Why should I participate in a clinical trial? If I participate in a trial I take a risk and probably the trial will fail to prove that there is a better drug or treatment, so why should I put myself at risk with no chance of anyone getting any benefit?
This is an excellent question that many of us ask. However, we also know that clinical trials are vital in our search for better methods of prevention, detection and treatment for not only prostate cancer, but for all cancers and diseases. In a study published in “Archives of Internal Medicine” (2008; 168:632-642) Dr. Benjamine Djulbegovic M.D., Ph.D. from the Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute at the University of South Florida, Tampa Florida assessed the success rates of NIH sponsored phase III clinical.
The study assessed 624 trials involving over 216,000 different subjects. He found that 25% to 50% of the trials demonstrated that a new, novel treatment that was the subject of the trial was successful. So, don’t assume that you are not contributing to making significant progress towards better treatments. Also, remember that even negative results contribute to our knowledge base.
Joel T Nowak MA, MSW
I am currently in 2 prostate cancer trials. The SELECT trial is considered a failure. The trial nurse was the one who told me that with a PSA of 5.5 I needed to see the urologists.
I had Pca.
I am now in a clinical trial in Bethesda MD with NIH. This is the worlds largest clinical trials only hospital there are 14 floors devoted to cancer trials. Current budget $23.7 Billion.
I have both male children and male grandchildren.
I do trials for both myself and to help find a cure so that they won’t have to suffer this indignant disease.
Remember that Edison failed 9,999 times before he invented the light bulb.
The country is divided up into comprehensive cancer centers and they use a standard guideline on cancer care. At the bottom of each page they state: “We recommend clinical trials.”
BTW:Some late stage cancer trials are open label trials where everyone gets the treatment.
The ONLY way a CURE for cancer will be found is using clinical trials. Would you like to be a part of that process?
I am currently participating in a phase 1 clinical trial for the Heat Sensitive Protein HSP 90 and would like to find more info about how this is working for others with prostate cancer. A search of this blog does not give me any results. Any suggestions?
Don Walker
Don,
For general information, HSP 90 is known as a heat shock protein which is present in all cells. As the name implies it helps a a cell regulate itself against heat. HSP 90 is sometimes used as an anti-fungal with people who have compromised immune systems, but it also has demonstrated some anti-proliferation and anti-tumor activities.
You will need to wait for the study to be completed and the data analogized before any information will become known. It is possible that there will be an earlier release of information (preliminary results), but that information will not be conclusive.
Joel