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CLINICAL TRIAFLLORSIDAPCRANOCERGSPRECIAALIMSTS’

OFFERS NEW TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR SOUTHWEST FLORIDA CANCER PATIENTS

I magine that somewhere – right now – inside DR.WILLIAM HARWIN’S PATIENT FRANK MAYES, SHOWN HERE WITH WIFE KAREN, IS NOW ON HIS SECOND CLINI-
a hospital or a research facility – research CAL TRIAL AND DOING WELL. FRANK CALLS THE TREATMENT “A MIRACLE.”
scientists are working on a cure for cancer.
That cure could come as a result of a new drug benefited from, and in many cases, had their lives saved by, receiving soon-to-be-
or therapy currently being investigated as part of FDA-approved medications before they were available to non-clinical-trial patients.
a cancer clinical trial.
“Before Florida Cancer Specialists came to Southwest Florida, you’d have to
Now imagine if you didn’t have to look any travel to universities or research institutions to receive the kind of cutting-edge
further than your own community in order to be care that’s now available in our own back yard,” says Naples resident Jackie Bearse,
a part of a national clinical trial offering new and two-time cancer survivor, FCS Foundation board member and founding chair of
promising treatment options. the Foundation’s signature fundraiser “Time to Remember.” (See promotional ad on
opposite page for more information about the “Time to Remember” gala.)
“As a strategic research site for the leading
community-based clinical trial organization in ABOUT FLORIDA CANCER SPECIALISTS
the nation, Florida Cancer Specialists (FCS) & RESEARCH INSTITUTE
offers patients more access to clinical trials
than any other oncology practice in the state of Founded in 1984, Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute (FCS) is the
Florida,” said William N. Harwin, MD, founder largest independent medical oncology/hematology practice in the United States.
and president of Florida Cancer Specialists & With more than 190 physicians, 130 nurse practitioners and physician assistants
Research Institute. and over 90 locations in our network, we are committed to providing world-
class cancer care in community-based settings close to home. Recognized by the
Thanks to its partnership with the Nashville, American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) with a national Clinical Trials
TN-based Sarah Cannon Research Institute Participation Award, FCS offers patients access to more clinical trials than any
(SCRI), FCS can offer patients a vast array of private oncology practice in Florida.
clinical trial opportunities that are traditionally
only available at large academic research hospitals. ABOUT FLORIDA CANCER SPECIALISTS FOUNDATION
By providing clinical trials in local communities,
close to where patients live, patients can avoid An integral part of the FCS continuum of care is the Florida Cancer Specialists
having to travel two or three hours several times Foundation. The nonprofit organization helps cancer patients in need with their
a week to participate in a potentially life-saving non-medical living expenses while undergoing treatment. It enables those fighting
clinical trial. cancer to concentrate on recovery rather than on their overdue rent, mortgage or
utility bills.
“Clinical trials are one of the best options we
can offer cancer patients,” said Lowell Hart, MD, The Foundation staff and overhead are paid for by FCS, which means that every
director of Research & Drug Development for FCS. dollar raised by the FCS Foundation goes directly to helping cancer patients in need.
“Every effective treatment, every virtual cure that we
have today began as a clinical trial. And for patients
who are not responding to standard treatment, a
clinical trial can be of tremendous benefit.”

FCS currently offers clinical-trials for many
types of cancer,including:Lung,Pancreatic,Breast,
Colon, Renal, Prostate, Head/Neck, Kidney,
Gastric, Myeloma, Melanoma, Lymphoma &
Leukemia and an Unknown primary site

“Most of our trials are Phase 2 or Phase 3,
which investigate new drugs that have already
shown great promise,” adds Dr. Hart. “We also
have two drug development units in the FCS
network, one in Fort Myers and one in Sarasota.
These locations offer Phase 1 clinical trials, which
are generally first-time use in humans.”

Over the years, countless FCS patients have

80 Life in Naples | February 2016