What are Clinical Trials?
Clinical trials bring the latest research to the fight against cancer and blood diseases. The many advances made in the treatment of cancer and blood diseases over the past three decades began as research and clinical trials. As a research volunteer, you play a pivotal role in the pursuit of new and more successful treatments. You will also have access to new procedures and new medications before they are available to the general public.
Clinical trials improve our understanding of how to treat and prevent cancers. Trials are conducted to establish guidelines for the standard of care and to evaluate these treatments in a controlled and safe setting. Clinical trials can help improve the care of cancer patients.
Contact Us
If you have questions about clinical trials, you can reach us by email at research@wmcc.org or by phone at 269.373.7443.
Why Participate in a Clinical Trial?
You may choose to participate in clinical trials for a variety of reasons. Volunteering for research studies can provide access to promising new drugs before they are available to the general public. While there is always a chance that a new treatment will prove to be less effective than hoped, there is also reason to believe that it will be as good or better than current treatments. Every effort is made to ensure your safety; the care from the physicians during the study is highly controlled and monitored.
Here are some helpful links to videos from the National Cancer Institute’s Community Oncology Research Program that may answer your questions:
What Kinds of Trials are Available?
Clinical trials study ways to prevent, detect, diagnose, control, and treat disease. Some trials study the impact that treatment or disease can have on our overall well-being. Studies also look at ways to improve patient comfort and quality of life (including pain management).
Trials that test new modalities may involve surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Alone or in combination, these types of treatments can cure many patients and prolong the lives of others.
Clinical trials are currently available through West Michigan Cancer Center Radiation & Surgical Specialties and our affiliated resources.
Please click below for a list of current clinical trials.
This list contains all the current, active, approved protocols for the Cancer Research Consortium of West Michigan—a grant-funded program through the National Cancer Institute Clinical Oncology Research Program (NCORP).
NCORP-approved studies are available through our affiliation with the following research bases: Alliance, ECOG-ACRIN, NRG Oncology and SWOG.
If you would like further information on these or other clinical trials, please call the Cancer Research Consortium of West Michigan at (269) 373-7443. For information regarding pediatric studies, please call (269) 341-6350.
A071401: Phase II Trial of SMO/AKT/NF2 Inhibitors in Progressive Meningiomas with SMO/AKT/NF2 Mutations
A071601: Phase II Trial of BRAF/MEK Inhibitors in Papillary Craniopharyngoimas
A071702: A Phase II Study of Checkpoint Blockade Immunotherapy in Patients with Somatically Hypermutated Recurrent Glioblastoma
N0577: CODEL: Phase III Intergroup Study of Temozolomide Alone versus Radiotherapy with Concomitant and Adjuvant Temozolomide versus Radiotherapy with Adjuvant PCV Chemotherapy in Patients with 1p/19q Co-deleted Anaplastic Glioma or Low Grade Glioma
NRG BN011 - A Phase III Trial of Lomustine-Temozolomide Combination Therapy Versus Standard Temozolomide in Patients with Methylated MGMT Promoter Glioblastoma
A011801: The COMPASSHER2 Trials (COMprehensive Use of Pathologic Response ASSessment to Optimize Therapy in HER2-Positive Breast Cancer): COMPASSHER2 Residual Disease (RD), A Double-Blinded, Phase III Randomized Trial of T-DM1 and Placebo Compared with T-DM1 and Tucatinib
A191901: Optimizing Endocrine Therapy Through Motivational Interviewing and Text Interventions
EA1151: Tomosynthesis Mammographic Imaging Screening Trial (TMIST)
EA1181: (CompassHER2-pCR): Preoperative THP and postoperative HP in patients who achieve a pathologic complete response. Part 1 Component of: The CompassHER2 Trials (COMprehensive use of Pathologic response ASSessment to optimize therapy in HER2-positive breast cancer)
MA.39: Tailor RT: A Randomized Trial of Regional Radiotherapy in Biomarker Low Risk Node Positive Breast Cancer
NRG BR007: Phase III Clinical Trial Evaluating De-Escalation of Breast Radiation for Conservative Treatment of Stage 1, Hormone Sensitive HER2-Negative, Oncotype Recurrence Score < 18 Breast Cancer (DEBRA) De-Escalation of Breast Radiation
S1703: Randomized Non-Inferiority Trial Comparing Overall Survival of Patients Monitored with Serum Tumor Marker Directed Disease Monitoring (STMDDM) versus Usual Care in Patients with Metastatic Hormone Receptor Positive Breast Cancer
S2007: A Phase II Trial of Sacituzumab Govitecan for Patients with HER2-Negative Breast Cancer and Brain Metastases
A021602: Randomized, Double-Blinded Phase III Study of Cabozantinib versus Placebo in Patient with Advanced Neuroendocrine Tumors After Progression on Prior Therapy (CABINET)
A021806: A Phase III Trial of Perioperative versus Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Resectable Pancreatic Cancer
A221805: Duloxetine to Prevent Oxaliplatin-Induced Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Phase II to Phase III Study.
