A Leader in Clinical Trials

Behind every medicine that people have ever taken are thousands of patients who have volunteered to participate in clinical trials. These clinical trials have led to many breakthroughs in disease treatment in the last half-century. When it comes to cancer, clinical trials can provide a unique opportunity for patients to receive advanced research treatments previously restricted to university cancer centers.

“Every cancer therapy we have now was once tested in a clinical trial. Clinical trials are important to move the field of cancer treatments forward,” explains Swati Sikaria, MD, a hematologist and oncologist with Torrance Memorial Physician Network - Cancer Care (TMPN – Cancer Care). “For an individual patient, a clinical trial can provide access to a new therapy that’s potentially better than the current standard.”

TMPN - Cancer Care is leading the charge in treating cancer patients in the South Bay by providing cutting edge, FDA-approved therapies and also innovative clinical trials and genomic assays. These trials include some from UCLA through the TRIO-US Clinical Trials Network, others through pharmaceutical companies, and in 2018 in affiliation with Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Some are for cancer medications, others are blood tests to develop early cancer detection methods, and others are for supportive care measures in an effort to help patients avoid side effects of chemotherapy.

“Some people are scared of the idea of a clinical trial because it’s an experiment so to speak. However, I have seen patients in a clinical trial, which was experimental at the time, and they beat the odds. The drug is now FDA-approved and on the market,” explains Dr. Sikaria. “It’s exciting for patients who feel that they got the drug first and have helped others benefit from a treatment that works. In other cases, a trial may prove the new treatment is no better than what we have now.”

TMPN – Cancer Care is an affiliate of the Hunt Cancer Institute and the only comprehensive cancer center in the South Bay offering patients the advantage of being treated locally.

“Cancer treatment is very time intensive. There are lots of appointments for labs, chemotherapy and doctors follow-ups,” says Dr. Sikaria. “If you have an emergency you may need to be seen immediately. We’re right here affiliated with your local hospital and your local doctors to make getting the care you need easier.”

“We also help provide a lot of patient assistance,” says Dr. Sikaria. “For example, we search for financial assistance through charitable organizations to help cover patient expenses. You won’t get that kind of help at different cancer centers.”

TMPN – Cancer Care is one of a handful of national leading oncology groups picked by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to pioneer the Oncology Care Model for the nation.

All patients enrolled in these trials are treated at Torrance Memorial Physician Network – Cancer Care’s infusion center located in Redondo Beach.