Clinical trials are science’s way of testing new drugs and new approaches to helping patients fight a disease. If you’ve received a mesothelioma diagnosis, talk to your doctor about your possible participation in one designed specifically for mesothelioma and if possible, tailored to the stage of your tumor. Stage 4 patients may particularly want to seek help in a clinical trial since doctors have been unable to handle this stage with known treatments. Meanwhile, you can learn more by reading this list of clinical trial FAQs and answers.
Mesothelioma clinical trial
By definition, a clinical trial is experimental. Because of that, you may want to review this list of clinical trial FAQs for each trial you consider participating in.
How do I decide if I should participate in a mesothelioma clinical trial?
Participating in any trial is a personal decision. Before you decide, be sure you know all you can about your disease and the details of any mesothelioma trials for which you may qualify. Then discuss the possibilities with your doctor and family members. Your decision may be different for each trial.
What will I gain by participating?
The positive aspects of participation can include:
- Normally your care will be given by prominent physicians in the field of mesothelioma cancer research.
- You may experience benefits of new drugs before they are available to the public.
- You are making decisions about your own health care.
- Discoveries made through your participation may be valuable contributions to cancer research.
What risks might I be taking?
Risks may include:
- Side effects of new drugs are usually not well understood by the doctors.
- You may end up undergoing treatment that doesn't work, or that works less well than a current treatment.
- Sometimes a new drug works for others but may not be effective for you.
What protections would I have?
When the government funds a clinical trial, they require informed consent from all participants. That means researchers must give you full details about all of the treatments, tests, possible benefits and potential risks. Once you choose to participate, you will be asked to sign an informed consent form.
What are the chances I would receive a placebo?
Cancer trials seldom use placebos. Most are comparing a new treatment with a standard treatment; so participants will usually be one of two groups: one receiving the best known treatment for a cancer based on results of past research and the other receiving the treatment being tested in the clinical trial.
Lung cancer clinical trials
Sometimes you might want to participate in general lung cancer clinical trials. Although they may not be specifically directed at mesothelioma, still meso is a form of lung cancer and whatever is being tested may be of benefit to you. Just be sure to go through this list of clinical trial FAQs with the medical team connected with the trial to determine whether your particular situation makes you a good candidate.
Where would I find a clinical trial?
Sometimes trials are held at one or two specialized cancer centers. But sometimes they are available through hundreds of locations at the same time. Participation is normally supervised by a team that includes your physician. He or she reports your specific results with the treatment to the cancer center that coordinates the trial. Then research scientists evaluate the trial with information from all the participants. A number of resources to locate clinical trials are contained in this website.
What does it means when a trial is called "blind" or "double blind"?
To protect against unintentional bias in reading results of studies, group assignments for participants are done randomly (with a computer). Research is most accurate when study groups are similar in terms of age, gender, and other important factors. Researchers may also reduce bias by making a study "blind"-that is, participants don't know which group they're in until the study is complete. A double-blind trial means the investigators also don't know which group a participant has been assigned to.
Who pays for these trials?
Some health insurance coverage does not cover treatments considered "experimental," and clinical trials are often counted among these. Be sure to check with your insurance carrier, or contact the National Cancer Institute at 1-800-4-CANCER for other solutions.
Mesothelioma lawsuit
Once you are confident you are following the best treatment approach for your circumstances, be sure to consult a qualified asbestos attorney to help you decide if you should pursue a mesothelioma lawsuit. At The Hender Law Firm we have for 15 years been helping clients in Maryland, Ohio, California, Virginia, and Texas. Whether you live in Dallas, Texas, Houston, or elsewhere, call us at 800.443.6353 or email
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