Clinical Trials

So much has changed in the past few years: how we look at cancer, how we diagnose and treat cancer, and even how we prevent cancer. Advances in cancer medicine are the result of new ideas developed through clinical research. BVHS is excited to be on the cutting edge of cancer therapy by offering clinical trials in Findlay for more advanced cancer care in Blanchard Valley.

What is a Clinical Trial?

A clinical trial is a research study involving people with cancer or people at risk for getting cancer. Clinical trials try to answer specific scientific questions, find better ways to prevent or detect cancer, and improve care for people with cancer.

Standard treatment is the intervention that has been proven in previous research studies to be the best known care for a particular diagnosis. Cancer clinical trials often compare the standard treatment with a new treatment. The outcome is expected to exceed the established standards.

Types of Clinical Trials  

• Treatment Trials are trials conducted with people who have been diagnosed with cancer. These trials look at new approaches to treating cancer and try to determine the most effective treatment for particular types of cancer.
• Prevention Trials are trials mostly conducted with people who have not been diagnosed with cancer. These trials look for ways to reduce the risk of developing cancer. Some prevention trials are conducted with people who have had cancer. These trials look for ways to prevent the return of cancer or prevent the development of a new type of cancer.
• Supportive Care/Quality of Life Trials are trials that look at ways to improve the comfort and quality of life of cancer patients. These trials focus on improving the side effects of cancer treatment or the effects from the cancer itself.
• Screening and Diagnostic Trials are trials that look at better ways to detect and diagnose cancer. These trials focus on earlier detection and accurate staging of cancer in hopes of improving the overall survival.

BVHS has a variety of clinical trials available for patients across Northwest Ohio. We encourage you to talk to your doctor and consider clinical trials as a treatment option.

Trial Eligibility

Each clinical trial has specific guidelines, or eligibility criteria, stating who can and cannot participate. These guidelines may include a specific type and stage of cancer, as well as other allowable physical conditions. Criteria help to ensure the safety of the participant and that meaningful information can be gathered from the study.

Benefits of Participating in a Clinical Trial

• Access to new treatments that may not be available outside of a trial
• Being one of the first to benefit if the new treatment is found to be better than the current standard
• Being closely monitored by the research team throughout the study process
• Results from the study may benefit others in the future

Risks of Participating in a Clinical Trial

• The new treatment may not be better than the current standard treatment
• The new treatment may have side effects or risks that were not expected or are worse than the standard treatment
• The study may require more doctor visits or tests compared to those not participating in a study

It is important to talk with your family doctor and explore all cancer prevention or treatment options. Taking part in a clinical trial is a personal choice. The consent process is designed to ensure that information will be provided to help you make an informed decision. Also, if you decide to participate in a clinical trial, it is important to know that you have the right to change your mind at any time.

To speak with a BVHS clinical trials nurse or to learn more about clinical trials, call 419.423.5428.

The Armes Family Cancer Care Center is an outpatient department of Blanchard Valley Hospital.