Clinical Trials » Benefits & Drawbacks
Benefits & Drawbacks
What are the potential benefits and drawbacks of taking part in a clinical trial?
Potential Benefits
- You may be one of the first to benefit from the latest cancer treatments.
- Experienced cancer researchers will oversee your medical care.
- Your health care and response to treatment will be closely monitored during and after the trial.
- You will have an opportunity to make a contribution to cancer research.
Potential Drawbacks
- You may not always receive the new treatment, or the new treatment may not prove to be any better than treatments currently available.
- Even if a new treatment is effective for some patients, it may not work for you.
- Every treatment can have side effects, but new treatments may cause side effects not previously known to doctors.
- Extra visits to the hospital may be needed.
