The Promise of Cancer Research
Doctors all over the country are
conducting many types of clinical trials. These are research studies in which
people take part voluntarily. Studies include
new ways to treat melanomas. Research
already has led to advances, and researchers continue to search for more
effective approaches.
Patients who join these studies
have the first chance to benefit from treatments that have shown promise in
earlier research. They also make an
important contribution to medical science by helping doctors learn more about
the disease. Although clinical trials
may pose some risks, researchers take very careful steps to protect their
patients.
Researchers are testing new anticancer drugs. They are looking at combining
chemotherapy with radiation therapy. Other studies are combining chemotherapy
with biological therapy. Scientists also are studying several cancer
vaccines and a type of
gene therapy designed to help
the immune system kill cancer cells.
Patients who are interested in being part of a clinical
trial should talk with their doctor. They may want to read the NCI booklet Taking Part in Cancer Treatment Research Studies. It explains how clinical trials are carried out and explains their possible benefits and risks. NCI’s Web site
includes a section on clinical trials at
http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials.
This section of the Web site provides
general information about clinical trials.
It also offers detailed information about ongoing studies of melanoma
treatment by linking to PDQ®, a cancer information database developed
by the NCI. The Cancer Information Service at
1-800-4-CANCER can answer questions and provide information
from the PDQ database.
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