| cal trials for new mesothelioma treatments give hope | | | | 2- Selection criteria for the trial |
| for the discovery of a possible cure for the deadly | | | | Not everyone qualifies for a clinical trial ,the criteria |
| cancer. Mesothelioma is an aggressive form of | | | | for selection for a particular drug trial varies. Some |
| asbestos related cancer with a very high mortality | | | | clinical trials will want patients that have tried using |
| rate, most victims die within 1-2 years after the | | | | some other medication which did not work, while |
| diagnosis. The patients currently involved in | | | | other clinical trials require that the participating |
| mesothelioma clinical trials will hopefully lead to the | | | | patients have not started any treatment for their |
| discovery of better and more efficient ways of | | | | disease. |
| treating the disease. Consulting with a physician about | | | | 3- The risk factor |
| various available clinical trials should be considered at | | | | Another factor when considering a clinical trial is the |
| the initial diagnosis. | | | | loss of control over medical treatment. In some |
| A clinical trial is a process that new treatment options | | | | clinical trials, referred to as randomized studies, |
| and medications pass through before they are | | | | patients receive the traditional treatment while others |
| approved for use by the general population. Many | | | | receive the experimental treatment. The patient does |
| patients with terminal diseases are advised to | | | | not choose which treatment they receive, nor do |
| participate in clinical trials as a last hope for a cure. | | | | they likely know what treatment is being |
| Many drugs and therapies that become the standard | | | | administered. There is no guarantee that a participant |
| therapy of care for many diseases have gone | | | | will receive the experimental treatment. There is |
| through an extensive period of testing with clinical | | | | always a risk involved in using experimental drugs and |
| trials before they were approved for general use. | | | | treatments, they might have unknown side effects |
| Factors to Consider Before Taking Part in a Clinical | | | | that will only show up when they are used by human |
| Trial There are a variety of factors to take into | | | | beings. |
| consideration when considering participation in a clinical | | | | 4- General state of health of the patient |
| trial. | | | | A patient's general health is also a major consideration |
| 1- The distance to the trial center and the financial | | | | when preparing to participate in a clinical trial. Patients |
| implications of taking part in the clinical trial | | | | with other pre-existing medical disease will not be |
| Clinical trials most times take place in large | | | | allowed to participate in most clinical trials as well as |
| metropolitan hospitals located in the major cities, | | | | patients on other major medications. The presence |
| some of the patients however live in smaller towns | | | | of other medical diseases might affect the accuracy |
| far from these major cities. It is important to know | | | | and reliability of the results of the clinical trials. Some |
| how often participants will need to see the physicians | | | | of those other major medications might also interact |
| coordinating the trials and how long each visit will | | | | negatively with the actions of the drugs that are on |
| take, and how much the hotel and travel expenses | | | | trial. |
| will likely cost. | | | | |