Clinical Research
At the Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, a Providence Center of Excellence for immuno-oncology and cellular therapy, we conduct clinical research to understand more about the powerful role the immune system plays in fighting cancer. We bring breakthrough treatments from the lab to patients as quickly as possible. Our patients are often among the first to benefit from cutting-edge, personalized medicine in clinical trials.
Clinical trials are research studies that test whether new medical treatments, devices or strategies are safe and effective. Patients who volunteer for clinical trials play an active role in their own health care. They often gain access to experimental treatments and help others by improving and advancing medical care.
At the Providence Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, our clinical research team works directly with physicians to find trials appropriate for their patients’ specific stage of disease.
The goals of clinical research vary from trial to trial. Generally, clinical trials are designed to:
- Improve prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of cancer
- Discover whether a particular drug or medical treatment is safe and effective
- Advance the state of scientific and medical knowledge
- Measure and improve the quality of life for patients and their families
Our clinical research portfolio includes over 400 trials in progress, with more than 150 that are open and enrolling patients. These include trials initiated by our investigators and trials sponsored by the National Cancer Institute. Many more trials are in development and will open soon.
We also participate in cooperative group trials with researchers and organizations outside of Providence. These enable us to access the latest drugs and treatments in clinical testing. Our memberships and networks include:
- The International Immuno-Oncology Network – We are a founding member of this network.
- The National Cancer Institute Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP) – We are members of NCORP through the Pacific Cancer Research Consortium, which is a collaboration between Providence Cancer Institute in Oregon, Swedish Cancer Institute in Washington and St. Luke’s Cancer Institute in Idaho.
- NRG Oncology
- Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG)
Some of the areas we focus on include:
- Adoptive cellular therapy, a type of immune therapy for people with cancers of the blood, kidney and epithelial tissues lining the pancreas, stomach and other organs
- Benefits of cancer genome sequencing for precision oncology and personalized cancer care
- Effectiveness of combining immunotherapy with radiation, surgery and other therapies
- Side effects of chemotherapy and how to improve quality of life for cancer patients and survivors
- Treatments for COVID-19
We offer clinical trials for major organ and cancer conditions, such as:
- Breast cancer, which includes cancers of the connective tissue, lobules and ducts
- Endocrine cancer, which includes cancers of the thyroid and parathyroid glands
- Gastrointestinal cancer, which includes cancers of the bile duct, colon, esophagus, gallbladder, liver, pancreas, rectum and stomach
- Genitourinary cancer, which includes cancers of the bladder, kidney and prostate
- Gynecologic cancer, which includes cancers of the cervix, ovary, uterus, vagina and vulva
- Head and neck cancer, which includes cancers of the larynx, oral cavity, pharynx, salivary glands, sinuses and tongue
- Hematologic cancer, which includes cancers of the blood such as leukemia, lymphoma, myelodysplastic syndromes and myeloma
- Lung cancer, which include small cell and non-squamous non-small cell carcinomas
- Metastatic cancer, which includes multiple types of cancer that are advanced or have progressed after therapy
- Neurological cancer, which includes cancers of the brain and spine such as glioblastoma
- Skin cancer, which includes melanoma and carcinomas of the basal cells, Merkel cells and squamous cells
Both scientists and clinicians make up our clinical research team. By partnering with their colleagues in the lab and medical, surgical and radiation oncology, they help bring discoveries from the lab directly to their patients through clinical trials. They work together to coordinate all aspects of cancer therapy. Team leaders include:
- R. Bryan Bell, MD, DDS, FACS, FRCS(Ed), Providence Head and Neck Cancer Program
- Carlo B. Bifulco, MD, Providence Molecular Genomics Laboratory
- Alison K. Conlin, MD, MPH, Providence Breast Cancer Program
- Brendan D. Curti, MD, Providence Immunotherapy Program, Melanoma Program, and Prostate Cancer Program
- Marka Crittenden, MD, PhD, Providence Radiation Oncology Program (Researcher profile)
- Christopher Darus, MD, MS, Providence Gynecologic Oncology Program
- Kenneth Grossmann, MD, PhD, Providence Melanoma Program and Head and Neck Cancer Program
- Rom S. Leidner, MD, Providence Head and Neck Cancer Program and Foregut Cancers Program
- David B. Page, MD, Providence Breast Cancer Program
- Rachel E. Sanborn, MD, Providence Thoracic Oncology Program
- Sasha E. Stanton, MD, PhD, Providence Breast Cancer Program (Researcher profile)
- Matthew H. Taylor, MD, Providence Melanoma Program and Thyroid Program (Researcher profile)
- Walter J. Urba, MD, PhD, Providence Melanoma Program
- Kristina Young, MD, PhD, Providence Radiation Oncology Program (Researcher profile)
With your support, together we can finish cancer.
At the Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, we rely on the generosity of donors like you to support cancer research in immunotherapy. Your gifts help our researchers discover and develop medicines for all types of cancers – leading to more breakthroughs and saving more lives.
Clinical Trials
At the Providence Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, our clinical research team works directly with physicians to find trials appropriate for their patients’ specific stage of disease.