Clinical trials
Doctors are continually trying to find more effective ways of diagnosing and treating cancer. One of the ways they can find out how well a new treatment works is to carry out a clinical trial. A clinical trial is a research study that is carried out in a carefully planned way. Clinical trials aim to find out if the new treatment or procedure is safe, has side effects and works better than current treatments. It can sometimes take several years for clinical trials to prove the value of a new treatment.
Many successful treatments used today were tested originally in clinical trials and some of the patients who took part in those trials were the first to benefit. Patients involved in clinical trials are monitored very closely to check how they react to the treatment. If it does not seem to be helping the patient then a doctor can take a patient out of a trial.
A patient can leave a trial at any time and standard care and treatment will still be available.
If your doctor asks you if you would like to take part in a clinical trial, the doctor must give you information to help you decide if it is right for you to take part. You should carefully consider what is involved and all the possible benefits and risks. You will also need to sign a trial consent form.
Link:What clinical trials are
Produced by:CancerHelp UK
Find out more about clinical trials and search for current trials in your area.
Link:Experiences of clinical trials
Produced by:Healthtalkonline
This section on Experiences of Clinical Trials features interviews with 42 people from a wide range of backgrounds talking about why they took part in a trial, what information they needed, and what it was like for them. It also includes accounts from patients who decided not to take part, and those who withdrew from a trial.
Link:Understanding cancer research trials (clinical trials)
Produced by:Macmillan Cancer Support
This section tries to answer the many questions that people ask about clinical trials for cancer. It explains why and how clinical trials are carried out and suggests questions you might like to ask before agreeing to take part in a trial. You can also find out how to search for a trial that may be suitable for you .
Page last edited: 21 October 2011
