Finding the Right Clinical Trial

Start with the broader question first: Are you willing and able to participate in a clinical trial? To read more, and for a checklist to help you make that decision, go to "Making the Decision: Should You Participate in a Clinical Trial?"

Once you've decided that you would like to participate in a clinical trial, the next step is to find a trial that is right for you. For some rare kinds of cancer, there are very few clinical trials available. For other types of cancer, you may have several clinical trials to choose from.

Start your search by talking with your oncologist or research clinical trials at our partner organizations by clicking here. You can also search for open clinical trials at several other web sites, including:

American Cancer Society http://clinicaltrials.cancer.org/

Children's Oncology Group www.childrensoncologygroup.org/#clinical

National Cancer Institute www.nci.nih.gov/clinicaltrials/

National Institutes of Health http://clinicaltrials.gov/

Once you start evaluating clinical trials, you will be sifting through large amounts of information, some written for consumers, some written for medical experts. It is probably a good idea to ask a friend or family member to help with this.

Delegating some of the researching and information gathering can help keep you from becoming overwhelmed. Start a checklist for each clinical trial you are considering.