What are the potential risks and benefits of clinical trials?

Potential benefits include:

  • Cancer care provided by top physicians in the field of cancer research.
  • Access to new drugs and treatment methods before they are widely available.
  • Close monitoring of your health care and any side effects.
  • A more active role in your own health care.
  • An opportunity to make a valuable contribution to cancer research.

The potential risks include:

  • New drugs and procedures may have side effects or risks unknown to the doctors.
  • New drugs and procedures may be ineffective, or less effective, than current approaches.
  • Even if a new approach has benefits, it may not work for you.