Research - clinical trials for non-small cell lung cancer

Clinical trials may be carried out to:

• test new treatments such as new drugs, gene therapy or cancer vaccines
• look at new combinations of existing treatments, or change the way they are given, to make them more effective or reduce side effects
• compare the effectiveness of drugs used to control symptoms
• find out how cancer treatments work
• find out which treatments are the most cost-effective.

Trials are the only reliable way to find out if a different type of surgery, biological therapy,  radiotherapy or other treatment is better than what is already available.

Taking part in a trial Back to top

You may be asked to take part in a treatment research trial, and there can be many benefits in doing this. Trials help to improve knowledge about cancer and develop new treatments.

You will be carefully monitored during and after the study. Usually, several hospitals around the country take part in these trials. It’s important to bear in mind that some treatments that look promising at first are often later found to be less effective than existing treatments, or to have side effects that outweigh the benefits.

If you decide not to take part in a trial, your decision will be respected and you do not have to give a reason. There will be no change in the way you are treated by the hospital staff and you’ll be offered the standard treatment for your situation.

Blood and tumour samples Back to top

Blood and tumour samples may be taken to help make the right diagnosis. You may be asked for your permission to use some of your samples for research into cancer. If you take part in a trial you may also give other samples, which may be frozen and stored for future use when new research techniques become available. Your name will be removed from the samples so you can’t be identified.

The research may be carried out at the hospital where you are treated, or at another one. This type of research takes a long time, and results may not be available for many years. The samples will be used to increase knowledge about the causes of cancer and its treatment, which will hopefully improve the outlook for future patients.

Current research Back to top

There are lots of trials involving people with lung cancer. There are trials looking at how to diagnose lung cancer earlier. Some are looking at giving different combinations of chemotherapy drugs, or giving chemotherapy in combination with a biological therapy drug.

Other trials are looking at different doses of chemotherapy drugs and the use of anti-angiogenesis drugs, which help to stop cancer cells developing a blood supply. Different radiotherapy treatments are also being researched. There are also trials looking at new ways of improving symptoms, such as breathlessness| or coughing.

We have more information about current clinical trial| databases.