Listen to A. Craig Lockhart, MD, MHS, discuss the importance of clinical trials in a Cancer Connection podcast.

Each clinical trial has very specific guidelines that must be followed. The guidelines outline the specific treatment plan, the patient’s schedule of assessments and exactly who will be able to join the study. There are only a certain number of patients allowed in each trial, and every patient enrolled must meet specific criteria. There are several common criteria, for example:

• Patients must have a certain type and stage of cancer
• Patients must have received a certain type of treatment in the past
• Patients must be in a certain age group

Criteria like these help us make sure all patients treated through a study are as similar as possible. This is important because we need to know that the results of a study are truly due to the treatment and not other factors (like cancer type, prior treatments or age).

These criteria also help us make sure all patients are safe while participating in a study. Some patients have health problems besides cancer that could be made worse by the treatments in a study. If you are interested in joining a trial, you will receive medical tests to be sure you are not put at increased risk.

Some criteria can be complicated. Don’t worry  – you don't need to review these criteria yourself. If you are interested in a trial, our team will review the criteria for you and notify you and your doctor quickly about your eligibility.

Only you and your doctor can decide if a clinical trial is best for you, but we encourage all patients to ask their doctor if a trial is available and appropriate for them.