Center for Cancer Therapeutic Innovation (CCTI)

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Clinical Trials Questions?

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Our Mission

The Center for Cancer Therapeutic Innovation (CCTI) is an integrated clinical/translational research center that brings together specialized cancer expertise to focus on innovative clinical trials that span multiple cancer types. Our goal is to accelerate the development of novel therapeutics into successful treatments tailored to individual patients.

About Our Center

In the Center for Cancer Therapeutic Innovation (CCTI), we conduct research dedicated to studying new drugs that might become safe and effective treatments for cancer. This includes designing and conducting clinical studies that will help us to understand how new drugs can be safely administered to patients, and which types of patients may benefit from specific drugs.

This also includes conducting studies of new drug combinations or sequencing of drugs that could maximize the potential effect against cancer. We bring together clinicians and investigators with diverse expertise to explore the use of new or established therapies across a broad range of tumor types.

As part of our clinical trial work, we conduct research from biopsies and other specimens collected as part of, or in conjunction with, clinical trials to study how we can better tailor therapies to patients most likely to benefit.

Phase I Trials

CCTI phase I trials enroll patients on a voluntary basis to study new drugs or new therapy combinations. The primary goal of these studies is to find a safe dose or method of combination that has the potential to benefit patients. These studies also focus on understanding which therapies may be most effective in different settings, and in which combinations. The studies often focus on understanding how the cancers are reacting to the therapies to help define which patients may be more likely to benefit.

Participants in a phase I clinical trial may have access to some of the latest cancer treatments from pharmaceutical companies and scientists' research. These include novel therapies that enhance the body's normal immune response against abnormal cancer cells, as well as therapies that work in unique and different ways to selectively attack cancer cells while minimizing harm to normal cells.

Phase II Trials

CCTI also conducts phase II "basket" studies, which explore the use of new or established therapies across a broad range of tumor types. For instance, targeted therapies focusing on a specific gene alteration that may be only rarely present, but that can occur in many different types of tumors, would be studied in clinical trials across a range of different cancers.

How to Become Involved

You may be referred to CCTI for consideration of phase I clinical trials by your own doctor, based on unique features of your cancer or other treatment considerations. The doctors within CCTI are dedicated cancer specialists in different types of cancer who also focus on early drug development.

When you come to CCTI, you will be seen by a specialist in your type of cancer who will work together with you and your doctor to evaluate all treatment options available to you, and whether a particular phase I trial is a good choice for you. We will provide you with specific information about what your participation in different trials might involve, to help you in making the best treatment decision. We will make sure you, your family, and your treatment team understand all aspects of your involvement in the trial.

CCTI's staff is devoted to pursuing excellence in the safe conduct of clinical trials for cancer with compassion and respect for everyone involved.

Learn more about CCTI's clinical research and trials.