Cancer Clinical Trials
Cancer clinical trials can test and carefully study new methods to diagnose, treat and prevent cancer.
You may be able to try some of the newest cancer treatments with the greatest promise.
Clinical trials test and carefully study new treatments under strict oversight to protect the people who join them. People who join clinical trials may be able to get treatments that are more effective than current treatments. And, they may feel good about helping scientists and doctors learn about new ways to treat cancer.
The NCI and other leading cancer research institutions sponsor these treatments through clinical trials.
Each clinical trial has a set of conditions that you must meet before enrolling. You will have to talk to your doctor to find out which clinical trials you can join, if any. If you choose to join, our experienced clinical research teams will work closely with you and your doctor while you are in the clinical trial.
The standard treatments we have today help more people survive their cancer than standard treatments people could get years ago. Every standard cancer treatment we have today went through a clinical trial to become the standard.
Top 7 Questions About Clinical Trials
Clinical trials help us to improve treatments for people with cancer. Scientists and doctors use clinical trials to find better ways to screen for cancer and to prevent and treat cancer. Every standard cancer treatment we have today went through a clinical trial to become the standard. Clinical trials help us to improve standard treatment. They help us to save lives.
A clinical trial answers well-defined scientific questions. The UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center runs clinical trials to better diagnose, prevent and treat cancer. Clinical trials are grouped into different types and phases. Each type and phase follows a set of rules to answer the question the clinical trial focuses on. Federal rules help to ensure the safety and ethics of all clinical trials in the United States.
The UNM Cancer Center offers phase I, phase II and phase III clinical trials for most cancers. When you take part in a clinical trial, your care must follow strict rules. These rules are called the “protocol” for that clinical trial. The protocol is based on scientific studies.
Only you can decide whether joining a clinical trial is best for you. But, our team can give you important facts to help you make your decision.
Before you decide to join a clinical trial, our team will talk to you about it. They will tell you what the trial is studying, how long it will last, and what you can expect as you take part in it. They will also tell you about the risks you may take or discomforts you may have while taking part. They will explain the benefits the trial may give you. You can choose to receive the standard care for your cancer or you can choose to receive care through a clinical trial.
Remember: if you join a clinical trial, you may choose to leave it at any time and for any reason. If you leave a clinical trial, you will still receive the standard treatment for your cancer.
There are some risks to joining a clinical trial. After all, if we fully understood everything about new cancer treatments, we would not need to study them. One risk is that some new drugs or procedures tested in a clinical trial may not be better than the current drugs or procedures. They may have side effects that scientists and doctors do not expect. Or, the side effects may be worse than the current drugs or procedures.
The cost of a clinical trial varies. Before you join a clinical trial, our team will explain the costs you will have to pay for, the costs your insurance will pay, and the costs the trial will pay.
First, talk to your doctor. Your doctor will review the clinical trials available and will tell you which ones you may qualify for. Your doctor will also work with the rest of your medical team and with our Clinical Research Office. We want to make sure that we meet your wishes for your care, whether or not your care includes a clinical trial.
All clinical trials are voluntary.
Joining a clinical trial is a very personal decision that you should make with your doctor and your loved ones. You always have the right to choose whether or not you will join. You also have the right to leave a clinical trial at any time and for any reason.
At the UNM Cancer Center, you will always get the highest level of care possible, whether or not you join a clinical trial.
The National Cancer Institute has general information about clinical trials at: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/clinical-trials. For general cancer clinical trial questions in New Mexico, talk to one of our physicians and search our clinical trials.
No one on a cancer clinical trial receives a placebo alone.
Everyone on a cancer clinical trial gets the clinical trial treatment or gets the standard of care.
How can I enroll in a clinical trial?
- To learn about clinical trials, including potential benefits and risks, call us at 505-272-5490 or email HSC-ClinicalTrialInfo@salud.unm.edu.
- Search our clinical trials online to discuss them with your doctor.
- Call our statewide clinical trials network, the New Mexico Cancer Care Alliance, at 505-272-7813 or visit www.nmcca.org.
Search Clinical Trials
Get the latest treatments based on the most advanced science. Talk to your doctor about joining a clinical trial today.
Early Phase Clinical Trials
New cancer drugs and treatments go through a series of steps, called phases, before they are approved for use. The early steps test whether the new drug or treatment is safe, what its side effects are, and what the best dose for treatment is. Later phases make sure the new drug or treatment works better than the current standard therapy.
The Early Phase Clinical Trials program at UNM Cancer Center has many, many safety systems in place to test the newest, latest, most advanced drugs and therapies. Our program focuses especially on new immune therapies. People wishing to take part in early phase clinical trials may be able to get the latest treatments years ahead of its general use. If you would like to consider early phase clinical trials as part of your treatment plan, talk to your doctor.
