Clinical Trials - How to Find A Cinical Trial

Many nonprofit and for-profit resources in the United States offer lists of cancer clinical trials. Unfortunately, no single list is complete. Clinical trials are run by many different organizations, so it is hard to collect information about all of them in one place.

However, the majority of trials listed in most resources are obtained from the Physician Data Query (PDQ) clinical trials database, which is maintained by the U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI). The NCI is the U.S. government's chief agency for cancer research and is part of the National Institutes of Health.

Accessing Clinical Trial Information from NCI

You can obtain clinical trial information by:

• Calling the NCI

Call the National Cancer Institute's Cancer Information Service (CIS) at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237). All calls to the CIS are strictly confidential. When calling, you MUST have this diagnosis checklist answered and available.

You will receive clinical trial information specific to your condition by mail, email or fax.

• Search the NCI clinical trial database online

You can search the NCI clinical trial database, using their basic search clincal trial page. The basic search allows you to search by type of cancer, stage or subtype of cancer, and location of trial (ZIP code).

You can also search by advanced search, which lets you create your search using more detailed information, such as the hospital or institution involved, type of treatment, and phase of trial.

Your doctor is also an excellent resource for finding clinical trials that may be applicable to you. If you are interested in participating in a clinical trial, consult with your doctor about the benefits of participating in a clinical trial and how you may be referred to one. Remember to always consult your oncologist before participating in any other treatment, including clinical trials.