What is a clinical trial and how is it decided who will participate? A.
Clinical trials are studies that help evaluate a new treatment. Clinical trials do two things: they attempt to answer scientific questions and they find new and better ways to help cancer patients. An institutional review board (IRB) carefully reviews each clinical trial before patients begin participating. Also, some studies are reviewed by government agencies, such as the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). A patient may or may not wish to participate in a clinical trial. Patients should speak with their physician about all their treatment options, including eligibility to participate in a clinical trial. Most clinical trial participants participate because they hope to benefit in some way from the study or they hope their participation will help researchers develop improved diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Q. What advice can you offer to help me live with the effects of head and neck cancer? A.
