Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Clinical trials This leaflet provides information about clinical trials. It explains what clinical trials are and discusses the possible advantages and disadvantages of participating in a trial. Contact telephone numbers for the Clinical Trials Unit are given at the end of the leaflet. Velindre NHS Trust has the responsibility to offer patients the most effective treatment currently available. This is usually known as standard treatment. We also have an obligation to future patients to help develop new and better treatments. Why are there clinical trials? Advances in cancer treatment have occurred because many thousands of patients have taken part in research. We can only continue to improve cancer treatment for the future if patients agree to take part in research today. What is a clinical trial? It needs to be proved beyond doubt that new treatments are effective. A clinical trial is a scientific way of studying new treatments or new ways of giving existing treatments. 1 A clinical trial is one of the final stages of a long and careful cancer research process. Studies are carried out with cancer patients to find out whether new ways of preventing, diagnosing and treating cancer are safe and effective. Velindre Cancer Centre is a leading centre for clinical trials. Our Clinical Trials Unit has run over 100 national and international clinical trials. All trials are approved by a Local Research Ethics Committee. This committee is made up of doctors, medical professionals and people from different walks of life. They look at the importance and wisdom of each trial to protect patients from unethical trials. Many trials compare a new treatment with the most effective treatment that is currently available. This means that in a trial some patients will receive new treatments and some will receive the standard treatments. Patients who receive the standard treatments can be reassured that their treatment is as good as the treatment they would receive if they were not in a clinical trial. What does it mean for me? Each trial has very specific eligibility criteria. You may be asked to consider taking part in a clinical trial if there is one suitable to your diagnosis and treatment. The research nurse will go through this with you. Taking part in a clinical trial is entirely voluntary. We will give you detailed information about the trial. You can ask questions and discuss the trial with your family before you decide if you would like to take part. 2 Your decision will not affect the standard of care you receive. If you do not wish to take part you will continue to receive the highest standard of care and the most appropriate treatment currently available. What are the advantages of taking part? You will be helping to improve cancer treatments for future patients. You may have more check-ups, tests or scans than usual and some people find this reassuring. What are the disadvantages of taking part? You may have to make extra visits to Velindre or be asked to keep a diary or record of your treatment. Further information If you would like more information about clinical trials please ask your hospital doctor or contact the relevant research staff listed on the next page. 3 Clinical Trials Unit contact numbers Velindre Cancer Centre 029 2061 5888 Unit Manager: Jane Darmanin Unit Administrator: Cindy Langford Research Assistant: Jamie Morgan Research Link Nurse: Rhianydd Jones Ext 6110 Ext 6222 Bleep 218 Bleep 197 Breast team (Bleep 225) Research Lead: Clare Boobier Research Nurse: Karen Davies & Sarah Fry Administrator: Hana Wilbraham Ext 6986 Ext 6962 Ext 6479 Urology / Melanoma team (Bleep 152) Research Lead: Clare Boobier Research Nurse: Joanne Preece & Sarah Fry Administrator: Lucy Wilbraham Ext 6986 Ext 6311 Ext 6312 Colorectal / Upper GI team (Bleep 131) Research Lead: Amanda Jackson Ext 6550 Research Nurse: Kathy Bishop & Deborah Jones Ext 2285 Administrator: Angela Kitto Ext 2286 Lung / Lymphoma team (Bleep 105) Research Lead: Amanda Jackson Research Nurse: Nikki Coates Administrator: Caroline Vitalo Ext 6550 Ext 2298 Ext 6551 Gynae team (Bleep 166) Research Lead: Amanda Jackson Administrator: Caroline Vitalo Ext 6550 Ext 6551 Reviewed March 2010 4