Adult Clinical Trials

About Clinical Trials

When locating clinical trials, it is important to remember that no single resource, including the NCI, lists every cancer clinical trial. For more up-to-date information about a specific cancer treatment research study, you will need to make an appointment with a Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center clinician at 877-789-6100 who has access to OncPro, a proprietary database that contains information about every research study found within the Dana-Farber/Partners CancerCare (DF/PCC) and the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center. The clinical trials available on OncPro are only available to those participating clinicians and therefore, may not be found on the Internet.

The Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center is initiating new clinical trials for patients in the following areas:

* The ExCel clinical trial comparing exemestane (an aromotase inhibitor), and placebo in post-menopausal women at increased risk of breast cancer. The study's purpose is to determine whether this treatment may prevent breast cancer in this population.
* New imaging called tomosynthesis for Breast Cancer
* Trials including the use of Proton Beam Therapy
* Others

Each year over 15,000 new cancer cases are treated with thousands participating in cancer clinical trials. Improvements in cancer treatment are the most common subject of clinical trials. These trials test many types of treatments, such as new drugs, vaccines, new approaches to surgery or radiation therapy, or new combinations of existing treatments. Novel areas include the exciting new fields of clinical genetics, angiogenesis, vaccines, and gene therapy.

There are over 300 different trials underway at this time, addressing each of the different kinds of cancer seen in our hospital. In the past, clinical trials were sometimes seen as the last resort for patients who had no other choices. Today, however, there are clinical trials for individuals who are seeking initial treatment for an early stage of cancer.

To find out about eligibility and participation contact your clinician at the Cancer Center or call 877-789-6100.

Participating in a Clinical Trial
Clinical trials are available for many types and stages of cancer. However, in order to help answer specific scientific questions, there are fixed eligibility criteria for each trial. A patient will only be offered participation in a clinical trial if an assessment by a Cancer Center physician finds that they meet these criteria. For eligible patients, the decision to participate in a trial ultimately rests with them.

The Importance of a Clinical Trial
Every advancement in the treatment of cancer has resulted from clinical trials -- research involving patients in which physician-investigators evaluate, through a carefully designed and monitored scientific study, whether a new therapy may benefit patients.

The Cancer Center participates in clinical trials through Dana-Farber Partners/CancerCare (DF/PCC) -- the result of the joining of Massachusetts General Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham & Women's Hospital to create an integrated program in adult cancer care and research. This collaboration has not only fostered a greater exchange of ideas, which is the lifeblood of research, but it has also improved the efficiency and speed with which discoveries can make their way from the laboratory bench to the patient's bedside.

The high volume of cancer patients served by the three institutions makes it possible for physician-investigators to conduct a wide variety of clinical research trials designed to answer many critical questions. For example, Dana-Farber/Partners CancerCare activates 10 new cancer trials each month and now has 350 clinical trials under way.

Currently, more than 2,100 patients are involved in clinical trials within the DF/PCC, offering them access to promising new therapies and, at the same time, providing valuable information that may lead to better treatments for all cancer patients.

The development of new and better treatments for all patients depends on clinical research. The Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center's commitment to clinical research reflects its dedication to improving the lives of cancer patients today and tomorrow.

Find A Clinical Trial
The Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center is a founding member of a Harvard Medical School consortium designated by the National Cancer Institute as a comprehensive cancer center. This prestigious seven-member center comprises the largest research collaboration in the country. There are approximately 300 clinical trials are available for enrollment each year.