The medical community is constantly working on developing new and effective methods to prevent, diagnose, and treat all forms of cancer, and often seek out patients who are willing to try these new procedures.

Cancer Clinical Trials are conducted in hospitals, doctors’ offices, university research labs, and other medical research settings. These trials are designed to answer specific scientific questions and test the effectiveness of different treatment options.

Types of Cancer Clinical Trials

Most cancer clinical trials fall into one of four categories:

• Treatment: This can include a new medication, surgical or therapy option, or some combination of the two.
• Prevention: Cancer-fighting vitamins, minerals, supplements, and other preventative therapies would fall under this category. Individuals who have never had cancer, patients who have had cancer but want to prevent a recurrence, or cancer patients that want to keep it from metastasizing frequently participate in these trials.
• Screening: Doctors test the best ways to detect and diagnose cancer of various kinds.
• Quality of Life: These trials examine the best way to care for cancer patients through all phases of their illness and treatment.

Learn more about Breast Cancer Clinical Trials

Learn more about Lung Cancer Clinical Trials

Learn more about Prostate Cancer Clinical Trials

Learn more about Skin Cancer Clinical Trials

How to Be Selected for a Clinical Trial

There are a number of clinical trials being held for virtually every type of cancer, at every stage. Local medical professionals and cancer specialists are a great resource for patients interested in participating in a clinical trial. Although the participant criteria will vary for each study, patients are chosen based on a number of general factors:

• Age
• Type and stage of cancer
• Medical history
• What to Expect During a Clinical Trial

A patient’s experience with a clinical trial will vary depending on the type of trial and the type of cancer the patient has. Some trials are very simple and only require the patient to complete paperwork or answer a few basic questions. Others are more research-intensive and may require a longer time commitment from the patient.

Typically, there is very little work on the side of the patient. A team of medical professionals will track the patient’s progress against the proposed outcome of the trial, and the results will be recorded and studied. For most patients, participating in a clinical trial is not much different than going to their physician for a routine examination.

If you’d like more info about getting set up with a clinical trial in your area, check out the National Cancer Institute or visit our friends over at Clinical Trials GPS. They can help you find the right trial for you!