EA2176: A Phase III Study of Immune Checkpoint Inhibition with Chemotherapy in Treatment-Naïve Metastatic Anal Cancer Patients
EA2182: A Randomized Phase II Study of De-intensified Chemoradiation for Early Stage Anal Squamous Cell Carcinoma (DECREASE)
EA2183: A Phase III Study of Consolidative Radiotherapy in Patients with Oligometastatic HER2 Negative Esophageal and Gastric Adenocarcinoma (EGA)
EA2185: Comparing the Clinical Impact of Pancreatic Cyst Surveillance Programs
EA2186: A Randomized Phase II Study of Gemcitabine and Nab-Paclitaxel Compared with 5-Fluorouracil, Leucovorin, and Liposomal Irinotecan in Older Patients with Treatment Naïve Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer (GIANT)
EA2197: Optimal Perioperative Therapy For Incidental Gallbladder Cancer (OPT-IN): A Randomized Phase II/III Trial
NRG-GI004: Colorectal Cancer Metastatic dMMR Immuno-Therapy (COMMIT) Study: A Randomized Phase III Study of mFOLFOX6/Bevacizumab Combination Chemotherapy with or without Atezolizumab or Atezolizumab Monotherapy in the First-Line Treatment of Patients with Deficient DNA Mismatch Repair (dMMR) Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
NRG-GI005: Phase II/III Study of Circulating tumOr DNA as a Predictive BiomaRker in Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Patients with Stage IIA Colon Cancer (COBRA)
NRG-GI008: Colon Adjuvant Chemotherapy Based on Evaluation of Residual Disease (CIRCULATE-US)
S2001: Randomized Phase II Clinical Trial of Olaparib + Pembrolizumab vs. Olaparib Alone as Maintenance Therapy in Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer Patients with Germline BRCA1 or BRCA2 Mutations
S2107: Randomized Phase II trial of encorafenib and cetuximab with or without nivolumab (NSC #748726) for patients with previously treated, microsatellite stable, BRAFV600E metastatic and/or unresectable colorectal cancer
A031803: Phase II Trial of Intravesical Gemcitabine and MK-3475 (pembrolizumab) in the Treatment of Patients with BCG-Unresponsive Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer
A031902: A Phase III Trial of Enzalutamide and Rucaparib as a Novel Therapy in First-Line Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer
EA2183: A Phase III Study of Consolidative Radiotherapy in Patients with Oligometastatic HER2 Negative Esophageal and Gastric Adenocarcinoma (EGA)
NRG GU010: Parallel Phase III Randomized Trials of Genomic-Risk Stratified Unfavorable Intermediate Risk Prostate Cancer: De-Intensification and Intesification Clinical Trial Evaluation (GUIDANCE)
S1806: Phase III Randomized Trial of Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy With or Without Atezolizumab In Localized Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer
S1823: A Prospective Observational Cohort Study to Assess miRNA 371 for Outcome Prediction in Patients With Newly Diagnosed Germ Cell Tumors
S1931: Phase III Trial of Immunotherapy-Based Drug Combination Therapy with or without Cytoreductive Nephrectomy for Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma
S1937: A Phase III Randomized Trial of Eribulin (NSC #707389) with or without Gemcitabine versus Standard of Care (Physician’s Choice) for Treatment of Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma Refractory to, or Ineligible for, Anti PD1/PDL1 Therapy
A092104: A Randomized Phase 2/3 Study of Olaparib Plus Temozolomide versus Investigator's Choice for the Treatment of Patients with Advanced Uterine Leiomyosarcoma After Progression on Prior Chemotherapy
NRG-CC008: A Non-Randomized Prospective Clinical Trial Comparing the Non-Inferiority of Salpingectomy to Salpingo-oophorectomy to Reduce the Risk of Ovarian Cancer Among BRCA1 Carriers [SOROCk]
NRG-GY019: A Randomized Phase III, Two-Arm Trial of Paclitaxel/Carboplatin/Maintenance Letrozole Versus Letrozole Monotherapy in Patients with Stage II-IV, Primary Low-Grade Serous Carcinoma of the Ovary or Peritoneum
