Research - clinical trials for oesophageal cancer

Cancer research trials are carried out to try to find new and better treatments for cancer. Trials that are carried out on patients are known as clinical trials. These may be carried out to:

• test new treatments, such as new chemotherapy 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 to reduce side effects
• compare the effectiveness of drugs used to control symptoms
• find out how cancer treatments work
• see which treatments are the most cost-effective.

Trials are the only reliable way to find out whether a different operation, type of chemotherapy, radiotherapy or other treatment is better than what’s already available.

Taking part in a trial

You may be asked to take part in a treatment research trial. 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 not to be as good as 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 won’t have to give a reason. However, it can help to let the staff know your concerns so that they can give you the best advice. There will be no change in the way that you’re treated by the hospital staff, and you’ll be offered the standard treatment for your situation.

Blood, bone marrow and tumour samples

Blood, bone marrow or 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’re taking part in a trial you may also be asked to give other samples, which may be frozen and stored for future use, when new research techniques become available. These samples will have your name removed from them so you can’t be identified.

The research may be carried out at the hospital where you’re treated, or at another one. This type of research takes a long time, and research may not be available for many years.

The samples will, however, be used to increase knowledge about the causes of cancer and its treatment. This research will hopefully improve the outlook for future patients.

Current research

There are several research trials in progress looking at the treatment of oesophageal cancer. Your cancer specialist will be able to tell you more about these trials. Our section on clinical trials| has links to clinical trials databases, with details of research trials.