Clinical Trials for Cancer Patients: Where to Begin?
Clinical trials were once exclusively conducted at major medical centers. This meant that many people had to travel long distances and were treated by unfamiliar doctors. Although this is still the case for certain trials, particularly Phase I and some Phase II studies, it's not always a disadvantage. Some patients prefer to be treated at major cancer centers because of their expertise, reputation, and resources. The pros and cons of traveling must always be balanced with a patient's preferences, capabilities, and potential benefits from the treatment.
Today, there are more choices. This might involve staying closer to home during a study or even remaining with their personal physicians. Most people who participate in clinical trials hear about them from their doctors. Still, patients need not wait for their doctor to discuss clinical trials since they can now search online to find options for treatment.
Various groups offer ways to search for clinical trials on their websites. These groups also provide assistance to help patients with searches. Results usually include a description of each study, the eligibility criteria for individuals to participate in the trial, and the contact information of the person in charge.
These websites also allow a patient to refine their search based on factors such as the type and stage of cancer they have, the treatment a patient may be seeking (chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation therapy, etc.), and where the patient lives. Some websites may offer details about ongoing trials. Although the trials may vary slightly from website to website, most can be found on all the sites. Here are some of the most frequently used resources:
· The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has an online search tool for cancer clinical trials at cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/clinical-trials. A patient can also call them at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237).
· The Center for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation (CISCRP) offers an online search tool at ciscrp.org/. CISCRP can be contacted at 1-877-MED HERO (1-877-633-4376).
· The National Institutes of Health (NIH) keeps an extensive, updated database of clinical trials at clinicaltrials.gov. Not all of these may be cancer clinical trials.
· EmergingMed Clinical Trial Navigation Service has an online search tool for clinical trials. Patients may also reach out to a clinical trial navigator through their website.
Many cancer advocacy groups help patients find clinical trials that might be a good fit for them. Because many of these groups focus on a specific type of cancer, they can help find trials based on a patient's diagnosis. Some of these services can be found on the www.cancer.net website. A patient can also search the internet for advocacy groups if a certain type of cancer is not on this list.
Clinical trials are sponsored by various entities, including pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, doctors, medical centers, foundations, volunteer groups, and other non-profit organizations. These entities are responsible for proving that their medicines or devices are safe and effective before being marketed. A patient can find information about clinical trials on the websites of these entities or by calling their toll-free numbers. Additionally, some companies offer matching systems for the studies they sponsor. These systems can be helpful if a patient is interested in a specific experimental treatment and knows which company is developing it.
Please note that the list of clinical trial sites provided is not complete. Additional sites are listed on the internet. Before selecting a site, however, it is essential to check whether they charge a fee, how they ensure the safety of your personal information, how they choose the clinical trials to list, and if they receive compensation to rank or list trials.
Please note: The Leo Cancer Care technology is not yet clinically available and will not treat patients until the required regulatory approval has been achieved.