A clinical trial is an organized research study designed to investigate new methods of preventing, detecting, diagnosing, or treating an illness or disease, such as cancer. In some instances, clinical trials attempt to improve a patient's quality of life.
Clinical trials are extremely important in discovering new techniques to fight disease.
For example, many of the advances in breast cancer detection and treatment resulted from clinical trials. Other reasons for low participation include the concern about medical costs, fear that treatment would not be adequate, and the concern of traveling long distances for treatment. The STAR trial is still enrolling post-menopausal women in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Click here to learn more about the STAR trial. Clinical trials are typically conducted at universities, cancer centers, hospitals, or clinics.