CANCER: CLINICAL TRIALS

Clinical trials are carefully controlled studies used to determine the effectiveness of new treatments against a variety of diseases. In clinical trials, experimental drugs that have been studied in a research laboratory are given to patients. All patients are monitored in order to determine the treatment's effectiveness. Clinical trials are the link between laboratory research and the development of newer and more effective ways to treat disease.

In addition to treatments for cancer, clinical trials also study:

new methods to detect and prevent cancer
the quality of a patient's life during the treatment and
the psychological impact of cancer on patients

Clinical trials are classified into 3 phases:

Phase I trials determine safe dosages and side effects of new drug treatments. These trials are usually offered to patients whose cancer has spread and who cannot be helped by any other treatment. Phase one trials are almost always done at major research centers.

Phase II trials study the effectiveness of a new drug on certain types of tumors for which safe dosage has already been established. Patients who are eligible for these trials usually have had some treatment for their disease, but the cancer is no longer responding to standard treatments. Phase II trials are usually done at major research centers, medical centers, or local hospitals that participate in clinical trials.

Phase III trials compare a new drug or treatment to standard treatments and are conducted at large medical centers or local hospitals. In these studies, patients usually have had no prior treatment for their disease, but choose to participate in a clinical trial because:

they have a particular type of cancer that has not responded well to standard treatment in other patients or
they wish to try a new treatment that may work better than the best available treatment at that time or
they wish to contribute to the advancement of medical science

Eligibility:

Only a doctor can determine whether a patient should participate in a particular clinical trial. Eligibility requirements are strict and depend on a number of factors, such as:

the type of cancer and how far it has progressed
previous treatment for the cancer
health history and
results of laboratory tests

If you are interested in participating in a clinical trial you should ask your doctor the following questions:

What is the purpose of the trial?
What tests and treatments are involved?
How long will the study last?
What side effects can I expect?
How will the side effects be managed?
For what costs, will I be responsible?
What happens if I want to end my participation in the study?
Will my participating in the clinical trial decrease my chances of survival?

For more information, contact the American Cancer Society at (800) ACS-2345 or the National Cancer Institute at (800) 4-CANCER.

Disclaimer: This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.

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