Clinical Trials
Access the Latest Medical Breakthroughs with Clinical Trials
New Jersey Cancer Care has a robust clinical research department. If you are a New Jersey Cancer Care patient,you may be eligible to participate in an innovative clinical trial, including:
Prevention Trials
Prevention of cancer or its recurrence. This trial might focus on the use of vitamins, different medications or a change in diet or exercise to determine if the risk of developing cancer is lowered.
Screening Trials
For the identification and detection of cancer in people who do not exhibit symptoms of cancer.
Diagnostic Trials
To determine how to identify cancers using new tests. Often, these trials involve participants who show signs or symptoms of a particular cancer.
Treatment Trials
Designed to answer questions about new treatments, such as drugs, surgical procedures, vaccines, or therapies. They involve current cancer patients.
How Research Leads to Cancer Treatment
Today’s cancer treatments have all gone through an extremely rigorous four-step testing process. This process is universal for all cancer treatments in the United States. In some cases, it leads to breakthrough drugs or therapies; other therapies are not approved for patient care.
After a new drug that shows promise for patients is developed in a lab, clinical trials begin to determine how effective and safe it is for humans. More patients are involved in the later phases of the trials.
Clinical trials are conducted in four phases and, in some cases, lead to breakthrough drugs or therapies.
Phase I
Determines the dosage safety of a drug, the delivery method, and dosage frequency.
(Approx. 15-50 participants)
Phase II
Examines the effectiveness of the treatment.
(Approx. 25-100 participants)
Phase III
Compares a new drug or intervention with the current available treatment using randomly selected patients. (Approx. several hundred to several thousand people)
After a treatment passes Phase III, it is submitted for approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Once the treatment is FDA approved, it is made available for commercial use.
Phase IV
Examines the safety and effectiveness of a treatment over a longer period of time and among a wider patient population.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you are interested in a clinical trial, check out our frequently asked questions to learn more about participating.
A clinical trial is a research study examining how patients respond to different treatments for various types of cancer. Studies address their challenges using the scientific method to identify new or better ways to treat, diagnose, and prevent cancer-related diseases.
Participation in a clinical trial depends on the type of trial.
- Prevention trials need volunteers who want to prevent cancer or a recurrence.
- Screening trials need participants who show no signs of cancer.
- Diagnostic trials enroll participants who show signs or symptoms of cancer.
- Treatment trials enroll current cancer patients.
Patients currently receiving treatment must meet specific criteria to be enrolled in a clinical trial including age, gender, cancer type, stage of cancer, previous treatments, current medications, lab results and history of cancer.
Most clinical trials test newly developed drug therapies, new combinations of drug therapies, or new ways of using existing drugs. Trials may also study new or different technologies for treating cancer.
No. A clinical trial may also test new combinations of drug therapies, or new technologies for treating cancer. Trials studying medications may focus on new drugs or different ways of using existing drugs.
The vast majority of participants in clinical trials receive either the current standard of treatment or the clinical therapy being studied. Placebos are only used in clinical trials when no other proven treatment for cancer exists. If a proven treatment is available, it is unethical to give a placebo to clinical trial participants. When another proven treatment exists, trials compare the new treatment to the current standard treatment.
Participating in a clinical trial is a personal decision, and you should discuss the risks and benefits with your physician. You may experience unpleasant or serious side effects; treatments may not be effective and the trial may require more time than the standard treatment. However, participating in a clinical trial allows you to be actively involved in your healthcare, access new treatments and expert medical care, and help further medical research.
Your participation in a clinical trial is voluntary. You may leave the trial at any time, but you should consult your physician first to discuss your options, as well as how leaving the trial may impact your health. If you choose to leave a clinical trial, your healthcare team may want to monitor you to check for long-term effects of treatment.
