This happened in the recent tamoxifen trial which was halted one year earlier than the projected date because the evidence in favor of the drug was so overwhelmingly positive. Women contemplating therapy choices for breast cancer should ask their healthcare providers whether they qualify for any ongoing clinical trials in their geographic area. Generally, information about ongoing trials can be obtained from the National Cancer Institute's clinical trial information service called PDQ, or from the local chapter of the American Cancer Society. The patient and the physician will review the list of requirements for various trials to see whether or not she may qualify for one of them. She will be asked to follow the schedule of treatments and tests as closely as possible, in order to make the information obtained scientifically sound.
Participation is completely optional and voluntary.
Even if the patient signs up, she can leave the trial at any time. If she drops out, she will not be penalized in any way, and will still be entitled to the best treatment available. What many women find is that the level of care they receive while enrolled in a trial is superior to what they would receive in a conventional treatment situation, because there are more tests and more frequent visits to healthcare providers, which may translate into higher quality of care. Clinical Trial Basics. Clinical Trials - Patient Participation .