New methods of cancer detection, prevention and treatment must prove safe and effective before they can be made widely available. The PDQ protocol file contains summaries of treatments being given to cancer patients in organized clinical research programs called clinical trials . The file contains two summaries on the design of clinical trials, one for health professionals and one for patients and families. The summaries describe what clinical trials are, what their objectives are and how they are performed, and also discuss biomedical, ethical and other concerns.
There are many kinds of clinical trials. They range from studies of new methods to prevent, detect, diagnose, control and treat cancer to studies of the psychological impact of the disease and of new ways to improve a patient's comfort and quality of life. More than 1,500 clinical trials open to patient participation are summarized in PDQ's protocol file. Each clinical trial in PDQ is designed to answer specific research questions and to find new and better ways to help cancer patients.
All of the clinical trials supported by NCI are listed in the PDQ protocol file. Clinical trials being performed with other sources of support can be voluntarily submitted by the doctors performing them and are listed in PDQ following approval by the cancer specialists on the PDQ Editorial Board. The NCI invites doctors to submit their cancer treatment protocols to PDQ.
Finding an Appropriate Clinical Trial New treatments often use surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and biological therapy alone or in combination with one another. The clinical trials in PDQ are classified by:
• the research goal (prevention, detection, treatment or management of complications);
