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Monday, June 8, 2009
Analyzing Mesothelioma Clinical Trials
Who conducts mesothelioma clinical trials?
Mesothelioma trials are conducted to study and experiment on the effectiveness of the new drugs and treatments invented for mesothelioma. The cancer institutes, research centers and hospitals mostly conduct these trials. Doctors, private organizations and others fund them. Certain pharmaceutical companies and drug manufacturers also conduct and fund mesothelioma clinical trials. They do this because they want volunteers to test their new drugs.
How to find mesothelioma clinical trials?
The advertisement for clinical trials appears in cancer centers, newspapers and magazines. Many people enlist for the clinical trials out of their own will. They speak cancer research centers and doctors and express their wish to volunteer for clinical trial. These people do so because they want to help other cancer patients who suffer like them. However, apart from all this, the best place to check out about clinical trials is online. Lots of websites gives information about the trials taking place and how volunteers can participate in them.
What are the phases of mesothelioma clinical trials?
Mesothelioma clinical trials are normally done in three phases:
1) Phase I trial: This trial involves only very few people. It is used to test the effectiveness of the new drugs or new type of treatment.
2) Phase II trial: This trial involves a larger group of subjects. The drug’s side effects, safety, dosage and effectiveness are tested using this trial.
3) Phase III trial: This trial involves a huge amount of people from various cancer treatment Centers simultaneously. This is a comparative trial in which the new medicine or type of treatment is compared to the existing ones. The comparative risks, benefits and effectiveness are analyzed.
What are the benefits of mesothelioma clinical trials?
There are many benefits of taking part in a mesothelioma clinical trial. Some of these benefits are listed below:
1) The patients who participate in mesothelioma clinical trials have easy access to the latest drugs and treatments that have been invented. These are not available for the other non-participants.
2) Normally, the new drugs and treatments are invented after much research and experiments. So, they are more effective and work well than the current drugs and treatments. So, the volunteers would highly benefit from these new drugs and treatments.
3) The medical research personnel and doctors consider a participant in a mesothelioma clinical trial a very special person. So, the volunteer gets lots of special and close medical attention on all aspects of the treatment.
4) Every clinical trial helps medical science advance one more step. This will define the medicines and treatments of the future. The destiny of millions depends on these advancements.
5) The volunteers for mesothelioma clinical trials are contributing to a huge social cause. It is because of them that many find their life during the disease more comfortable. The above are the various benefits for volunteers taking part in mesothelioma clinical trials.
What are the risks involved in participating in a mesothelioma clinical trial?
A mesothelioma clinical trial is only an experimental study of new drugs and new types of treatments. These may be advantageous or disadvantageous. The main risks associated with taking part in a mesothelioma clinical trial are as follows:
1) The new medicine or new method of treatment may not be better than the current one. Sometimes, it may even worsen the condition.
2) Mostly, medical researchers and doctors are not aware of the exact side effects and consequences of the new medicines or types of treatment invented by them. So, there may also arise to be risky side effects because of the clinical trial.
3) The clinical trial treatments may not be covered by health insurance. So, It is always better to find out about this before going in for the mesothelioma clinical trial.
4) A clinical trial involves much more interaction between the doctor and the patient. So, the patient will have to go to the hospital more often. These frequent visits may be tiresome and irritating during an uncomfortable illness like mesothelioma.
5) If the patient gives a complete free hand to the doctors and researchers, then they may not have any choice in the treatment, which they will receive. This may be difficult and risky for the patient.
What is the eligibility to participate in a mesothelioma clinical trial?
Normally, there is no specific eligibility to participate in a mesothelioma clinical trial. However, sometimes there may be certain conditions that may be imposed for participating in a mesothelioma clinical trial. These are as follows:
1) Some studies may want only first-time Volunteers. Others may permit even those who have been in other studies previously.
2) Some Studies may be random, giving no choice to the patients about the type of treatment they may receive. Others may be more specific about giving a choice to the patients.
3) Sometimes, some studies may focus on only one particular type of mesothelioma. Thus, other patients suffering from other types of mesothelioma are not eligible for such studies. For instance, a person suffering from pleural mesothelioma (mesothelioma originating from the lungs) is not eligible to participate in a study involving peritoneal mesothelioma (mesothelioma originating from the abdomen).
4) Some studies may require a person in a particular stage of cancer. Thus, others become ineligible for that study For instance, a person in the second stage of cancer becomes ineligible for a study Involving persons in the fourth stage of cancer.
5) Some studies may specifically require people of a particular sex or of a particular age group.
6) Some studies may require people of a particular background. For instance, people who are smokers or people who have worked in asbestos industries or so on.
What are the types of mesothelioma clinical trials?
There are various types of mesothelioma clinical trials. Some of them are listed below:
Prevention Trials:
These trials are directed towards finding out a way to avoid the occurrence of mesothelioma. These studies use people who do not have mesothelioma or people who have had it but now the cancer is in remission. They try to find out ways to prevent recurrence.
Screening Trials:
These trials are conducted to study whether the diagnosis and discovery of cancer is effective. People who are cancer free but have factors, which predispose them to cancer, participate in this trial.
Diagnostic Trials:
These are trials, which study about the diagnostic procedures and test their effectiveness. Patients who show symptoms of mesothelioma can participate in this trial.
Treatment Trials:
This trial tests the effectiveness of new types of treatments and the various new drugs. Volunteers for this type of trial are patients with mesothelioma.
Quality of Life Trials:
Trials conducted to try and improve the quality of life of mesothelioma patients are called Quality of life trials. These trials are focused about trying to reduce the discomfort and symptoms associated with mesothelioma.
Genetics studies:
These Studies are about the way in which genetics affect the way mesothelioma is diagnosed and treated.
What should every volunteer do before participating in a mesothelioma clinical trial?
Everyone who wants to participate in a Mesothelioma clinical trial should
1) Talk to their doctor about their desire and seek his advice,
2) Check whether they are eligible to participate in this trial,
3) Decide on the amount of freedom they want to give their researcher and
4) Decide on the type of trial they want to participate in.
posted by Andrew at
11:18 AM
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