Mesothelioma Lawyers

Posts Tagged ‘Clinical Trial’

Clinical trials are where drugs start before they are approved and released as accepted treatments.  Experimentation is a necessary precaution so that drugs can be carefully observed in how they perform and how people react to the drug.  Mesothelioma, like many cancers, has specific drugs that are being developed to help treat it.  If you have mesothelioma you can help find new ways of treating it by participating in a clinical trial.  The best resource for seeking information on how to participate in clinical trials is through the National Cancer Institute.  Their website (www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials) can help you through all of the necessary steps to join a clinical trial.  Many times trials are looking for specific patients.  If you have mesothelioma you can search for clinical trials involving the treatment of mesothelioma and apply to take part.  Currently there is no cure for mesothelioma, but through clinical trials, research, and doctors working tirelessly for a successful treatment, hopefully it is only a matter of time.  If you are afflicted with mesothelioma it is a good thing to help out and try to participate in a trial.  Researching how a drug reacts and performing these trials is the only thing that will lead us to a cure.  To get to the clinical trial phase of, a drug must go through extensive lab research and animal testing.  The clinical trial of drugs used to treat mesothelioma, or anything for that matter, is the final step in a long arduous process for Food and Drug Administration approval of a drug.  Participating in a clinical trial for treatment of mesothelioma is also a great way to gain access to the latest mesothelioma treatments available.

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Malignant mesothelioma is when a cancerous tumor occurs on the mesothelium.  The mesothelium is basically a protective and useful sac that lines the internal body cavity.  A tumor is a growth that starts off as a single cancerous cell that divides rapidly and ends up developing into an abnormal growth that can vary in size from itty bitty to massive. Cancer research is moving along, developing new and promising drugs and treatments for various different types of cancers.  One of the newer treatments that is hoping to have promising results is the development of anti-angiogenesis drugs.  The theory behind anti-angiogenesis drugs is that tumors must create new cells in order to expand and, thus, survive.  What the anti-angiogenesis drugs do is deny the body its ability to create new cells.  This, in turn, denies the tumor its ability to grow and expand or create new tumors.  The side effect of this is that the anti-angiogenesis drugs deny every cell that needs to reproduce its ability, so anti-angiogenesis drugs are still not a perfect solution to the eradication of tumors.  Anti-angiogenesis drugs have not been fully refined and still largely remain in the clinical trial phase.  To date, the Food and Drug Administration has only approved one anti-angiogenesis drug.  As these drugs are researched and refined, however, they will continue to provide a new tool in the battle against cancers like mesothelioma.

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Clinical trials are studies to determine the safety and effectiveness of new drugs and procedures on humans. Before participation in a clinical trial, a patient should always consult his or her doctor first. In the way of mesothelioma, clinical trials are being conducted in order to find a more effective method of treatment. As with all clinical trials, there are always risks involved. However, the researcher conducting the trial will be able to fully and extensively explain the risks one might encounter. One must be able to weigh the risks and potential benefits of a clinical trial before deciding to embark on one. Some of the potential benefits include great patient care since you will be receiving treatments and regular check ups. Also, if the drug in the trial is effective, the patient will have access to it before it is on the market for the public. Many clinical trials are trying out investigational drugs. Investigational drugs are medications that have not yet been approved by the FDA and cannot legally be sold to the public. Not everyone with mesothelioma will be eligible for mesothelioma clinical trials though. Each trial carries specific guidelines that will determine eligibility. In some cases, only patients who have tried other procedures first will be eligible. In other cases, only those who have not had any course of treatment will be permitted to participate in a trial. Currently, there are numerous trials that are available to mesothelioma patients. If you are interested in participation in a clinical trail for mesothelioma treatments, you doctor will be able to give you the information you need and tell you if it a good course of action for you as an individual dealing with mesothelioma.

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