Clinical Trials

Clinical trials often use surgery, radiation oncology and/or medical oncology (chemotherapy) alone or in combination.

In cancer research, a clinical trial is an organized study conducted with people who have cancer. It is used to answer specific questions about a new treatment or a new way of using a known treatment. The goal of clinical trials and research at the hospital is to discover stronger, more effective and better ways to treat cancer.

A number of trials are currently underway in cancers of the breast, lung, colon, ovary, liver and pancreas.

Besides studying new anti-cancer drugs, clinical trials also study new combinations of drugs already used in cancer treatment. Additionally, clinical trials investigate new ways of administering treatment. Some clinical trials compare the best-known standard therapy with a newer therapy to see if one produces more cures and causes fewer side effects than the other.

Today, surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy have helped cure many cancer patients and have helped to prolong the lives of many others. Most of the advances in treatment that have made this possible were first tested in clinical trials.

For more information on clinical trials, contact The Los Angeles Oncologic Institute.