About Clinical Trials
What is a clinical trial?
Clinicians and clinical investigators, along with their scientist colleagues, are looking for more effective and safer ways to treat brain tumors. When laboratory research shows us that a new treatment has promise, clinical investigators and clinicians test the new treatment in well-controlled and closely scrutinized treatment protocols called clinical trials. These trials are designed to answer two basic questions:
- Is this treatment safe? (usually Phase I trials)
- Is this treatment effective? (usually Phase II trials)
By taking part in a clinical trial, patients make an important contribution to medical research and science. They may also benefit from treatments that usually are not available outside a clinical trial. Many different types of clinical trials are available including those using:
- Radiation therapy
- New anticancer drugs
- New drug combinations
- Gene therapy
- Immunotherapy
If you are interested in participating in a clinical trial, you should speak with your doctors. You may also find information about the risks and benefits of clinical trials in the NCI booklet, Taking Part in Clinical Trials: What Cancer Patients Need to Know.
To find out more about clinical trials, you can also go to:
NCI Cancer.gov: Understanding Clinical Trials
NCI Cancer.gov: Clinical Trials
To find out what clinical trials are available at NOB, go to:
CCR Clinical Trials at NIH: Brain and Central Nervous System Cancers