Karmanos Cancer Institute Rolls Out New Oncology Clinical Trials App Features

New app functions empower patients, caregivers and health care professionals to easily find and access Karmanos' large portfolio of innovative cancer treatment options through actively recruiting clinical trials

DETROIT, July 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute has released a new and improved version of the KCI Clinical Trials App on both the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. The apps' new features, launched on June 12, improve usability, accessibility and alignment with today's clinical and cancer research workflows throughout Karmanos Cancer Institute. Karmanos' Clinical Trials Office and research oncology technical support team designed new upgrades to provide a modernized platform to improve how patients, caregivers and health care professionals discover and engage with actively recruiting cancer clinical trials, leading to more informed treatment decisions.

"Updating this innovative application marks a pivotal moment for Karmanos. It reinforces our dedication to pioneering advances in cancer care and to providing our patients with treatment options that have shown promise and improved health outcomes. Karmanos has a unique offering of clinical trials that are not available at many hospitals, so when a patient is diagnosed with cancer, they should consider scheduling a second opinion with us," said Anthony Shields, M.D., Ph.D., associate center director of Clinical Science at Karmanos.

The app is popular among patients, their families and physicians. There are currently over 160 protocols listed on the portal and app, led by 33 principal investigators at Karmanos across 13 locations, who offer these open trials for over 35 cancer types.

"Our referring physicians are dedicated to making sure their patients truly have the options they deserve for the best success possible. I regularly use the app myself, so I can ensure my patients have the opportunity to decide if they'd like to be on a study that has shown promise, before the therapy is FDA-approved," added Dr. Shields, who is also a medical oncologist and member of the Gastrointestinal and Neuroendocrine Oncology and Phase I Clinical Trials Multidisciplinary Teams. "Ultimately, when a patient decides to participate in a clinical trial, they aren't just contributing to a study that will benefit future patients, but they are also giving themselves access to the latest care."

The app enhancements provide a user-friendly experience designed to make clinical trial information easier to find, understand and share. Improvements include:

• A faster, smarter trial search: Search by cancer type, Karmanos trials number, NCT ID, keywords, phase, investigator, site, drug, device, or therapy, with improved filtering that dynamically adjusts results to reduce dead-end searches.
• A modernized user experience: A refreshed interface with intuitive design elements, improved navigation and streamlined access to external resources and support.
• Contact capability: Connect directly with Karmanos experts for questions about trials or next steps.
• Enhanced drug and external data integration: Enriched drug information powered by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Drug Dictionary, including U.S. brand names, along with direct links to clinicaltrials.gov for additional details.
• Improved access to trial information: Expanded trial details include eligibility criteria, objectives, treatments, study locations, and investigator information.
• Improved location tools: Study site addresses can be viewed, copied or opened directly in mapping applications for easier navigation.
• Offline capability: Daily data synchronization enables fast, on-device searches with full functionality even in low or non-connectivity environments.
• Opportunities to make an appointment or refer a patient: Patients can request an appointment directly from the clinical trial listing or call Karmanos directly from the app to schedule an appointment. Physicians may also connect with Karmanos through the app to refer a patient.
• The ability to save, share and collaborate: Save favorite trials and searches, and easily share trial information via text or email.

"The new improvements will allow referring physicians and newly diagnosed patients to discover therapies that treat their disease in an easier and faster way. Though the trials we offer at Karmanos are also on clinicaltrials.gov, having a specific tool for just the trials available across the Karmanos Cancer Network gives patients the power to advocate for themselves and gives physicians the knowledge of what's available for their patients right here in Michigan," explained Shields.

The KCI Trials App will continue to be available for free on both iOS and Android devices. If the app is already installed on a user's device and automatic updates are enabled, the new features were applied automatically on June 12. Those who have manual updates set on their device, and those who have yet to download the KCI Trials App, may download the latest version from the app store:

Apple App Store | Google Play Store

A web-based user manual is also available and outlines the new version features.

The KCI Trials App was launched in 2013. The app is powered by the clinical trials study information portal (SIP) at karmanos.org/opentrials and has long supported clinical trial workflows across the institute. Karmanos offers clinical trials to treat multiple stages of cancer, including but not limited to the following cancer types:

• Brain and Nervous System
• Breast
• Cutaneous (Skin and Melanoma)
• Gastrointestinal
• Genitourinary
• Gynecologic
• Head and Neck
• Hematologic (Blood)
• Lung
• Sarcoma

The portal also includes open phase I clinical trials.

For more information about clinical trials at Karmanos and to download the app, visit karmanos.org/clinicaltrials.

About the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute

Karmanos Cancer Institute is a leader in transformative cancer care, research and education through courage, commitment and compassion. The Karmanos vision is a world free of cancer. As part of McLaren Health Care, Karmanos is the largest provider of cancer care and research in Michigan. For more than 75 years, the administrative and research headquarters, along with the premier specialty cancer hospital, have been located in downtown Detroit. With multiple network sites, Karmanos delivers world-renowned care and access to clinical trials throughout Michigan and northern Ohio. The National Cancer Institute recognizes Karmanos as one of the best cancer centers in the nation with a comprehensive cancer center designation. Its academic partnership with the Wayne State University School of Medicine provides the framework for cancer research and education – defining new standards of care and improving survivorship. For more information, call 1-800-KARMANOS (800-527-6266) or visit karmanos.org. Follow Karmanos on Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.

SOURCE Karmanos Cancer Institute