Cancer Care

Cancer Clinical Trials

Advancing the Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention of Cancer

When you come to NewYork-Presbyterian for cancer care, you'll have access to the latest treatments as well as options that are based on the most promising discoveries in cancer research. These investigational approaches are available through clinical trials. Virtually every advance ever made in the management of cancer — from new treatments to diagnostic methods to prevention strategies — has been assessed in a clinical trial. These important studies are conducted by investigators at the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center of Columbia University and the Weill Cornell Medicine Meyer Cancer Center. Many of our physicians have led the development and evaluation of cancer treatments that are now the standard of care across the world.

For some people, a clinical trial offers them hope when other treatments have not worked. Other people participate in clinical trials to help researchers gather information about the effectiveness of a new screening test or to observe the effects of cancer and cancer therapies on quality of life. Your doctor will talk to you about clinical trials as an option for your treatment, and your decision to participate in one of these studies is entirely voluntary.

Are Clinical Trials Safe?

Many people wonder if it is safe to receive a new treatment that is being tested in a clinical trial. Patient safety is our number one concern. You can rest assured that a number of measures have been put in place to ensure your safety.

• By the time a new therapy has made it to the clinical trials stage, it has already been through extensive laboratory testing to determine its safety and potential effectiveness in patients.
• All clinical trials must be designed and conducted according to strict patient safety guidelines that are monitored by the federal government.
• A committee called the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at each hospital must approve every clinical trial before it can begin enrolling participants.
• If you are considering a clinical trial, a member of your care team will go over a detailed consent form with you which describes the study's goals and what you can expect as a participant, including any possible side effects. We make sure you understand everything being presented to you before you make a decision.

Types of Clinical Trials

Clinical trials enable investigators to answer important questions about how to care for people with cancer. There are different types of studies that researchers use to address these questions.

• Treatment studies evaluate the safety and effectiveness of new medications, new combinations of existing medications, or potentially better ways to perform surgery and other procedures, compared to current cancer treatments.
• Prevention studies assess better ways to prevent cancer or its recurrence.
• Diagnostic studies look for improved methods of diagnosing cancer or its recurrence.
• Quality of life studies explore strategies to improve comfort and quality of life for people with cancer.

Phases of Clinical Trials

If a clinical trial is described to you, you may hear the word "phase." This indicates the stage of testing. Your care team will explain the phase of the study you may be considering.

• Phase 1 studies are the earliest stage of testing in people and focus on whether an innovative approach is safe.
• Phase 2 clinical trials continue to assess safety and also look at how effective a new treatment is.
• Phase 3 studies compare the effectiveness of an investigational treatment to an existing therapy.
• Phase 4 studies are less common but are sometimes conducted to evaluate the long-term safety or impact of a treatment that has already been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).