Did you know there are significant benefits to enrolling in a clinical trial if you’ve been diagnosed with prostate cancer? One thing that grabs people’s attention is the chance that this could lead to completely unexpected results (similar to this Johnson & Johnson study). You’re participation also allows doctors to provide better therapy for others with this type of cancer.

If you’re unfamiliar with the term “clinical trial” — these are scientific studies where experimental therapies are tested on human participants. It’s an extensive process that helps researchers determine the safety and efficacy of potential treatments. Most of the contemporary drugs used for prostate cancer were initially tested in clinical trials.

Prostate Cancer

1 in 6 men will develop prostate cancer — making it the most commonly diagnosed type of cancer amongst men. This disease is characterized by a cancerous (uncontrolled) growth of cells in the tissues of the prostate. Fortunately, prostate cancer remains highly treatable if physical symptoms are detected early on.

This disease is also one of the more widely studied forms of cancer due to its high rate of diagnosis. Ongoing prostate cancer clinical trials are focused on improving our ability to:

• Screen at risk patients
• Accurately identify early stage tumors
• Treat prostate cancer effectively

Advantages for Clinical Trial Participants

One of the notable advantages for participants is the attention and care they will receive during the study period. Typically, a clinical staff will be comprised of:

• Lead investigators
• Research coordinators
• Clinicians
• Nurses
• Technicians
• Support staff

This diverse group of healthcare professionals works collaboratively to plan out your care. Patients can really benefit from this focused attention.

The therapies being developed for prostate cancer hold a lot of promise — but there aren’t any guarantees. Still, scientists are seeing more improved results thanks to state-of-the-art technologies and a better understanding of cancer at a molecular level.

Why Should You Participate?

Choosing to enroll in a clinical trial is a decision that should be made by no one but the patient himself. There are a few factors you might need to consider:

• An experimental treatment could provide a better outcome than the one you are currently taking.
• Your doctors might believe the study procedure could significantly impact their prostate cancer.
• There is no guarantee that a clinical trial will produce a better outcome for their condition.

Due to the number of prostate cancer trials offered, patients might have difficulty choosing the most appropriate enrollment opportunity. Be sure to talk to your oncologist about it and browse our list of active clinical trials here.

If you find any of the relevant terminology confusing or just have a few other concerns, we’ll be more than happy to answer your questions. The Know Cancer Community would also like to wish you a happy rest of Movember.