Cancer Related Sites and Information
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) defines clinical trials as research studies in which people help doctors find ways to improve health and cancer care. Each study tries to answer scientific questions and to find better ways to prevent, diagnose, or treat cancer.
Why are there clinical trials?
A clinical trial is one of the final stages of a long and careful cancer research process. Studies are done with cancer patients to find out whether promising approaches to cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment are safe and effective.
What are the different types of clinical 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).
- Prevention Trials test new approaches, such as medicines, vitamins, minerals, or other supplements that doctors believe may lower the risk of a certain type of cancer. These trials look for the best way to prevent cancer in people who have never had cancer or to prevent cancer from coming back or a new cancer occurring in people who have already had cancer.
- Screening Trials test the best way to find cancer, especially in its early stages.
- Quality of Life Trials (also called Supportive Care Trials) explore ways to improve comfort and quality of life for cancer patients.
For Additional Information on Cancer and Clinical Trials, check out these websites:
- www.cancer.org (The American Cancer Society)
- Provides cancer information on a variety of tumor types, information on research progress, and bulletins regarding local and national events.
- www.cancer.gov (The National Cancer Institute)
- Provides patient/public/medical information, events, research findings and updates.
- www.komencolumbus.org (The Columbus Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc)
- Site dedicated to patients, and to the family and friends of those facing the challenges of a breast cancer diagnosis.
- www.cancer411.org (Cancer 411)
- Provides listings of cancer clinical trials available worldwide, sortable by cancer type, phase and by study. Additional services and support groups available to cancer patients and their families.
- www.cancercare.org (CancerCare, Inc.)
- Cancer Care provides assistance to people with any type of cancer, at any stage of illness and their family. All of Cancer Care's services are free.
- www.centerwatch.com (CenterWatch)
- Clinical trials listing source, patient and professional resources.
- www.nccn.org (National Comprehensive Cancer Network)
- Provides clinical guidelines for doctors and patients.