NRG-GY026: A Phase II/III study of paclitaxel/carboplatin alone or combined with either trastuzumab and hyaluronidase-oysk (HERCEPTIN HYLECTA) or pertuzumab trastuzumab and hyaluronidase-zzfx (PHESGO) in HER2 positive, stage I-IV endometrial serous carcinoma or carcinosarcoma
TAPUR: The Targeted Agent and Profiling Utilization Registry Study
EA3132: Phase II Randomized Trial of Adjuvant Radiotherapy with or without Cisplatin for p53 Mutated, Surgically Resected Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck (SCCHN)
EA3161: A Phase II/III Randomized Study of Maintenance Nivolumab versus Observation in Patients with Locally Advanced, Intermediate Risk HPV Positive OPCA
RTOG 1216: Randomized Phase II/III Trial of Adjuvant Radiation Therapy with Cisplatin, Docetaxel-Cetuximab, or Cisplatin-Atezolizumab in Pathologic High-Risk Squamous Cell Cancer of the Head and Neck
A041501: A Phase III Trial to Evaluate the Efficacy of the Addition of Inotuzumab Ozogamicin (a Conjugated Anti-CD22 Monoclonal Antibody) to Frontline Therapy in Young Adults (Ages 18-39 Years) with Newly Diagnosed Precursor B-Cell ALL
A041701: A Randomized Phase II/III Study of Conventional Chemotherapy +/- Uproleselan (GMI – 1271) in Older Adults with Acute Myeloid Leukemia Receiving Intensive Induction Chemotherapy
A051701: Randomized Phase II/III Study of Venetoclax (ABT 199) Plus Chemoimmunotherapy for MYC/BCL2 Double-Hit and Double-Expressing Lymphomas
Dana Farber 14-174: Study of Precursor Hematological Malignancies to Assess the Relationship Between Molecular Events of Progression and Clinical Outcome
EA4181: A Randomized 3-Arm Phase II Study Comparing 1.) Bendamustine, Rituximab and High Dose Cytarabine (BR/CR) 2.) Bendamustine, Rituximab, High Dose Cytarabine and Acalabrutinib (BR/CR-A), and 3.) Bendamustine, Rituximab and Acalabrutinib (BR-A) in Patients ≤ 70 years old with Untreated Mantle Cell Lymphoma
S1608: Randomized Phase II Study in Early Relapsing or Refractory Follicular Lymphoma
S1925: Randomized, Phase III Study of Early Intervention with Venetoclax and Obinutuzumab versus Delayed Therapy with Venetoclax and Obinutuzumab in Newly Diagnosed Asymptomatic High-Risk Patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia/Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma (CLL/SLL): Evolve CLL/SLL Study
A081801: Integration of Immunotherapy Into Adjuvant Therapy For Resected NSCLC: ALCHEMIST CHEMO-IO
A151216: Adjuvant Lung Cancer Enrichment Marker Identification and Sequencing Trial (ALCHEMIST) (A Screening Trial for E4512 & EA5142)
A171901: Older Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients (>/= 70 Years of Age) Treated with First-Line MK-3475 (Pembrolizumab) +/- Chemotherapy (Oncologist’s/Patient’s Choice)
E4512: A Phase III Double-Blind Trial for Surgically Resected Early Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Crizotinib versus Placebo for Patients with Tumors Harboring the Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase (ALK) Fusion Protein (Pts must be registered to the ALCHEMIST Screen (A151216) prior to randomization)
EA5162: Phase II Study of AZD9291 (Osimertinib) in Advanced NSCLC Patients with Exon 20 Insertion Mutations in EGFR
EA5181: Randomized Phase III Trial of MEDI4736 (durvalumab) as Concurrent and Consolidative Therapy or Consolidative Therapy Alone for Unresectable Stage 3 NSCLC
EA5191: A Randomized Phase II Trial of Cabozantinib and Cabozantinib Plus Nivolumab Versus Standard Chemotherapy in Patients with Previously Treated Non-Squamous NSCLC
LungMAP: A Master Protocol to Evaluate Biomarker-Driven Therapies and Immunotherapies in Previously-Treated Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (Lung-MAP Screening Study)
NRG-LU002: Maintenance Systemic Therapy versus Consolidative Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) Plus Maintenance Systemic Therapy for Limited Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC): A Randomized Phase II/III Trial
