Download What Are Clinical Trials? - International Myeloma Foundation

Cancer Clinical Trials:
The Way We Make Progress Against
Cancer
What Are Cancer Clinical Trials?
• Research studies to
find better ways to
prevent, detect, or
treat cancer
• Help doctors find
ways to improve
cancer care
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Why Are Cancer Clinical
Trials Important?
• Most of the best cancer
treatments we have
today are based on
what we learned from
clinical trials
• People with cancer are living longer because of
clinical trials
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Do Many People Take Part in
Cancer Clinical Trials?
• Few people take part
• The more people who
take part, the faster we
will find better ways to
treat and prevent
cancer
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What Are the Different Types of
Clinical Trials?
•
•
•
•
Treatment
Prevention
Diagnostic
Screening/early
detection
• Quality of life
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Treatment Trials
• What new
treatments can help
people who have
cancer?
• What is the most
effective treatment
for people who have
cancer?
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Treatment Trials
• Many treatment trials
compare two or more
different approaches to
treating cancer
• Participants will take
either:
– The best accepted cancer
treatment
– A new treatment
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Prevention Trials
What approaches can
prevent a specific
type of cancer from
developing in people
who don’t have
cancer?
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Prevention Trials
Two kinds, that ask
participants to either:
1. Do something
2. Take something
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Protecting Patients’ Safety
Informed Consent
Before agreeing to take part,
patients have the right to
understand all that is
involved in a clinical trial:
• Procedures and treatments
• Tests
• Possible risks and benefits
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Protecting Patients’ Safety
Institutional Review Boards
• Committee made up
of experts
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Benefits of Taking Part
Possible benefits:
• Patients will receive, at a minimum, the best
standard treatment
• If the new approach is proven to work,
patients may be among the first to benefit
• Patients have a chance to help others and
improve cancer care
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Risks of Taking Part
Possible risks:
• Unknown side effects or other risks
• New treatment may not help every participant
• Costs
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Where to Find Clinical
Trial Information
• Your doctor or nurse
• National Cancer Institute
– www.cancer.gov
• Cancer Information Service
– 1-800-4-CANCER
– TTY- 1-800-332-8615
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