Research Fuels Progress Against Cancer
Research continues to be our best defense against cancer. It
improves survival and quality of life for millions of people by spurring the
development of new and better ways to prevent, detect, diagnose, treat, and, increasingly,
cure some of the more than 200 diseases we call cancer.
This progress against cancer is the result of the dedicated
efforts of many people working together as part of the biomedical research
community. These stakeholders include patients, survivors, family members and
friends. Also included in this community are the clinicians and academic
researchers. The biotechnology, pharmaceutical and diagnostic companies play an
important role in the development of ways to diagnose, treat, detect, prevent
and cure cancers. Policymakers and citizen advocates, advocacy and
philanthropic organizations have an important role to play. Without continued
investments in biomedical research through funding agencies like NIH and NCI,
progress against cancer is in jeopardy.
Although the Foundation does not fund clinical trials directly,
we have helped put a spotlight on the need for an increased focus on ET, PV and
MF research. Our efforts have seen results. While fewer than 20 clinical trials
for MPN treatments were conducted from 1995-2005, there have been over 750
trials since 2005.
Clinical trials give patients a chance to try new medical
treatments not yet available in the marketplace. During the course of a trial,
data is collected recording all observations related to lab results, the
patient’s progress (or lack of progress), effectiveness, and side effects of
the treatment. Clinical trials are conducted at many sites but usually they are
conducted at specialty clinics or teaching medical centers.
There are 4 types or phases.
Clinical trial phases
Phase I
Phase I studies are designed to determine the best dose of a
therapy and how humans process it, as well as to identity any potential
toxicities. These first-in-human studies can also demonstrate early effectiveness
or clinical results.
Phase II
Phase II studies determine continued effectiveness of a
therapy in a particular disease or a larger group of patients, in addition to
continually monitoring for adverse events or potential toxicities.
Phase III
Phase III studies are large trials designed to determine curative
value as compared to standard of care (placebos are rarely used in cancer
clinical studies).
Phase IV
Phase IV studies are also known as post-marketing studies.
They provide additional effectiveness or “real-world” data on the therapy and are
conducted after approval by the FDA.
There are many factors to consider when thinking about
joining a clinical trial. There are no guarantees that the treatment being
tested will be successful. Travel to a clinical trial site may be difficult and
costly. The trial may involve more frequent diagnostic tests, such as a bone
marrow biopsies. Participants may be asked to stop taking certain medications
that would interfere with trial results.
Whether a trial is right for you is a personal decision that
should be discussed with care-givers and family members. The final decision to
enroll in a trial should be considered carefully.
