Cancer Clinical TrialsA treatment option for cancer patients

Today’s standard treatment options are a product of prior research

Clinical Trials serve as vehicles of innovation and progress resulting in: Improved clinical outcomes Personalized treatment plans which

are more effective and less toxic

Barriers based in common misconceptions

Fear of abuse or exploitation:

My patients will be treated like

“guinea pigs”

if they participate in a clinical trial

*Slide content adapted from the Education Network to Advance Cancer Clinical Trials (ENACCT), used with permission.

Barriers based in common misconceptions

Misunderstanding of the purpose of cancer clinical trials:

“Clinical trials are only for patients who have run out of other

treatment options”

*Slide content adapted from the Education Network to Advance Cancer Clinical Trials (ENACCT), used with permission.

Barriers based in common misconceptions

Misunderstanding of design/ethics of cancer clinical trials:

“My patients may receive a placebo instead of appropriate

treatments”

*Slide content adapted from the Education Network to Advance Cancer Clinical Trials (ENACCT), used with permission.

Clinical Trials provide a good quality option for care

Expert panels state that clinical trials provide a high quality treatment option for cancer patients at all stages of the disease continuum

National Comprehensive Cancer Network Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology:

“…the best management of any cancer patient is in a clinical trial.”

Institute of Medicine: “…therapies offered through Cancer Clinical Trials should ideally be considered the preferred treatment choice for physicians and patients, if they are available.”  

*Slide content from the Education Network to Advance Cancer Clinical Trials (ENACCT), used with permission.

Phase IIIStudy Question:

Is the agent better than the standard approach?

n = 100s-1000s

Phase IIStudy Question:

Is the agent effective?n = <100

Phase IStudy Question:

Is the agent safe?n = 15–20

Phases of Cancer Clinical Trials:

*Slide content adapted from the Education Network to Advance Cancer Clinical Trials (ENACCT),

used with permission.

A call to actionProgress is a result of a communal effort that requires a solid partnership between patients and doctors. Each individual physician can participate by:Referring patients to oncologists that

conduct clinical trials. Introducing the concept of a clinical trial as

a viable treatment option.Providing patients with print information

about clinical trials.Encouraging patients to ask their oncologist

about clinical trials

We are available to answer your questions:

[Insert contact information]

Reference Education Network to Advance Cancer Clinical Trials (ENACCT):

http://www.enacct.org Comis RL, Miller JD, et al. Public attitudes toward participation in

cancer clinical trials. J Clin Oncol. 2003;21(5):830-835. National Comprehensive Cancer Network Guidelines:

http://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/f_guidelines.asp

National Cancer Clinical Trials System for the 21st Century: Reinvigorating the NCI Cooperative Group Program. Institute of Medicine of the National Academies; 2010.

Fenton L, Rigney M, Herbst R. Clinical trial awareness, attitudes, and participation among patients with cancer and oncologists. Commun Oncol. 2009;6:207-213.

Comis RL, Miller JD. Cancer clinical trials awareness and attitudes in cancer survivors. Philadelphia (PA): Coalition of Cancer Cooperative Groups; 2005: http://www.cancertrialshelp.org/Icare_content/icMainContent.aspx?intAppMode=19.