Participants
in clinical trials do not have a significant difference in outcome compared
with patients not in trials
Data from more than two dozen published cancer studies
comparing outcomes among trial participants and patients not in clinical
trials suggest trial participants do not have better outcomes, according
to an article in the January 24th issue of Lancet.
"Clinical trials are critical to the advancement of cancer care,
but it is important that people who enroll in a study understand that their
participation is intended primarily to benefit future patients," said
Jeffrey M. Peppercorn, MD, MPH, lead author.
In the current work, American researchers reviewed 26 published studies
that compared the outcomes of cancer patients enrolled in a clinical trial
with patients who were not enrolled in the trial. Of the 26 studies, 14
showed some evidence that trial participants had better outcomes; however,
only 9 of the trials were designed to compare the outcomes of the participants
with non-participants who would have been eligible for the trials. Of those
9 studies, 3 suggested better outcomes among trial participants than among
non-participants. No studies showed that participants had worse outcomes
than non-participants.
"We found a few instances in which cancer trial participants may
have had better outcomes than non-participants, but the limitations of
the data we reviewed made it difficult to establish a definitive link between
trial participation and improved outcome," explained senior author
Steven Joffe, MD, MPH.
Although they didn't detect an immediate benefit for study participants,
Peppercorn and Joffe reaffirmed the importance of trial participation,
and they suggested that their findings should shift the emphasis on recruitment
of trial patients. "We strongly encourage cancer patients to consider
enrolling in clinical trials because their involvement can help improve
cancer treatments over time," stated Peppercorn. "Many patients
find it rewarding to know that they are contributing to the larger fight
against cancer."
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