National Cancer Institute
U.S. National Institutes of Health | www.cancer.gov

NCI Home
Cancer Topics
Clinical Trials
Cancer Statistics
Research & Funding
News
About NCI
Help Using the Basic Clinical Trial Search Form



How to Find Clinical Trials Using this Search Form






Helpful Hints to Prepare Your Search






Help With Your Clinical Trials Search Results






About Your Search Results






How To Get Help From an Information Specialist



Page Options
Print This Page
Print This Document
View Entire Document
E-Mail This Document
Quick Links
Director's Corner

Dictionary of Cancer Terms

NCI Drug Dictionary

Funding Opportunities

NCI Publications

Advisory Boards and Groups

Science Serving People

Español
NCI Highlights
High Dose Chemotherapy Prolongs Survival for Leukemia

Prostate Cancer Study Shows No Benefit for Selenium, Vitamin E

Past Highlights
Related Pages
How to Find a Cancer Treatment Trial
This guide will help you to learn about cancer treatment trials that are of potential benefit to you and to decide whether to participate in a particular trial.
How to Find Clinical Trials Using the Basic Search Form

Type of Cancer
Stage/Subtype of Cancer
Type of Trial
Location of Trial


Screenshot of basic search form

The basic search form allows you to choose from the following four search criteria to create your search.

Type of Cancer

Use this list to choose the type of cancer being studied in a clinical trial(s). For example:

  • Breast cancer
  • Cervical cancer
  • Brain tumor, adult
  • Leukemia, chronic lymphocytic (CLL)

Stage/Subtype of Cancer

After you select a type of cancer, this list will show you the stages/subtypes for the selected cancer. The stage of cancer is the extent of cancer within the body. You may select one or more stages/subtypes. If you don't know the stage or subtype of cancer, choose "All." For example if you select adult brain tumor for type of cancer, you will see multiple subtypes available for selection, such as:
  • Adult anaplastic astrocytoma
  • Adult anaplastic meningioma
  • Adult anaplastic oligodendroglioma

Type of Trial

Use this list to choose the type of trial. You have the option to choose from 6 types of trials and you may select one or more types or "All." For example:

  • Treatment trials study potential anticancer treatments, their safety, and their effectiveness.
  • Screening trials check for disease when there are no symptoms.
  • Genetic trials study the genetic factors that may influence the development of cancer or the response to cancer treatment.
  • Supportive care trials study treatments to prevent, control, or relieve complications and side effects and to improve patients' comfort and quality of life.
  • Prevention trials study methods of preventing disease.
  • Diagnostic trials evaluate methods of detecting disease.

Location of Trial

Enter either your ZIP Code to search for trials in your area or the ZIP Code of another area of interest. The searches are automatically limited to within 20 miles of the ZIP Code that you enter. To widen the search area use the drop down list to select choices between 0 and 500 miles. For example:

  • If the ZIP code in your area is 44505 and you are willing to travel up to 50 miles to participate in a trial, then you would enter your ZIP Code and select 50 miles from the list.

If you don't know the ZIP Code, use the link to "ZIP Code Lookup" which pops up a page from the U.S. Postal Service Web site. Find the ZIP Code by entering the address and copy it from the pop up window into the form.

To limit your search to clinical trials being conducted at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), check the box for "Only trials at the NIH Clinical Center (Bethesda, Md.)."

Back to Top

Next Section >


A Service of the National Cancer Institute
Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health USA.gov