Physicians and scientists at MacDonald Women’s Hospital, Ireland Cancer Center and University Hospitals continually work toward finding new approaches for treating cancer. These innovations are available to cancer patients through clinical trials that offer potentially life-saving benefits.
Clinical trials are research studies conducted with patients, usually to evaluate a new treatment. Each study is designed to answer scientific questions and to find new and better ways to help patients.
As a Comprehensive Cancer Center designated by the National Cancer Institute, Ireland Cancer Center is at the forefront of national and local trials. Every clinical trial undergoes rigorous medical, scientific and ethical review by University Hospitals’ medical board and Institutional Review Board.
There are different stages of clinical trials, described as Phase 1, Phase 2, and Phase 3.
A Phase 1 trial tests a new anti-cancer treatment that has not been previously studied in patients, but has been carefully monitored in the laboratory for safety and efficacy. The goal of Phase 1 studies is to determine the appropriate dose and to identify any toxicity of new treatments or drugs. Patients in a Phase 1 clinical trial are among the first to receive new research treatments before they become widely available.
Once the optimal dose and treatment schedule have been determined, a Phase 2 trial studies whether the new treatment is effective against certain tumors. If it proves effective, a Phase 3 trial then compares the promising treatment to the best-known established treatment for that tumor.
Because clinical trials involve a progressive process, Phase 1 and 2 trials usually are smaller and are specific to a certain type of cancer. It is generally more common for a larger number of patients to participate in a Phase 3 trial.
New cancer treatments must prove to be safe and effective in scientific studies with a certain number of patients before they can be made widely available. Standard treatments – the ones being used – often began as clinical trials and are frequently the basis for building new and better treatments.
Patients who take part in clinical trials have the first chance to benefit from new treatments. All patients in clinical trials are carefully monitored during and afterwards. These trials become part of a network of clinical trials carried out around the country. In this network, doctors and researchers pool their ideas to design and monitor clinical studies. They share their knowledge from many specialties about cancer treatment and care.
While a physician can recommend a clinical trial, the ultimate decision to participate lies with the patient. Those who choose to participate through MacDonald Women’s Hospital can be assured of excellent care in a world-renowned setting.
For more information on clinical trials, call Ireland Cancer Center Information Service at 216-844-5432.