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Clinical Trials
What are clinical trials
Clinical trials are medical research studies involving people. All new treatments have to be thoroughly tested. Researchers test possible new drugs in the laboratory to begin with. If they look promising, they are carefully tested in people.
Clinical trials look at
- Risks and causes – how genetics, lifestyle and other factors can increase people’s risk of cancer
- Preventing cancer – using drugs or lifestyle changes to reduce risk
- Screening – tests for people with higher than average risk of cancer or for the general population
- Diagnosing cancer – new tests, scans or procedures
- Treatments – new drugs or combinations of drugs. Trials also look at new doses of drugs or new ways of giving treatment and new types of treatment
- Controlling symptoms or side effects – new drugs or complementary therapies
- Support and information – for people with cancer and their carers, families or friends
Trials aim to find out if a new treatment or procedure:
- is safe
- has side effects
- works better than the currently used treatment
- affects quality of life
Wherever possible we try to offer access to clinical trials as this is often the way new treatments are discovered and we have improved outcomes for patients based on the best quality evidence gathered from research.
Your doctor or the research team based at the hospital looking after you have identified you as a potential candidate due to your cancer type and medical or treatment history. They initially think this could be the right study for you, however most clinical trials involve a screening process to make sure you are eligible, in order to avoid giving you treatment/care that is not appropriate. If should consent to the study before any screening tests can be performed, but you will only be enrolled in the study once these tests pass eligibility criteria.
Please note that not all clinical trials have a screening period, some have automatic enrolment following consent.
Talk to your doctor. Usually if you have been offered a clinical trial in the hospital, your doctor will be aware of the trial and will be best placed to answer any concerns you may have as they will know you and your medical history the most. Make a list of questions that you may have after reading the Patient Information Sheet and take these to your doctor. They will be able to address concerns such as side effects, if known, of medication that may be a part of the trial, other treatment options that may be available to you, and if they think you would be an appropriate candidate for the trial.
Talk to the research team. They will be able to address any questions around scheduling during the screening period and the on-study period of the study, and any follow-up expectations there may be. They will also be able to explain what support will be available to you during the study, for example reimbursement of travel costs and refreshments during study visits. They will be your main point of contact during the study so getting familiar with who they are may be of comfort to you.
Talk to your family. Often taking part in clinical trials involves more tests and more visits to hospital than you would have outside of a trial. If you feel comfortable, it could be using talking about how your family could support you with this and any side effects you may experience.
Finally, remember that all clinical trials or participation is research is optional and even an initial enrolment does not commit you until the end. You are able to decline the study upfront, or withdraw from participation at any time without giving any reason and would receive the standard care. However, it may be best to consider if it’s really something you want beforehand, as sometimes data or samples collected as part of the study will not be able to be destroyed if already used.
Information guide for Teenage and Young Adult patients – https://www.cclg.org.uk/write/MediaUploads/Publications/PDFs/taking-part-in-research-feb-2023-web.pdf
Information guide for parents of patients – https://www.cclg.org.uk/write/MediaUploads/Publications/PDFs/Taking_part_in_clinical_trials_2021.pdf
National Cancer Research UK trial finder – https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/find-a-clinical-trial
Cancer Research UK trials page – What you should be told about a clinical trial | Cancer Research UK
What are clinical trials?
Cancer clinical trials | Macmillan Cancer Support
What is a randomised trial?
What is a randomised trial? | Clinical Trials | Cancer Research UK (youtube.com)
What should you be told about a clinical trial?
What you should be told about a clinical trial | Cancer Research UK
Clinical trial participant stories:
Geeta’s Story | Stand Up To Cancer
My experience of a clinical trial – Amy and Poppy (youtube.com)
Research for Children and Young Adults with Cancer
Our research into children’s and young people’s cancers (cancerresearchuk.org)
Why is research important?
More Research Less Cancer | Cancer Research UK | #CancerResearch (youtube.com)
Together | Play your part and support life-saving research | Cancer Research UK (youtube.com)
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