Types of Clinical Trials

Prevention Trials:

Prevents a condition before it occurs.

Diagnostic/Screening Trials:

Finds new ways to detect or monitor a condition before symptoms develop; a good idea for people at high risk at conditions that run in families (i.e. prostate cancer, male patients with sons > 40 years old.

Treatment Trials:

Makes up the majority of clinical trials. These new approaches to treatments can be:

- New forms or combinations of surgery

- Radiation therapy

- Chemotherapy or other drugs (new drugs or currently approved drugs
used at different doses, times, or in combination with other drugs)

- New areas of cancer treatments (vaccines, gene therapy)

Psychological Supportive Care Trials:

Finds ways to improve comfort and enhance quality of life for patients (live better, not necessarity longer).