As an NCI-designated cancer center, the UF Health Cancer Center has specialized infrastructure and expertise to run high-quality clinical trials, providing patients with cancer access to the very latest cancer treatments and technologies.
Through its Academic Research Consortium (ARC) Network, the Cancer Center ensures community cancer practices and local health care systems in all corners of Florida can offer clinical trials at their sites, particularly those sponsored by the NCI.
On Sept. 26, representatives from all seven ARC sites met in Gainesville for a daylong education and networking retreat. The second annual event provided practical education on the latest advancements in clinical research, fostered networking and facilitated communication. Research coordinators and clinicians assessed priority studies and generated ideas for new investigator-initiated studies to meet communities’ needs.
“It strengthens the whole network to have relationships across the state,” said Paul Crispen, M.D., the center’s associate director for clinical research. “We want to improve cancer care across Florida, and one of our key responsibilities is to help make cutting-edge cancer clinical trials available that otherwise wouldn’t be at everyone’s sites.”
The seven ARC members — Broward Health Medical System, Broward Health North, Halifax Medical Center, Jupiter Medical Center, Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare, UF Health Jacksonville and the Watson Clinic — cover the state, representing oncology practices in Central Florida, the Florida Panhandle, Northeast Florida and South Florida.
Through the Cancer Center, all members can directly access clinical trials sponsored by the NCI’s National Clinical Trial Network (NCTN), including those developed by NRG Oncology, Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG), the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology and the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG-ACRIN). Sites can also access select Cancer Center-sponsored clinical trials developed from UF discoveries to meet the specific needs of Floridians with cancer.
“Our affiliate network is unique compared to most other networks because UF does not own these affiliated community hospitals,” said Timmy Guinn, M.Sc., CCRP, the ARC Network coordinator. “Bringing our members together in settings like the retreat allows us to learn from one another, strengthen collaboration and identify the best ways to enhance care and fulfill our mission.”
“Bringing our members together in settings like the retreat allows us to learn from one another, strengthen collaboration and identify the best ways to enhance care and fulfill our mission.”
The retreat included sessions on adverse event reporting, auditing, data management, best practices and tools for screening, and molecular profiling — an important topic in the era of precision medicine. UF researchers discussed a study that aims to increase clinical trial participation by improving communication, and two trial-specific presentations introduced community sites to new trials.
‘‘Bringing community practices together in this networking session allows them to bounce questions off other practices facing similar challenges,” Guinn said. “We also learn from the community practices and get ideas on how to increase efficiencies in our own operations so we can best meet the needs of our patients.”
The Cancer Center plans to expand the ARC Network into Palatka in the coming months to help meet the needs of rural Floridians. Ultimately, the center aims to expand investigator-initiated trials throughout the ARC Network, tailoring trials to community needs.
Community cancer practices interested in joining the ARC Network or learning more about the resources or trials available can contact the UF Health Cancer Center’s Clinical Research Office at trials@cancer.ufl.edu.
