Types of Research
We are involved in a variety of different research areas which will help us to understand more about patients who are affected by cancer.
Clinical Trials
These help us evaluate new treatments such as medications to ensure they are safe and if they improve outcomes for patients. New drugs go through strict testing in the laboratory before they are offered to patients. After the laboratory testing there are 3 main phases of clinical trials. Each has a different aim.
Phase 1
Phase 1 trials involve small numbers of patients and aims to establish a safe dose for the drug and identify any possible side effects.
Phase 2
Phase 2 trials look at the different ways of giving the drug, whether they are effective and what dose and frequency to use.
Phase 3
Phase 3 trials involve large numbers of patients. They test the new treatment against the best available current treatment to see which is most effective against cancer.
Translational Research
This is research which looks at patient samples (often tissue from surgery or blood samples) to improve our understanding of cancer. This can include looking at genes which may cause cancers, factors that can predict how patients may respond to treatments as well as a variety of other research.
Research into Symptoms
Within the SESCRN we have a number of trials looking at the control of pain or longer term side effects.