What are cancer clinical trials?
A cancer clinical trial is a study that helps doctors and researchers find better ways to prevent, treat or diagnose cancer. All of today’s successful treatments for cancer are based on results of clinical trials done in the past. As a result, people treated for cancer are living longer.
Doctors believe it is important to have people of all races, genders, ages and backgrounds take part in clinical trials so that what is learned will help everyone.
Types of clinical trials
There are several types of clinical trials:
- Prevention trials
- Screening trials
- Diagnostic trials
- Treatment trials
- Quality of life trials
- Genetic trials
Phases of clinical trials
- Phase 1 – designed to find out the safety, maximum tolerated dose, side effects.
- Phase 2 – to test if this new treatment is effective against a particular type of cancer.
- Phase 3 – to compare it to the current standard treatment.
What are some of the good things (benefits) about being part of clinical trials?
Patients who join clinical trials will get the standard medicine for their cancer. They may also get a new type of medicine that is only available to patients who join the trial.
Patients who take part in trials are watched very closely by their doctors to keep an eye on their health. Doctor hope this information learned from trials will help future patients.
What are some of the drawbacks (risks) to being part of clinical trials?
There are usually side effects for any cancer treatment, including the treatment you will get while in a clinical trial. You should discuss with your doctor about all possible side effects of any cancer drugs given in a clinical trial before you enroll in the trial.
Also, it is not guaranteed that treatment given in a clinical trial will help a patient more than standard treatment.
What kind of information will I get about the trials?
Before you join a clinical trial, your doctor and/or the research coordinator will explain what the trial is for and what will happen. We encourage you to ask a lot of questions about the trial because we want you to feel comfortable about your decision to joing a clincal trial.
You will also be given a consent form to sign. The consent form will give you:
- Detailed information about the clinical trial
- What to expect during the trial
- How long will the trial last
- The possible side effects from the treatment.
If you decide to join the clinical trial, you will be asked to sign a consent form. Even if you sign the consent form, you have the right to change your mind at any time. If you do join a trial, you have the right to stop at any time.
Who looks out for the patient?
Clinical trials are reviewed at a national level and again locally. Each hospital or cancer center has an Institutional Review Board (IRB) that review clinical trials and make sure they are run in a safe and fair manner. An IRB has many different members, including doctors, nurses, patient advocates, patients and people from your community.
As a patient, do I have to be part of a clinical trial?
Joining a clinical trial is strictly your choice. It is a good idea to discuss all of your treatment options with your doctor and decide if joining a clinical trial is the best way to treat your cancer..
We encourage you to ask a lot of questions about the trial because we want you to feel comfortable about your decision to joing a clincal trial.
The following are just a few questions to ask yourself and you doctor:
- What is the purpose of the clinical trial?
- What tests are treatments are done as part of the clinical trials?
- How could the clinical trial affect (change) my daily life?
- What are other treatment options?
- What the possible side effects of the treatment?
- Why is it important for women and people of all races to enroll in clinical trials?
- Are clinical trials covered by my insurance?
- If I consent to provide blood or tissue samples, how will these samples be used?
Based on A Guide to Clinical Trials for Cancer Patients
(by ECOG – Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group, www.ecog.org)
Updated: April 10, 2008
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