NRG-LU007: Randomized Phase II/III Trial Of Consolidation Radiation + Immuno-therapy for ES-SCLC: RAPTOR trial
S1800D: A Phase 11/111 Study of N-803 (ALT-803) plus Pembrolizumab versus Standard of Care in Participants with Stage IV or Recurrent Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Previously Treated with Anti-PD-1 or Anti-PD-L 1 Therapy (Lung-MAP Non-Match Sub-Study)
S1827: A Randomized Phase III Trial of MRI Surveillance with or without Prophylactic Cranial Irradiation (PCI) in Small-Cell Lung Cancer (MAVERICK)
S1900E: A Phase II Study of AMG 510 in Participants with Previously Treated Stage IV or Recurrent KRAS G12C Mutated Non-Squamous Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (Lung-MAP Sub-Study)
S1900F: A Randomized Phase II Study of Carboplatin and Pemetrexed With Or Without Selpercatinib (LY3527723) In Participants With Non-Squamous RET Fusion-Positive Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer and Progression of Disease On Prior RET Directed Therapy (Lung-MAP Sub-Study)”
S1914: A Randomized Phase III Trial of Induction/Consolidation Atezolizumab (NSC #783608) + SBRT Versus SBRT Alone in High Risk, Early Stage NSCLC
A091903: A Randomized Phase II Trial of Adjuvant Nivolumab with or without Cabozantinib in Patients with Resected Mucosal Melanoma
EA6141: Randomized Phase II/III Study of Nivolumab Plus Ipilimumab Plus Sargramostim Versus Nivolumab Plus Ipilimumab in Patients with Unresectable Stage III or Stage IV Melanoma
EA6174: STAMP: Surgically Treated Adjuvant Merkel Cell Carcinoma with Pembrolizumab, a Phase III Trial
EA6192: A Phase II Study of Biomarker Driven Early Discontinuation of anti-PD-1 Therapy in Patients with Advanced Melanoma (PET-Stop)
EA6194: Phase II Randomized Study of Neoadjuvant Pembrolizumab Alone or in Combination with CMP-001 in Patients with Operable Melanoma: Efficacy and Biomarker Study
S2000: A Randomized Phase 2 Trial Of Encorafenib + Binimetinib + Nivolumab vs Ipilimumab + Nivolumab In BRAF-V600 Mutant Melanoma with Brain Metastases
S2015: Melanoma Margins Trial (MelMarT-II): A Phase III, multi-centre, multi-national randomised control trial investigating 1cm vs. 2cm wide excision margins for primary cutaneous melanoma
9846: Patient-Derived Models Tissue Procurement Protocol for the National Cancer Institute (NCI)
DCP-001: Use of a Clinical Trial Screening Tool to Address Cancer Health Disparities in the NCI Community Oncology Research Program
TAPUR: The Targeted Agent and Profiling Utilization Registry Study
EAA173: Daratumumab to Enhance Therapeutic Effectiveness of Revlimid in Smoldering Myeloma (DETER-SMM)
EAA181: Effective Quadruplet Utilization After Treatment Evaluation (EQUATE): A Randomized Phase 3 Trial for Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma Not Intended for Early Autologous Transplantation
A211901: Reaching Rural Cancer Survivors who Smoke Using Text-Based Cessation Interventions
A212102: Blinded Reference Set for Multicancer Early Detection Blood Tests
EA1151: Tomosynthesis Mammographic Imaging Screening Trial (TMIST)
S0820: Phase III Double Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial of Eflomithine & Sulindac to Prevent Recurrence of High Risk Adenomas and Second Primary Colorectal Cancers in Patients with Stage 0-III Colon Cancer
S1912CD: A Randomized Trial Addressing Cancer-Related Financial Hardship Through Delivery of a Proactive Financial Navigation Intervention
WF 1802: Influence of Primary Treatment for Prostate Cancer on Work Experience (PCW)
Our Clinical Trial Partnerships
Cancer Research Consortium of West Michigan (CRCWM)
Eleven hospitals and health care systems, including West Michigan Cancer Center Radiation & Surgical Specialties, are part of a consortium called the Cancer Research Consortium of West Michigan (CRCWM). This consortium brings the highest level of clinical trials from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to the men, women, and children of our communities.
