What are clinical trials?

Breast cancer treatments are highly

effective, which is one reason why the National Cancer Institute can report that the five-year survival rate for non-metastatic breast cancer is 90 percent. However, in certain situations, doctors may feel that the existing standard for breast cancer treatment may not be enough to help women overcome their disease. In such instances, doctors may discuss clinical trials with women battling breast cancer. The American Cancer Society defines clinical trials as research studies in which people volunteer to help doctors find ways to prevent or treat disease. The National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc.¨ points out that all current

standards of treatment began as clinical trials. However, that does not mean women diagnosed with breast cancer should automatically sign up to participate in clinical trials. There are pros and cons to participating in clinical trials, and breast cancer patients can speak with their medical teams about the advantages and disadvantages of each trial they’re considering. One myth worth dispelling is that clinical trials are only an option for people who have been diagnosed with advanced stage cancer. In fact, the NCI notes that clinical trials are available for all stages of cancer. A database of Nci-supported clinical trials can be found at https:// www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/clinical-trials/search.