|
Click Here to View the Clinical Trials List
Cancer Clinical Trials and the Patient
Cancer patients, their families and loved ones will face many difficult decisions once they learn of their diagnosis. The patient and their physician will discuss the treatment options for the patient. One treatment option may be a cancer clinical trial (also referred to as a research study).
NMCCA is providing the following information to assist patients and other interested parties with making the decision whether or not to participate in a cancer clinical trial.
What is a cancer clinical trial?
A clinical trial is a medical research study involving people. Prior to involving people, new methods of treatment such as new drugs, new combinations of treatments, new approaches to surgery or radiation or other new methods are tested in a laboratory. If the laboratory tests show that an experimental cancer treatment might slow the growth of or destroy cancer cells, researchers set up a clinical trial on people. The desired result of cancer clinical trials is to discover whether these experimental treatments provide a better therapy for cancer patients than the standard treatment. Sometimes, the new treatment is better, but sometimes the standard treatment turns out to be the better option.
NMCCA believes clinical trials benefit the public because they address the individuals' health needs and make medical research more accurate. The scientific knowledge gained through trials directly affects the progress toward cures. The number of people who participate in clinical trials directly affects the overall cure rate for cancers. For example, almost 90 percent of eligible pediatric cancer patients participate in clinical trials. The overall cure rate for childhood cancer is more than 75 percent. However, only about five percent of adult cancer patients participate in clinical trials. Adult cancer research is not as extensive as pediatric and many medical researchers believe this may contribute to the longer amount of time needed to gain new information for treatments in adult cancers.
There are many reasons why adults do not participate in cancer clinical trials. One reason might be the lack of local, easily accessible trials. With local treatment, which could include clinical trials, the patient and caregivers can remain in the State. Having family, friends and loved ones close by can provide a support group for the patient that could contribute to an improved quality of life during their treatment
NMCCA is striving to help New Mexicans have more options in cancer therapies by bringing the latest clinical trials to New Mexico.
For more information about clinical trials, please see:
"A Patient's Guide to Clinical Trials"English 2009 (pdf format)
"A Patient's Guide to Clinical Trials"Spanish 2009 (pdf format)
or view our Frequently Asked Questions page
Helping to Enhance Research in Oncology
Click here to view the "Could You be a Hero?" video
2008 HERO Recognition Breakfast
NMCCA's HERO program is available to educate the community, raise awareness about the role of clinical trials in cancer care and address health disparities in New Mexico by working to remove barriers to participation in the trials offered by our partners. Plus, through this program, we regularly honor cancer clinical trial participants with our HERO Recognition Breakfast. The last HERO Recognition Breakfast was held on April 3, 2009.
The keynote speaker was nationally known speaker and humorist, Dave Caperton. In his program ‘Healing Humor,’ Mr. Caperton taught both the patients and healthcare providers ways to use the healing power of compassionate humor and laughter to lower stress and to live every moment with purposeful joy.
Clinical Trial Insurance Bill
If you are considering participating in a clinical trial and wonder whether your insurance will cover the costs, please click here to read a copy of "Article 22 - Health Insurance Contracts, 59A-22-43 Required coverage of patient costs incurred in cancer clinical trials." If you have specific questions, you may need to contact your health insurance provider.
Other Helpful Organizations
NMCCA believes there are many useful local and national cancer organizations. All of them provide a large amount of cancer-related information. Some organizations focus on one tumor site or disease; others cover all or many tumor sites. Many have quality of life and other assistance programs for cancer patients and their families. Below are links to their web sites.
This list is not comprehensive, but representative of available organizations. If you know of other helpful local or national sites, please let us know by emailing us at info@nmcca.org.
Updated 11-4-09 |
