The National Cancer Institute (NCI) sponsors (pays for) a good portion of the thousands of cancer clinical trials going on at any one time. The NCI is a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which is funded by US tax dollars. These studies are often run by NCI-sponsored cancer cooperative groups, which are networks of doctors and institutions across the country who specialize in a certain aspect of cancer.
In the United States, there are currently 10 major cooperative groups conducting cancer studies:
American College of Radiology Imaging Network (ACRIN)
American College of Surgeons Oncology Group (ACOSOG)
Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB)
Children's Oncology Group (COG)
Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG)
Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG)
National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP)
North Central Cancer Treatment Group (NCCTG)
Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG)
Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG)
Other government agencies, including parts of the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense, also sponsor cancer clinical trials.
The other main sponsors of clinical trials are pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, which must prove their medicines are safe and effective before they can be marketed. Some non-profit organizations also sponsor clinical trials.
Researchers conduct clinical trials in many different settings. Major cancer centers are often the focal points of clinical trials research. Because they usually have the most advanced facilities and highly trained staffs, they can conduct all phases of clinical trials. But they are not the only places where these studies take place.
Community hospitals across the country also take part in clinical trials, although these are usually phase II or III studies. Many of these hospitals are part of the NCI's Community Clinical Oncology Program (CCOP). CCOP members conduct the same clinical trials across the country. Community hospitals may conduct privately sponsored and other types of studies, too.
Doctors in private practice can also be involved in clinical trials, either as members of cooperative groups or by being actively involved in privately sponsored research. But many doctors decide not to conduct clinical research, for a number of reasons.
What this may mean for you
At one time, clinical trials were done only at major medical centers. This often meant that patients had to travel long distances and were treated by doctors they did not know very well. This is sometimes still the case, especially with phase I and some phase II studies. Of course, this is not necessarily a bad thing. Many people prefer to be treated in major cancer centers because of their experience, reputation, and resources. Ultimately, the hassles of traveling must be weighed against the chance of being helped by the treatment.
Patients now have more options. This may include staying closer to home during a study or even staying with their own doctors. Your doctor may or may not be involved in clinical trials. If he or she is, you may be eligible for one of them. Whether this is the right study for you is, of course, a question worth asking. Keep in mind, each study also has its own requirements that a person must meet to take part. See "Eligibility (inclusion) criteria" in the section called "How do I figure out which study is for me?" to learn more about this.
Although clinical trials are now done in many different settings, this should not affect the quality of care you receive. No matter where a study is done, the same rules are in place to protect patients.
Having so many options can be a burden in and of itself. With the thousands of clinical trials under way across the country, how can you -- or even your doctor -- decide which one is best for you? At this time, there is no complete list of all the cancer clinical trials. But there are some good places to start looking if you're interested. We'll explore these in the section, "What's out there? Finding clinical trials."
Feedback
