Baptist Hospital East has enhanced access to leading-edge cancer research and treatment with clinical trials available to patients. Clinical trials are often used by cancer researchers to measure the effectiveness of new treatments and their benefits to patients. Through participation in these studies, patients have access to new therapies and treatments before they are widely available to cancer patients nationwide. This research helps improve the quality of patient care not only at Baptist East, but also at hospitals across the country. In addition, information gathered through clinical trials can offer hope for longer survival and enhanced comfort for people diagnosed in the later stages of cancer. Baptist East participated in the STAR Trial for breast cancer patients and is currently participating in the SELECT Trial for prostate cancer patients, and other clinical trials.

The information in these pages should help you answer and address the following questions/topics:

• What is a clinical trial and why are they important?
  
• Why would a patient be interested in a clinical trial?
  
• Are there risks or side effects in clinical trials?
  
• Are you eligible for a clinical trial?
  
• What are important questions to ask about a clinical trial?
  
• What is informed consent?
  
• What is it like to be a patient in a clinical trial?
  
• Can you leave a trial at any time?
  
• What protection do you have as a patient in a clinical trial?
  
• What kinds of clinical trials are there?
  
• How are trials divided into phases?
  
• How are clinical trials conducted?

For a comprehensive listing of clinical trials available to cancer patients, we recommend visiting the National Cancer Institute's Web site. For information about clinical trials offered at Baptist Hospital East, call (502) 897-8592.

The above information is taken from "What Are Clinical Trials All About?" published by the National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute