Helping Patients Navigate the Clinical Trial Space

Clinical trials help to advance the field of hematologic malignancies, and can offer patients promising treatment options that they might not have otherwise gotten. However, not all health care providers discuss trials with their patients. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Clinical Trial Support Center is here to help, says Karen DeMairo, executive director of Education and Integration at the LLS.

The Clinical Trial Support Center matches patients with nurses who can help patients find trials that they might be eligible for. They work one-on-one with patients to connect with the investigator or institution where the trial is being run, and help to figure out solutions to other potential barriers, such as financial aid and lodging. Overall, more than half of the patients who participate end up being accepted into a clinical trial.