Making the Decision
Your medical
oncologist and the rest of your healthcare team are your
partners in deciding if cancer research is right for you.
Make sure to discuss all options with them. If you find a
study that seems like a good fit, call the study coordinator,
most often an oncology
nurse, and ask for more detailed information. You may
also ask your doctor or nurse to request a certain protocol,
or trial plan, and help you understand it. Make sure you feel
comfortable with the information you are given. The protocol
outlines important things you must consider when making a
decision, including:
|
The reason for doing the study
|
|
How many people will be in the study
|
|
Who is eligible to participate
|
|
What drugs you will take
|
|
What medical tests you will have and how often
|
|
What information will be collected24
|
|
How often you will be expected to visit the doctor/study
team
|
It is important that you know specific information about
your case so you can assess whether you are eligible for the
trial. Most trials are designed for a very specific type of
patient, so the more you know about your particular case,
the more time-efficient you will be. Your medical oncologist
or oncology nurse can provide you with your history. The information
you should know includes:
|
The stage
of your cancer and your prognosis
|
|
The size of the tumor
|
|
The type of cell
|
|
The location of your tumor
|
|
The standard treatment for your diagnosis
|
If you have a recurrent cancer (a cancer that has returned),
make sure you know:
|
The previous treatments you have received
|
|
The names of drugs, dates and number of treatments
you have received
|
From a personal perspective, there are some considerations
to be made and many issues you should discuss with your treatment
team. For example, is the study being conducted close to your
home? If not, will you be able to travel on a regular basis
to receive treatment? Are you willing to keep records of how
you feel? Does your insurance cover your medical expenses?
Are you willing to make a commitment to the program and stick
with it?
Also, keep in mind that as a clinical trial participant,
you may be asked to:
|
Visit a healthcare provider regularly
|
|
Take medication
|
|
Have laboratory and diagnostic tests
|
|
Change your diet and exercise habits
|
For more information that can help you decide if clinical
trials are right for you, visit www.cancercare.org.

|