Note - this is the old version of the guide.. click HERE for the current version!
Clinical Trials
For an introduction to and explanation of clinical trials, go to Terry
Armstrong's clinical trials summary.
Why should you do a clinical trial?
For some types of brain tumors, such as juvenile pilocytic astrocytoma, there are effective, if not perfectly curative,
treatments. However, for many types of brain tumors, there is no effective treatment. Clinical trials are the best, and maybe
only, way for you to get access to the newest treatments. Moreover, the only way for knowledge to be advanced and to
move closer to an ultimate treatment is for people to volunteer for well-designed experiments.
When should you do a clinical trial?
Deciding when to enter a clinical trial is a personal and individual decision that must be made between you and your
doctor. Many patients and doctors prefer to try current treatments first and wait for a recurrence before entering clinical trials.
Other people want to go straight into clinical trials as soon as posisble.
Both strategies are reasonable depending on your diagnosis and personality. If you choose to wait, discuss with your doctor what
signs you should watch for and when you will begin treatment. Many clinical trials require a minimum performance level or a certain amount of stabilization,
often two weeks without increasing steroid dose. You don't want to wait so long that you are ineligible for any trials.
How do you assess a clinical trial?
The best way to decide whether a clinical trial is right for you is to talk to doctors. Speak to your doctor, the doctor in
charge of the trial, and other doctors you got second opinions from. Some good questions to ask can be found at the ABTA website. It is also sometimes useful to ask "If this were your
son/daughter/wife/husband/mother/father, would you do this trial?" It is especially important to ask a doctor recommending
against a trial why not and what he or she would do instead.
How do you find clinical trials?
The Virtual Trials list of clinical trials is at http://www.virtualtrials.com/mmenu.cfm.
Other lists can be found at the National Cancer Institute or Oncolink.
Last Updated: 6/5/00
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