Helping Cancer Patients Understand Clinical Trials

The largest radiation oncology society in the world, The American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO), has published a new patient information brochure entitled Understanding Clinical Trials: Facts to Help Patients Make an Informed Decision. Louis Harrison, MD, chair of the ASTRO Communications Committee and a radiation oncologist at Beth Israel Medical Center, said, “Unfortunately, many patients do not participate in these vital trials because they don’t know enough about these studies or how to participate. With this brochure, we hope to give patients the facts they need to decide whether a clinical trial is right for them.” Clinical trials are important for patients looking for improved treatment and new ways to prevent and detect cancer.