Taking part in a clinical trial
As part of your cancer treatment, your doctor may suggest that you consider taking part in a clinical trial. You could also ask if there is a clinical trial for your particular kind of cancer.
What are clinical trials?
Clinical trials are a vital part of the search to find better treatments for cancer, and are conducted to test new or modified treatments and see if they are better than existing treatments.
Many people all over the world have taken part in clinical trials that have resulted in improvements to cancer treatment. However, the decision to take part in a clinical trial is always yours.
If you are asked to take part in a clinical trial, make sure that you fully understand the reasons for the trial and what it means for your treatment.
Questions to ask before joining a clinical trial
Before deciding whether or not to join the clinical trial, you may wish to ask your doctor the following questions:
- What is the standard treatment if I do not participate in the trial?
- What is the potential benefit?
- Which treatments are being tested and why?
- What tests are involved?
- What are the possible risks or side effects?
- How long will the trial last?
- Will I need to go into hospital for treatment?
- What will I do if any problems occur while I am in the trial?
- If the treatment I receive in the trial is successful for my cancer, is there a possibility of carrying on with the treatment after the trial?
If you decide to join a randomised clinical trial, you will be given either the best existing treatment or a promising new treatment. You will be chosen at random by computer to receive one treatment or the other. Either treatment will be appropriate for your condition. In clinical trials, people’s health and progress are carefully monitored.
If you do not want to take part in a clinical trial, your doctor will discuss the best current treatment options with you.
Original material provided by the Cancer Society of New Zealand, 2010. Reviewed by everybody, July 2010.
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