Leveraging Technology to Enhance Cancer Clinical Trial Recruitment

In a recent video interview with Applied Clinical Trials, Matt Robinson, PhD, senior director, oncology research program, National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), discussed the current state and challenges of cancer patient participation in clinical trials. Barriers to participation can include lack of understanding, economic burdens, and implicit biases. Robinson highlighted solutions such as increased education, legislation like the Clinical Trials Modernization Act, and engaging patients early in trial design. He also touched on the use of technology, such as biomarker testing and wearable devices, which can also enhance recruitment and reduce burdens.

ACT: In what ways can technology be utilized to identify and engage potential cancer trial participants more effectively?

Robinson: This is actually a really exciting topic to me, because I think we are in an era where we can truly engage technology to help answer these kinds of questions. As I mentioned earlier, trials are becoming more and more complex because of the targeted therapies that we're testing in them, so using the kinds of modalities and technology that is available now for biomarker testing, real-world evidence, so large dataset analysis to really understand what patients have an opportunity to respond to these targeted therapies, etc. and you can sort of hone in on them, on those patients for trying to recruit them, is important. I think technology can also be used to address these economic and time burdens as well. When you think about smart watches, cell phone apps, wearable devices, a lot of the time and economic burden comes from patients having to travel back for extra scans, extra lab tests, those sorts of things. You can envision ways in which that technology can be used to supplement or take the place of those tests. Similarly, you can use in home testing to reduce travel time, to decentralize the trial designs. I think you could even take advantage of technology for developing better educational materials as well, so lots of opportunity, and I think it's an area of active research.