These involve trials looking at new drugs or treatments for cancer. When we talk about treatments in this information, we are including:
- any cancer treatment, such as radiotherapy or surgery
- any cancer drugs, including chemotherapy, hormonal therapies, targeted therapies and immunotherapy drugs.
Cancer treatment trials may be done to:
- test a new treatment, to find out if it is better than the current treatment used
- look at ways of combining treatments to see if this works better
- test new drugs to find out if they are safe or have side effects
- improve the way treatments are given, to reduce side effects
- find which treatments have fewer side effects and the least effect on your day-to-day life
- compare how different drugs help control symptoms.
A trial may aim to find out if a treatment:
- helps people live for longer (improves survival)
- reduces treatment side effects
- helps control the symptoms of cancer
- helps improve your well-being or quality of life.