Navigating Cancer Care: PHM’s Expertise in Clinical Trials

Clinical trials are pivotal in cancer treatment innovation, offering new hope and possibilities for patients. At Private Health Management (PHM), we understand that the decision to participate in a clinical trial can be daunting. Our team of experienced research scientists, clinicians, and care coordinators provide expert, independent advice tailored to each patient’s individual needs and care goals. By demystifying the process and highlighting the potential benefits, we strive to make clinical trials a viable and accessible option for patients who can benefit the most.

Why Private Health Advocates for Clinical Trials in Cancer Care
For patients diagnosed with cancer and weighing their treatment options, understanding the potential value of a clinical trial is challenging. With multiple trials available for various cancer types, assessing the benefits and risks compared to the standard of care is complex, often intimidating patients and making them hesitant about enrollment. Proper education on the treatment opportunity and personalized guidance eases these concerns.

How Clinical Trials Can Help Optimize Cancer Care
Due to rapid advances in our understanding of cancer biology, there is a wealth of exciting research aimed at developing new treatments. Thousands of cancer clinical trials are available across different cancer types, stages, and phases of drug development. Here are several ways clinical trials can help patients access optimized treatments throughout their cancer journey:

Patients with Advanced Cancers: Clinical trials can be particularly beneficial for patients with advanced cancers for whom standard therapies have not been successful or have stopped working. In these cases, clinical trials may offer the opportunity to access novel treatments that are otherwise unavailable. Clinical trials for advanced cancers often test innovative treatments that go beyond the standard of care. These treatments include therapies targeting unique molecular characteristics driving a patient’s specific tumor, advanced cellular therapies designed to improve the immune system’s ability to fight cancer, and more.

Difficult-to-treat cancers: For patients with difficult-to-treat cancers, like pancreatic or brain cancer, standard treatments may be ineffective or limited. Enrolling in a clinical trial can provide additional treatment options, including investigational treatments and access to existing therapies that have been effective in treating other types of cancer. These treatments are often added to standard of care to optimize treatment outcomes.

Early-stage cancers: For patients with early-stage cancers whose disease is well-managed with standard treatment, but who are at a high risk of recurrence, clinical trials may offer options for reducing this risk. These patients may consider enrolling in trials that test adjuvant therapies, or therapies that are given after the primary treatment to lower the risk that the cancer will come back. Clinical trials for early-stage cancers may also provide access to testing advancements aimed at early recurrence detection, potentially improving the long-term outcome for patients with certain high-risk diseases.

At PHM, we ensure that all patients who may benefit from a trial have access. We carefully assess the clinical needs of each patient and keep an open mind when evaluating treatment options that may be best for them. Many centers of excellence may not be aware of clinical trials being conducted outside of their institutions. PHM conducts comprehensive searches to identify the best clinical trial options, regardless of location, offering additional opportunities beyond a patient’s current treatment site. If enrolling in a trial may benefit the patient and they are interested in pursuing a clinical trial, we follow a structured process to identify and prioritize trials, collaborate with their oncologist, confirm patient eligibility, and manage enrollment. At PHM, our commitment to provide the best of what’s possible in medicine is at the forefront of everything that we do.

Click here to download PHM’s Clinical Trials 101 guide for patients.