Question

Once researchers learn about some aspect of cancer or its treatment, clinical trials are needed to test out any proposed use in humans. What are some of the kinds of clinical trials going on for cancer? Go to the National Cancer Institute's website and look at their web page with the title Search for Clinical Trials. Select a form of cancer and look for clinical trials near you. Pick one of the trials that is currently open to new participants. Explain who is participating and what is the trial testing, Who is excluded from participation? What phase of trial is this study and what are they mainly trying to find out? Write a short paper responding to these questions.

Answer 1

What are some of the kinds of clinical trials going on for cancer?

There are several kinds of clinical trials each of one with different purpose, for example the treatment trials are for testing new treatments in sick cancer people. Prevention trials are for people that are in high risk of developing cancer. This studies look for ways to reduce that risk.

The goal of cancer screening trials is to test new ways to find disease early, when it may be more easily treated. An effective screening test will reduce the number of deaths from the cancer being screened. And finally palliative care trials look at ways to improve the quality of life of cancer patients, especially those who have side effects from cancer and its treatment.

Go to the National Cancer Institute's website and look at their web page with the title Search for Clinical Trials. Select a form of cancer and look for clinical trials near you.

I chose colon cancer trial near Dallas, Texas.

Pick one of the trials that is currently open to new participants.

The clinical trial is titled Eflornithine and / or Sulindac in Preventing Recurrence of High-Risk Adenomas and Second Primary Disease in Patients with Stage 0-III Colon or Rectal Cancer

Explain who is participating and what is the trial testing,

Patients must have a history of stage 0, I, II or III colon or rectal adenocarcinoma that has been treated per standard care with resection alone or in combination with radiation or chemotherapy

The main objective of the trial testing is to assess whether the combination of eflornithine and sulindac is effective in reducing the three-year event rate (high-risk adenomas and second primary colorectal cancers) in patients with previously treated stage 0-III colon or rectal cancer.

Who is excluded from participation?

Patients that have received total proctocolectomy are ineligible

What phase of trial is this study and what are they mainly trying to find out?

This prevention trial study is in phase III and they are comparing how well effornithine functions compared to sulindac in preventing the recurrence of high-risk adenomas in patients with stage 0-III colon or rectal cancer