Clinical trials are a powerful medical research tool that help doctors to determine whether a new treatment is of value to patients.
Patients take part in clinical trials for many reasons.
Usually, they hope for benefits for themselves or their relatives. They may hope for a cure of their disease, a longer time to live, or a way to feel better. Often they want to contribute to a research effort that may help others in the future. In the case of a rare cancer like choroidal melanoma, a large clinical trial is the only way for doctors to compare treatments in patients with this disease. Even if the patient does not benefit personally, relatives, friends, or others in the community may benefit eventually by the new information.