| For many people the very word cancer conjures up | | | | of the drug in humans. Side effects will also be noted. |
| images of an incurable disease, possibly one that is | | | | The 70% of drugs that pass this phase move onto |
| terminal. Worse still it is commonly believed that | | | | Phase 2. |
| many of the treatments for cancer are almost as | | | | Phase 2 studies will test for the effectiveness of the |
| bad as the disease itself. The most often applied | | | | medication in treating what it is designed to treat. In |
| medical interventions include medications, | | | | these studies generally a portion of the participants |
| chemotherapy, radiation treatments and surgeries. | | | | will be given the real drug while the rest receive a |
| While cancer is nothing that any of us wish to have | | | | placebo. Only about 1/3 of drugs make it through this |
| to face it is important to know that there are many | | | | phase of testing. |
| treatment options available and that at any time | | | | Phase 3 testing involves a much larger group of |
| there are also a significant number of clinical trials that | | | | patients and continues testing for safety, side |
| are going on that are working on developing | | | | effects and effectiveness of the medication. This |
| promising new treatments for the disease. | | | | phase of testing often lasts for many years. If a |
| When medications or other treatments are | | | | drug successfully passes through these three stages |
| developed there is a long process before the Food | | | | a pharmaceutical company may then apply to the |
| and Drug Administration (FDA) releases the | | | | Food and Drug Administration for approval. Clinical |
| treatment or drug to the general public. Strict laws | | | | trials can be a wonderful opportunity for patients to |
| govern the testing and development phases to insure | | | | get innovative new treatments that might not |
| the safety of the consumer. Before any new | | | | otherwise be available. However one must weigh the |
| medication or medical technique can be tested on | | | | potential benefits against the risks. |
| humans in clinical research trials it will first be tested | | | | First of all patients participating in a Phase 2 study are |
| on animals and with other lab techniques. These | | | | not guaranteed to even receive the medication but |
| techniques can include in-vitro and tissue testing, | | | | may be part of the placebo group. In this case, they |
| among other methods. Many potential treatments | | | | will not benefit from the trial, except through |
| never make it past this stage for a variety of | | | | knowing that they are helping to get a new |
| reasons. | | | | treatment out to others who may benefit from it. |
| Those that do, however, will be slated for a clinical | | | | Additionally, because these medications have not yet |
| research trial. Clinical research trials involve human | | | | been approved by the FDA there is, of course, a risk |
| participants who are willing to be given an | | | | of side effects. |
| experimental treatment. The hope is that not only will | | | | These side effects may not show up immediately as |
| the trial participants benefit from this treatment but | | | | it is often years after a drug is released into the |
| that it will be successful and consequently benefit | | | | market before some of them are seen. For cancer |
| untold numbers of other patients in the future. There | | | | patients for whom currently available treatments are |
| are three different phases of clinical research testing. | | | | not working, however, a clinical trial may offer a |
| In Phase 1 the new drug is administered to a very | | | | better chance of recovery. |
| small number of people in order to assess the safety | | | | |