Cancer And Clinical Trials

Latest studies show that mortality caused by cancer has been declining, and death rates from all types of cancers combined, has dropped considerably from 1993 to our days. These results indicate a progress in prevention and early detection of cancer. To participate in a clinical trial is a very important and personal decision. It is very helpful to talk to your physician and also to your family about your thoughts of participating in a clinical trial. Once you identify the trial options, you must contact the research institute and ask all the questions you may have related to your case. To participate in a clinical trial you must qualify in their guidelines, which is called Inclusion Criteria. This criteria is based on the following factors: your age, gender, your previous treatment history, other medical conditions you may have, and the type and stage of your disease. Some of these research institutes are looking for patients on their advanced stage of cancer and other are looking for healthy participants. Clinical Trials will engage more doctor visits and more tests than what it would normally be for a patient under a regular treatment. You may find an excellent source of cancer information at: www.cancernewsandi nformation.com To learn, and to get tons of information is the key of getting the right clinical trial. If your native language is not English, do not worry you will have translation assistance provided by the research institute. Read everything you receive from them and get a full understanding of what will be the process, before you take a decision. You must understand that clinical trials have some risks, such as: some serious or even life-threatening side effects - It may be unpleasant - some experimental treatment may not be effective for some patients - it may implicate hospital stays or continuous trips to the study site. On the other hand, the benefits of participating in a clinical trial the fact that you will get access to a new research treatment before this one is available to others - you will help others by contributing to medical research and also you will have access to expert medical care and advanced health care facilities during the process.