Each year, the Cancer Center participates in approximately 150 cancer clinical trials involving more than 1,000 patients. A clinical trial is a scientific study used to find new and better ways to help cancer patients. Clinical trials help doctors determine if a possible treatment is safe and effective for patients. The focus of a trial might be prevention, early detection or screening, treatment, symptom management or quality of life.

There are four phases of Clinical Trials:

• Phase I – These trials are done to find out about the side effects and safety of a new drug. Side effects are looked at as the drug dose level is increased. These trials also study what happens to a drug in the human body, looking at how it is absorbed, metabolized and excreted.
• Phase II – After a drug has been shown to be safe in Phase I trials, Phase II studies are done to test if the drug works in fighting disease. Often these studies are comparing the new drug to the current standard of care for the disease, to see which works better.
• Phase III – These very large studies are done to give researchers a more complete understanding of how safe and effective the drug is. Another goal of these types of studies is to understand the benefits to patients and range of adverse experiences patients have.
• Phase IV – These trials are done after the drug has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. These studies can be done for many reasons, but the main goal of these post-marketing trials is to find out as much as possible about long-term risks associated with the use of the drug.

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The National Cancer Institute (NCI) offers comprehensive and the most up to date information on clinical trials.

The Coalition of National Cancer Cooperative Groups, Inc. offers additional information on clinical trials.