Those Pesky Allergies: What to Do? More Health Resource Articles
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While heart disease remains the most prevalent health concern among Americans, cancer is a close second with nearly 1.2 million new cases each year. Cancer clinical trials offer eligible patients the best available treatment and the opportunity to receive a new, potentially more effective therapy. Hundreds of trials are currently available at community hospitals and academic research institutions nationwide. With the help of thousands of patients who participate in clinical research, they offer high-quality preventive, diagnostic, and treatment approaches. Ask your physician if receiving your cancer care as part of a clinical trial is an option for you.
Today's clinical trials are tomorrow's standard of care. Some of the trials currently underway include:

The safety and effectiveness of combining a medication called Herceptin with chemotherapy is being studied in the treatment of patients with early stage and advanced forms of breast cancer. (NCCTG 98-32-52; NCCTG N9831)

Patients with prostate cancer may be eligible to participate in a study that will compare two current treatment options: 1) radical prostatectomy, an operation to remove the prostate, versus 2) brachytherapy, where radioactive seeds are placed into the prostate. (ACOSOG Z0070)

Patients who have had surgery to remove a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) may be eligible to participate in a study evaluating the effectiveness of an investigational drug, STI571 (GleevecTM), in improving survival rates and/or increasing the length of time before tumor recurrence. (ACOSOG Z9000)

The benefits of treatment with radiation therapy alone is being compared to radiation therapy combined with the investigational drug thalidomide (during and after radiation therapy) in patients with metastatic brain cancer. (RTOG BR-0118)

The purpose of this study is to compare the effects of the standard dose of 3D radiation therapy with a higher dose of 3D radiation to see which treatment is better for patients with localized prostate cancer. (RTOG-P0126)

Two doses of ZD 1839 (Iressa), an antibody specifically targeting a cancer cell receptor, is being evaluated as treatment for patients with advanced colorectal cancer who have failed prior treatment with 5FU and CPT-11. (E6200)

A new trial is evaluating the effectiveness of adding Thalidomide to standard treatment using chemotherapy and radiation for patients with non-small cell lung cancer. (E3598)

This study will compare the addition of bevacizumab to chemotherapy as initial treatment for patients with advanced breast cancer. (E2100)

A randomized Phase III study to discover if Zoledronic Acid administered intravenously will prevent bone loss in women with localized breast cancer who have chemotherapy-induced menopause. (CALGB 79809)

A Phase II study is underway to determine the effect of a vaccine on preventing recurrence of colon cancer metastases in the liver after surgical removal. (CALGB 89903)

A trial is evaluating if raloxifene is as effective as tamoxifen in preventing breast cancer in postmenopausal women with a strong family history of breast cancer. (NSABP P-2 [STAR])

A trial is investigating the best combination and sequence of commonly used chemotherapies in women with node-positive breast cancer. (NSABP B-30)