Clinical Trials for Cancer Treatment

Overview
As part of your cancer treatment, you may have the
option to take part in a clinical trial. This is a study
of a drug or a procedure, usually one that has not
yet been approved for widespread use. Clinical
trials help doctors determine which treatments are
effective and which are not.
Eligibility
Patients volunteer to be part of clinical trials. If you
wish to join one, your doctor can help you find one
or more trials that could be right for you. You will
need to meet certain eligibility requirements. Not all
clinical trials are right for all patients.
Phases
Trials are categorized in phases from I to IV. During
a Phase I trial, a drug or procedure is tested on
humans for the first time. These trials usually
involve very small groups of healthy volunteers.
They help doctors learn basic information, such as
the proper dosage for a medicine. If this trial shows
that a treatment could be effective, it can move on
to Phase II and Phase III trials. These are more
rigorous tests on larger groups of people. They
show how well the treatment can work for specific
cancers and patients. If a treatment passes these
trials, it can be approved for standard use. After
approval, a treatment can also go through a Phase
IV trial. This is designed to collect information about
its long-term safety and effectiveness.
Conclusion
Clinical trials are a valuable part of medical
research. Patients who take part in them help
doctors create better treatment plans for all cancer
patients. Talk to your doctor to find out if a clinical
trial is right for you.