Clinical Trials
How do I find a clinical research trial at PCI?
For details regarding current clinical research trials, you can use our website to search our current trials or contact our research staff 678-298-3235.
What is a Clinical Trial?
Clinical trials are studies designed to evaluate new treatment options for patients who have been diagnosed with cancer. A clinical trial provides information regarding the effectiveness and the safety of different types of cancer treatments. The goal of clinical research is to find new treatment options that will provide better outcomes for cancer patients.
Our research department provides access to many new evolving therapies. We are actively sought out by many of the major pharmaceutical companies to provide state of the art clinical trials of new treatments for cancer. We also have access to new studies through the Atlanta Regional Community Clinical Oncology Program (CCOP). If the need arises, we coordinate referrals and /or therapy to major cancer centers across the United States.
What are the Phases of a Clinical Trial?
Clinical trials are conducted in phases. The phases are used to obtain specific information about the treatment or experimental drug.
Phase I trials: A small number of participants are used to test an investigational drug or treatment. The main focus is to determine the safety of the drug in humans. They evaluate the safe dose range and identify possible side effects from the drug/treatment.
Phase II trials: After completing the Phase I trials, the information is used to treat a slightly larger limited number of participants. Phase II uses the information gathered from Phase I to further evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the drug/treatment.
Phase III trials: The experimental treatment is given to a large group of participants in a variety of clinical settings to evaluate its safety, effectiveness and to monitor the side effects.
Phase IV trials: Once the drug has been approved by the FDA, this is when post marketing studies are conducted to continue to gain more information about the benefits and safety of the drug.