Clinical Trials
What are Clinical Trials?
Clinical trials are highly controlled and monitored biomedical research studies, performed in people, that follow a predefined set of procedures to test the safety and effectiveness of new diagnostic tests, treatments or methods of screening and prevention. Once an experimental treatment reaches the clinical trial stage, it has already gone through a lengthy, rigorous scientific process. Clinical trials are all strictly regulated for eligibility and safety. Many medical advances we have today, including all the drugs that are currently used to treat ovarian cancer patients, came about as a result of clinical trials.
Who should consider a clinical trial?
Clinical trials are important options for all patients at all stages of their disease and treatment, including prevention. Many people think of clinical trials as a “last resort” option or an option to explore only after other treatments have failed. This is not the case. Many equally important trials are available for patients throughout their journey with ovarian cancer. All FDA-approved standard treatments started in clinical trials.
Everyone who participates in a cancer clinical trial will receive either standard of care treatment or the new treatment that is being tested. Clinical trials offer valuable benefits for the individual and the broader community. Clinical trials have the potential to succeed where other treatments have failed, and they accelerate scientific progress for everyone.
If you are interested in a clinical trial, you should not hesitate to ask your doctor or care team about whether there are trials that might be right for you.
Where do I find clinical trial options?
A woman can begin exploring the options of clinical trials at any point during her experience with ovarian cancer. MOCA encourages women to talk with their doctors about what clinical trials may be right for them.
To explore clinical trials, you can visit www.clinicaltrials.gov, a website of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), that captures all clinical trials throughout the country and is searchable by state and disease.
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) offers detailed information and a clinical trial search tool. Click here for information.
The Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance (OCRA) offers a Clinical Trials Finder or a comprehensive search tool, specific to gynecologic and ovarian cancer. Click here for information.
Source: Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance
