What breast cancer research trials are available?
All new drugs and treatments have to be thoroughly tested before they are licensed and available for patients. For example, before a new breast cancer treatment is introduced to patients across the country, certain FDA (Federal Drug Administration) requirements must be met to show that the cancer treatment is effective and safe, and to determine the right amount and timing of the doses.
If the new cancer treatment can be proven safe and effective for the types of patients the trial has targeted then the FDA will be able to approve it for use among all patients in the U.S. with the same type of cancer.
What if the diagnosis is triple-negative breast cancer?
Since breast cancer treatment is based on hormone receptors that are or are not present, your RMBS oncologist will first run a test to see if one of three different hormone receptors are present. If the cancer cells lack any hormone receptors it is considered triple-negative breast cancer.
Triple-negative breast cancer is being researched heavily right now to find a combination of therapies that work to battle this typically aggressive type of cancer. If you have been diagnosed with this type of breast cancer you may be offered a clinical trial as part of this significant research effort to find a widely-acceptable treatment plan.
Is a breast cancer clinical trial right for me?
Participating in a clinical trial is a personal choice that should be made after careful consideration. However, if it is something that interests you, then you should talk with your oncologist. If your oncologist thinks you would be a good fit for one of the breast cancer research trials, the next step will be to meet with a clinical research nurse at one of our convenient breast cancer clinic locations to review the trial’s selection criteria, which vary for each researched treatment.
Treatments being researched by the breast cancer specialists at RMBS have already been proven safe. However, you will still be carefully monitored by our cancer research specialists at our offices to determine the effectiveness of the treatment. You will also be carefully monitored for side effects. If a particular treatment isn’t working for you, the research team will meet to determine if a different treatment option is available that has the potential to be more effective.
It’s our hope that the clinical trial results will make a helpful impact and then ultimately provide new, successful, FDA-approved treatment options for breast cancer.
At Rocky Mountain Breast Specialists, we are involved with several clinical trials throughout the state of Colorado. In addition to our many breast cancer trials, we offer trials for lung cancer, prostate cancer, ovarian cancer, and many more. Continuing to provide our community with access to promising new therapies that may become tomorrow’s gold standard remains a top priority at RMBS. For more information on participating in a trial, or if you would like to learn more about our other clinical trials, please ask your breast cancer care specialists.
