Cancer clinical trials often assess the efficacy of drugs, but they can also investigate other medical interventions like new surgical approaches to remove tumors, new screening strategies to increase early cancer diagnoses, or new measures to prevent cancer development or metastatic spread. Over the past few weeks, we have discussed different topics about clinical trials, including various types of trials, the phases clinical trials progress through before gaining approval for use as a standard intervention, and the eligibility requirements designed to keep participants safe and ensure scientific integrity.
Now, we will explore how to find a clinical trial for the fourth topic in our clinical trial series. First and foremost, before participating in a clinical trial, consult your doctor and have a candid conversation about the potential benefits, but also the possible risks. Not every situation warrants a clinical trial, and volunteering for a scientific study is a big decision. Further, the healthcare professionals who best understand your medical background will provide the best recommendations for appropriate trials for you to join.
If you decide to search for clinical trials for yourself or a loved one, you can begin by collecting as much information as possible about the diagnosis. This includes knowing factors such as the diagnostic stage or grade, the entire treatment history, and even the genetic profile of the cancer. This information will become imperative for screening the eligibility criteria of clinical trials you peruse. The National Cancer Institute (NCI), provides a Cancer Details Checklist on its website that can assist you with obtaining all the details you will need.
The next step involves the actual search for clinical trials. While several databases exist for clinical trials, a good place to start is clinicaltrials.gov, a database supported by the National Library of Medicine. While not exclusive to cancer trials, it allows you to search by disease type and location. Additionally, the NCI supports research, including clinical trials, and provides a searchable database of all the trials they finance. Here, you can search by the cancer type, patient's age, and zip code to identify trials available in your location. Finally, if you have a cancer center near you, they may provide listings of available trials in your area.
Once you have identified potential clinical trials of interest, you can investigate the details further. In addition to homing in on the eligibility criteria, consider specifics like the study objective (or purpose), which explains what the trial will test, and the outcome measure, which will describe the endpoint that the study will access. Don’t forget to consider the trial's location and participant involvement. While a trial taking place a four-hour drive from home may be feasible if you only have to report to the clinic once, it may become complicated if you must show up for thirty consecutive days.
Finally, don’t be afraid to ask questions. You can consult your physician, a member of the clinical trial team, or a patient advocate to ensure you receive all the details you need to make an informed decision.
Sources: NIH, NCI, clinicaltrials.gov
