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Treatment Trials / Symptoms Management Trials

Treatment trials test new treatments (like a new cancer drug, new approaches to surgery or radiation therapy, new combinations of treatments, or new methods such as gene therapy).  Symptom Management trials, called Quality of Life trials, explore ways to improve comfort and quality of life for cancer patients.

Clinical research that involves the testing of a new drug progresses in an orderly series of steps, called phases. This allows researchers to ask and answer questions in a way that results in reliable information about the drug and protects the patients. Clinical trials are usually classified into one of three phases:

• Phase I trials:
  These first studies in people evaluate how a new drug should be given (by mouth, injected into the blood, or injected into the muscle), how often, and what dose is safe. A phase I trial usually enrolls only a small number of patients, sometimes as few as a dozen.
• Phase II trials:
  A phase II trial continues to test the safety of the drug, and begins to evaluate how well the new drug works. Phase II studies usually focus on a particular type of cancer.
• Phase III trials:
  These studies test a new drug, a new combination of drugs, or a new surgical procedure in comparison to the current standard. A participant will usually be assigned to the standard group or the new group at random (called randomization). Phase III trials often enroll large numbers of people and may be conducted at many doctors' offices, clinics, and cancer centers nationwide.

How can you participate in Treatment Trials?
If you wish to participate in a cancer treatment trial, consult with your physician.  Your physician will determine whether you are eligible for a clinical trial.  If you meet eligibility criteria and you wish to participate, you will be asked to give your written consent for the particular trial suggested for you. The consent form explains what will occur during the study, what your rights are as a participant and all known side effects of any medication.  Once enrolled in a trial, your physician will closely monitor your progress and report your progress to our staff.