Clinical Trials
Clinical trials are studies of new drugs (medicines), procedures, and other treatments in people. They show us what works or what doesn’t in medicine. All new treatments must go through clinical trials before they are approved to treat cancer in the United States.
Types of clinical trials
There are several types of clinical trials:
- Treatment trials study new treatments or new treatment combinations.
- Prevention trials study ways to prevent cancer.
- Screening trials study ways to find cancer early when treatment is more likely to be successful.
- Supportive care/palliative care trials study ways to improve side effects and quality of life of people with cancer.
Knowing what clinical trials are and how they work can help you make informed decisions about your care. There are tools that can help you decide if a clinical trial may be right for you and to search for trials you may be eligible for.
Learn more about clinical trials
ACS ACTS: Access to Clinical Trials and Support
We understand the challenges of finding the right clinical trial and navigating your treatment options. ACS ACTS is here to empower you every step of the way, from clinical trials matching to connecting you with community resources.
With ACS ACTS, you will:
- Learn about clinical trials.
- Explore tailored clinical trial options.
- Connect with an American Cancer Society cancer information specialist.
- Access other ACS programs such as lodging, transportation, and more.
If you are a person with cancer or supporting someone with cancer as a caregiver or health care team member, learn more at acts.cancer.org.
Please note that our clinical trials matching service is currently available within the United States for persons who reside in or will travel to the following locations: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C.
More resources
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- References
Developed by the American Cancer Society medical and editorial content team with medical review and contribution by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).
American Society of Clinical Oncology. About cancer clinical trials. Cancer.net. Content is no longer available.
Children’s Oncology Group. What is a clinical trial? 2023. Accessed at https://www.childrensoncologygroup.org/what-is-a-clinical-trial on April 18,2025.
National Cancer Institute (NCI). What are clinical trials? Cancer.gov. Updated November 3, 2024. Accessed at https://www.cancer.gov/research/participate/clinical-trials/what-are-clinical-trials on April 17, 2025.
National Institutes of Health (NIH). NIH clinical research trials and you: The basics. Nih.gov, 2025. Accessed at https://www.nih.gov/health-information/nih-clinical-research-trials-you/basics on April 17, 2025.
Last Revised: June 3, 2025
American Cancer Society medical information is copyrighted material. For reprint requests, please see our Content Usage Policy.
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