MENUVolunteering for a clinical trial is a contribution to the future of medicine that only you can make.
Dr. Anne Schott, University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center's Associate Director of Clinical Research helps us understand clinical trials, the different types and how they move from the lab into treatment protocols.
A clinical trial is a research study that helps us learn about new ways to prevent, find and treat cancer. The knowledge we gain from clinical trials can help improve the quality of cancer care over time.
Today, thanks to patients who volunteered for studies, we have a range of treatments that can cure or delay the progression of cancer for many years. For example, thanks to treatment breakthroughs discovered in clinical trials, we have seen the survival rate for Hodgkin’s lymphoma rise from about 15% in 1950 to nearly 90% today. We have also learned better ways to manage cancer symptoms through clinical trials.
Teaming up with patients who are willing and able to join trials is key to continuing this progress.
Partnering for a Cure
Research scientists at the Rogel Cancer Center work hard every day to find new, more effective ways to treat, detect and prevent cancer. But they cannot do it alone.
By volunteering for a clinical trial, you become a partner in the discovery process. If you have cancer, it's a way to make an important contribution to the future of medicine that only you can make.
Learn more about what's involved in being a clinical trial volunteer, and where to find information about clinical trials that may be right for you:
Clinical Trials Basics: What are clinical trials?