Emerging Drug Administration Methods
Traditionally, immunotherapy and chemotherapy have been administered using intravenous (IV) infusions. This method is time consuming and requires dedicated space that may limit the number of patients that can be treated simultaneously. However, two new trials are studying alternative administration options, intranasal and injectable, which would increase availability and access. Targeting brain tumors with intranasal drug administration offers a promising alternative to traditional methods, including low toxicity, non-invasiveness, and the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier.4 Intramuscular and subcutaneous injection methods being studied can simplify administration and enhance patient comfort and access.
Identifying CT Candidates through UM Workflows
The increasing use of technology and data analytics is transforming how eligible patients are matched with clinical trial opportunities. Treatment reviews for guideline compliance can also provide clinical information that can identify potential clinical trial candidates. The automation of these checkpoints using treatment reviews streamlines the matching and enrollment process. As a result, the benefits of participating in a trial are maximized when a patient is enrolled as early as possible.5
Spotlight: CT Staff Communication Leads to Higher Satisfaction
A 2023 study that measured CT participants’ patient satisfaction found that a significant proportion had a very positive patient experience.
For further information, please contact:
Adam Goldston (email)
Chief Growth Officer
OPN Healthcare