National Cancer Institute Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP)
The NCI supports the consortium as a National Cancer Institute Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP). This collaboration provides new cutting edge clinical cancer trials to patients in our community.
CRCWM members include:
- West Michigan Cancer Center
- Bronson Battle Creek
- Mercy Health Mercy Campus Muskegon
- Mercy Health Saint Mary's Grand Rapids
- Metro Health Hospital Wyoming
- Michigan State University College of Human Medicine Grand Rapids
- Munson Medical Center Traverse City
- Spectrum Health Grand Rapids
- Spectrum Health Lakeland Saint Joseph
- Spectrum Health Reed City Hospital Reed City
- Van Andel Research Institute Grand Rapids
More information about the Cancer Research Consortium of West Michigan can be found at www.crcwm.org. Research conducted through the CRCWM NCORP grant is supported by the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number UG1CA189860.
Trial Safety
Respect for Persons – the participant should be given the information in a format they can understand and given the option to participate or decline the trial voluntarily.
Beneficence – protect the patient by doing more good than harm.
Justice – individuals should have the same opportunity to join a trial regardless of financial, racial, or demographic status.
Safety committees are in place to ensure the well-being of participants in all clinical trials.
Questions to Ask Before Participating
If you are thinking about taking part in a clinical trial, there are some important questions you should ask:
- What is the purpose of the study?
- What does the study involve? What kinds of tests and treatments?
- What is likely to happen in my case with my participation in this study?
- Are there standard treatments for my case? And if a study is chosen, how do they compare?
- What other choices do I have? Advantages and disadvantages?
- How could the study affect my daily life?
- What side effects could I expect from the study?
- How long will the study last? Will it require an extra time commitment on my part?
- Will I have to be hospitalized? If so, for how long?
- Will I have any expenses? Will any part of the treatment be free?
- If I were harmed as a result of the research, what treatment would I be entitled to?
- What type of long-term follow-up care is part of the study?
Research Team
Our team consists of physicians, nurses, regulatory specialists, and clinical research associates.
The research department facilitates the day to day operations of the clinical trials by ensuring the following.
- Regulatory documents comply with federal guidelines.
- Data is accurate and timely.
- Care is given according to the clinical trial guidelines.
IRB (Institutional Review Board)
West Michigan Cancer Center IRB oversees all research studies, and safeguards the rights and welfare of research participants.
As regulated by the United States Department of Health & Human Services, it comprises at least five members of varying backgrounds. The IRB membership includes community members with non-scientific backgrounds, as well as healthcare professionals with the competency to review research. WMCC’s IRB meets every month to review proposals for research studies. Research at WMCC follows regulations and guidelines established by:
- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- The Office for Human Research Protection (OHRP)
- The International Conference on Harmonisation (ICH)
- National Institutes of Health (NIH)
We make sure research complies with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). Also called the Privacy Rule, this law controls access to and disclosure of a patient’s confidential health information.
