Mesothelioma clinical trials could be an option if you or someone you love is afflicted with mesothelioma. A mesothelioma clinical trial is a three phase process to obtain government approval for a drug to be used by volunteers that have mesothelioma. Your decision to enroll in a clinical trial will be based on your urgency to treat the cancer, your knowledge, and ultimately your feeling.
The reward of a clinical trial is that the patient has access to leading edge cancer therapy at no cost. You may be hoping that you might increase your chances of survival by accessing new technology.
The risk is that the technology is not proven and in the worst case scenario have absolutely no affect on the cancer. This would also use up valuable time in terms of treating the cancer with another therapy that might work.
Do your homework and make an informed decision. The answer will become clearer to you once you understand what the nature of the cancer is, and how all the standard and new alternative treatments work to destroy the cancer.
As you read about and understand how each treatment therapy works you will get a reaction to each one. For example, one person who has late stage III mesothelioma may read about chemotherapy and radiation and decide that the alternative treatments are too risky and would take too long. Their immediate reaction tells them that they would rather go with a standard treatment and the side effects that go along with them. Or another person diagnosed with Stage I mesothelioma might feel that chemotherapy and radiation therapy are too destructive to healthy cells and they have the time to explore gentler and more focused therapies. Follow your reaction and explore that avenue with the advice from your doctor.
If you do decide to proceed with a clinical trial, you might be faced with clinical trials that are in different stages of development. Phase I clinical trials involve a small number of volunteer cancer patients and is focused on the appropriate dosage and the safety of the treatment. Phase II clinical trials involve more volunteers and is focused on the effectiveness of the treatment on the cancer. Phase III clinical trials involve an even larger volunteer base that may expand to a national trial. The objective in this phase is to compare the effectiveness of the treatment to existing treatments. Phase III trials are obviously more advanced than Phase I trials and would provide a greater chance of success and a shorter time frame for treatment.
For the most comprehensive database of clinical trials around the world visit the National Cancer Institute for clinical trials at Mesothelioma Clinical Trials.
The reward of a clinical trial is that the patient has access to leading edge cancer therapy at no cost. You may be hoping that you might increase your chances of survival by accessing new technology.
The risk is that the technology is not proven and in the worst case scenario have absolutely no affect on the cancer. This would also use up valuable time in terms of treating the cancer with another therapy that might work.
Do your homework and make an informed decision. The answer will become clearer to you once you understand what the nature of the cancer is, and how all the standard and new alternative treatments work to destroy the cancer.
As you read about and understand how each treatment therapy works you will get a reaction to each one. For example, one person who has late stage III mesothelioma may read about chemotherapy and radiation and decide that the alternative treatments are too risky and would take too long. Their immediate reaction tells them that they would rather go with a standard treatment and the side effects that go along with them. Or another person diagnosed with Stage I mesothelioma might feel that chemotherapy and radiation therapy are too destructive to healthy cells and they have the time to explore gentler and more focused therapies. Follow your reaction and explore that avenue with the advice from your doctor.
If you do decide to proceed with a clinical trial, you might be faced with clinical trials that are in different stages of development. Phase I clinical trials involve a small number of volunteer cancer patients and is focused on the appropriate dosage and the safety of the treatment. Phase II clinical trials involve more volunteers and is focused on the effectiveness of the treatment on the cancer. Phase III clinical trials involve an even larger volunteer base that may expand to a national trial. The objective in this phase is to compare the effectiveness of the treatment to existing treatments. Phase III trials are obviously more advanced than Phase I trials and would provide a greater chance of success and a shorter time frame for treatment.
For the most comprehensive database of clinical trials around the world visit the National Cancer Institute for clinical trials at Mesothelioma Clinical Trials.
Recent clinical trials of interest:
Zolinza (Vorinostat) Phase III clinical trial - Epigenetic approach using chemotherapy.
