Dr Kynan Feeney says research shows that patients who are in clinical trials often fare better than those who are not involved.
“Clinical trials give patients access to new types of treatment so that we can see if they are better than existing treatments,” says Dr Feeney.
“Patients receive a high level of care and are monitored closely to gauge their reaction to a new drug, to surgery or radiotherapy.”
“We also investigate the emotional and physical side effects of both diagnosis and treatment.”
Dr Feeney says patients are commonly worried they will be ‘guinea pigs’ for unproven drugs, but all drugs are investigated thoroughly before they are given to patients.
“Experimental drugs are studied against ‘standard of care’, which is care patients receive outside of a trial, and are stringently reviewed by an ethics committee and the hospital to ensure patient welfare.”
“Patients are free to leave the trial at any time, but we find most feel motivated to help researchers develop new cancer treatments that will help others in the future.”
If you are interested in finding more about the clinical trials at the Murdoch Oncology Clinical Trials Unit, please phone 08 9366 1172 or email: [email protected]
Did you know the Murdoch Oncology Clinical Trials Unit:
- Opened in 2012
- Has had seventy-six patients participate in an oncology clinical trial to date
- One of the top recruiters globally for the FOXFIRE trial, which studies local therapy to liver disease in metastatic colon cancer
- Is the top recruiter nationally for a colon cancer trial, ASCENT
- Is the top recruiter nationally for two lung cancer trials, IGNITE and Afatinib access program
- Is the first site in WA to run an access program for melanoma patients to access Nivolumab, the latest and most effective to date immune therapy'
- Continues to grow by taking on new studies and screening patients for various trials