Studies that test the safety and effectiveness of new drugs or procedures, are called clinical trials. Patients volunteer to participate in these studies, and medical professionals gain valuable information from the results.

One of the best ways to test new methods to diagnose, treat, manage, and prevent cancer is through clinical trials. Standard treatments used today would not be available if they had not first gone through the clinical trial process. Through clinical trials, researchers have discovered less invasive surgical techniques, drugs with fewer side effects and treatments that improve patient outcomes.

Clinical trials add to medical knowledge and contribute to better cancer care worldwide, and they’re available for various stages and types of cancer. Although there’s no guarantee of the outcome, the method or treatment being tested is under study because it may provide advantages over the current standard.