Studies of promising and new experimental treatments for patients are known as clinical trials. A clinical trial is performed when the physician feels that the treatment may be of some value to the patient. However, there are risks involved in clinical trials. Researcher are studying how these interventions work, therefore no one involved in the study can tell you how the intervention will work or what side effects may occur. Those are the answers that the researchers and clinicians are looking for.

Participating in a clinical trial is one of the important decisions faced by cancer patients. When considering a clinical trial it is important to gather as much information as possible and ask any questions that you may have. It is important to weigh the benefits and the risks involved in the study.

Enrolling in any clinical trial is voluntary. You physicians and nurses will explain the study to you and give you a copy of the consent form. You should always read through the consent and ask any questions you may have. You are then asked to sign the consent form. This process is called informed consent. You always have the freedom to withdraw from the study at any time.

There are many different types of cancer clinical trials. They include: prevention trials early detection trials, treatment trials, and quality of life studies. Your participation in clinical trials may contribute to the search for ways to prevent, detect, or treat the disease.

Clinical research involving new drugs is carried out in a very methodical set of steps called phases.

Phase I – The first studies performed in humans. It answers questions such as: How should the drug be administered? How often should it be taken? What dosage should be taken? This phase requires few people to enroll.

Phase II – Provides general information on how the drug works, safety, and benefits.

Phase III – This is the step in the process where the drug looks promising. It is necessary to compare the new drug with current standards. If you participate in a phase III trial there is a chance that you will be assigned by chance to a group receiving the standard intervention.