- PDQ Cancer Information Summaries
-
PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry
- PDQ
Cancer Genetics Services Directory
PDQ (Physician Data Query) is NCI's comprehensive cancer database. It contains
peer-reviewed summaries on cancer treatment, screening, prevention, genetics,
and supportive care, and complementary and alternative medicine; a registry of
more than 6,000 open and 17,000 closed cancer clinical trials from around
the world; and a directory of professionals who provide genetics services.
The PDQ cancer information summaries are peer reviewed and updated monthly by
six
editorial boards
comprised of specialists in adult treatment, pediatric treatment, supportive
care, screening and prevention, genetics, and complementary and alternative
medicine. The Boards review current literature from more than 70 biomedical
journals, evaluate its relevance, and synthesize it into clear summaries. Many
of the summaries are also available in Spanish.
Adult treatment summaries:
PDQ contains evidence-based summaries that provide prognostic and treatment
information on the major types of cancer in adults. Summaries are available for
over 70 types of cancer, including a number of brief summaries on less common
cancers. Health professional versions of the summaries provide detailed
information on prognosis, staging, and treatment for each disease, refer to key
citations in the literature, and link to abstracts for the citations. The PDQ
adult treatment summaries are also available in patient versions, written in
easy-to-understand, non-technical language.
Pediatric treatment summaries:
PDQ contains prognostic and treatment information on the major types of cancer
in children, as well as information on unusual childhood cancers. Health
professional versions of the summaries provide detailed information on
prognosis, staging, and treatment for each disease, refer to key citations in
the literature, and link to abstracts for the citations. All of the PDQ
pediatric treatment summaries are also available in patient versions, written
in easy-to-understand, non-technical language.
Supportive and palliative
care summaries:
PDQ's supportive and palliative care summaries provide descriptions of the pathophysiology and
treatment of common physical and psychosocial complications of cancer and its
treatment, such as pain, hypercalcemia, and nausea/vomiting. Each health
professional version generally contains an overview, information on etiology,
assessment and management, and references to the current literature. Most PDQ
supportive and palliative care summaries are also available in patient versions, written in
easy-to-understand, non-technical language.
Screening/detection
summaries:
Summaries on screening/detection for many of the common cancers such as lung,
colorectal, breast, and prostate, as well as other cancers, are available. The
health professional-oriented summaries contain current data concerning
screening/detection for particular disease sites, the levels of evidence for
those statements, and the significance and evidence of benefit for the
statements, which include supporting references to current literature. Most PDQ
screening/detection summaries are also available in patient versions, written
in easy-to-understand, non-technical language.
Prevention
summaries:
Summaries on prevention for many of the common cancers such as lung,
colorectal, breast, and prostate, as well as other cancers, are available.
Health professional versions of the summaries contain current data concerning
prevention for particular disease sites, the levels of evidence for those
statements, and the significance and evidence of benefit for the statements.
Supporting references to current literature are included. Most PDQ prevention
summaries are also available in patient versions, written in
easy-to-understand, non-technical language.
Genetics
summaries:
PDQ genetics summaries provide evidence-based information about the genetic
basis of certain cancers. Information is given about risk factors related to
family history, major genes and syndromes associated with the disease,
interventions specific to individuals at high risk, and the ethical, legal, and
social issues related to cancer risk counseling and gene testing. An overview
of cancer genetics and summaries on the genetics of breast and ovarian cancer,
colorectal cancer, medullary thyroid cancer, and prostate cancer are currently
available. A summary covering the elements of cancer risk assessment and
counseling is also available.
Complementary
and alternative medicine summaries:
The treatments described in these summaries are generally not disease specific. The health professional versions of the summaries contain background information about the treatments; a brief history of their development; information about their proposed mechanism(s) of action; and information about relevant laboratory, animal, and clinical studies. They also are written using language for non-experts and include glossary links to scientific terms. Most of the summaries also are available in a patient version that is written in a question-and-answer format and includes links to definitions of scientific terms. In the future, summaries will be written about complementary and alternative medicine approaches to cancer prevention.
PDQ includes the world's most comprehensive cancer clinical trials registry. The registry contains more than 6,000 abstracts of clinical trial protocols that are open/active and approved for patient accrual (accepting patients), including trials for cancer treatment, genetics, diagnosis, supportive care, screening, and prevention. In addition, the registry contains more than 17,000 abstracts of clinical trial protocols that have been completed or are closed to patient accrual.
PDQ includes most clinical trials sponsored by NCI. It also contains many clinical trials sponsored by pharmaceutical companies, medical centers, and other groups from around the world. It includes all cancer clinical trials that are registered under requirements specified by Public Law 110-85, Title VIII (Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act, 2007) and requirements set forth by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).
To help ensure the comprehensiveness of the registry, PDQ and NIH's ClinicalTrials.gov database regularly exchange clinical trial information. Cancer trials registered in PDQ will automatically be registered in ClinicalTrials.gov and vice versa.
Protocol abstracts in PDQ are written in two formats, the health professional abstract (uses technical terminology) and the patient abstract (uses non-technical language). However, some trials (obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov) contain the same text in both the patient and health professional abstracts.
Searching for clinical trials
NCI's PDQ clinical trials registry can be searched using a basic
search form that allows selection of a type of cancer, stage/subtype, type of
trial, and location. It is also possible to search for trials using additional
criteria such as type of treatment/intervention, drug name, phase of trial, or
a combination of these and other variables by using an
advanced search form. Help links at the top of each clinical trials
search form lead to more information and tips about searching for clinical
trials.
Registering clinical trials with PDQ
Submission
Instructions and a portal
for online submission
of protocols to PDQ are available on NCI's Web site.
Additional information about clinical trials
For more information and news about clinical trials, please visit the
Clinical Trials area
of NCI's Web site.
PDQ's
Cancer Genetics Services Directory
is a directory of about 500 individuals who provide services related to cancer genetics (cancer risk assessment, genetic counseling, genetic susceptibility testing, and others).
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