Clinical trials are NOT a last resort but should be considered upon diagnosis. Pancreatic cancer patients access to new treatments and can lead to better outcomes and quality of life, when registered in a Clinical Trial.
Every patient has the right to be told about clinical trial options at diagnosis—not after treatment has already started.
What Are Clinical Trials?
Clinical trials are research studies that test new treatments, medical approaches, or procedures to see if they are safe and effective. These studies compare new options to current standard treatments to find better ways to treat pancreatic cancer.
Why Clinical Trials Matter
- They give patients access to new drugs and therapies that are not yet widely available.
- Patients receive extra medical attention from a specialized research team that monitors them closely.
- Trials are held to strict safety standards and are approved only after extensive testing.
- In a disease with very few treatment advances in Canada, clinical trials are essential for improving survival.
Eligibility
Patients must meet specific medical criteria to join a trial, which is why it’s important to discuss clinical trial options as early as possible.
Debunking Clinical Trial Myths
- Myth: Clinical trials are only for patients with no other treatment options.
Fact: Clinical trials are available for patients at various stages of the cancer, including those newly diagnosed, and may offer access to innovative therapies.
- Myth: Clinical trials are a last resort.
Fact: Clinical trials should be considered as a treatment option early in the care plan, as they may offer the most promising therapies available.
- Myth: Participation in a clinical trial means giving up on standard care.
Fact: Clinical trials often combine standard care with new treatments, potentially offering the best available therapy.
- Myth: Enrolling in a clinical trial means you will be a guinea pig.
Fact: Clinical trials are conducted under strict ethical standards with patient safety as a top priority. Participants receive closely monitored care, often with access to cutting-edge treatments.
- Myth: Clinical trials are unsafe and experimental.
Fact: Clinical trials are rigorously regulated and monitored to ensure patient safety, with thorough oversight by ethical review boards.
- Myth: Clinical trials are too complex and time-consuming for patients.
Fact: Clinical trials vary in complexity, and many are designed to minimize the burden on participants, with support from trial coordinators.
- Myth: Only certain patients are eligible for clinical trials.
Fact: Eligibility criteria are broad and diverse; many patients, including those with advanced disease, can qualify for clinical trials.
- Myth: Clinical trials are only for those who can afford them.
Fact: Clinical trials often cover the cost of the experimental treatment, and some trials may even cover additional expenses, making them accessible to a wide range of patients.
- Myth: Once you begin a clinical trial, you can not leave for any reason
Fact: Participation in Clinical Trials is completely voluntary and participants can stop a clinical trial at any time.
- Myth: Patients in clinical trials may experience more risks and side effects, which could potentially result in a shorter lifespan or diminished quality of life.
Fact: Patients often live longer and have a better quality of life in a clinical trial
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