Amid COVID-19, some clinical trials for cancer patients have been suspended due to lack of funding and Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)'s recommendation of social distancing. However, oncologists have told SurvivorNet that there are still resources available to help cancer patients access these studies despite the pandemic.
For cancer patients who have run out of options, clinical trials are incredibly important. In some cases participation in an experimental protocol is the last hope for treatment. According to Forbes, more than 200 cancer clinical trials have been suspended across the globe, as many people are avoiding visiting hospitals and staff is overwhelmed by COVID-19 patients.
Read MoreDespite many clinical trials being halted, oncologists around the country have very quickly started to adapt how they treat patients while meeting the new demands created by the pandemic.
Some Clinical Trials Are Still Open
While some doctors say that newly launched clinical trials may be halted due to COVID-19, oncologists have reassured the SurvivorNet community that ongoing trials are still being conducted.
"We're expecting that immune therapy will be FDA approved for the treatment of early stage triple negative breast cancer sometime later this year, says Dr. Heather McArthur, the Medical Director of Breast Oncology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, told SurvivorNet. "In the meantime, we continue to offer patients immune therapy on clinical trials."
Dr. Heather McArthur says she's still enrolling patients into existing clinical trials amid COVID-19
Physicians say that they are particularly willing to enroll patients into clinical trials when there is the potential for very significant progress in their cancer.
"We really want to ensure that we optimize their probability of being cured," Dr. McArthur said.
Tips For Patients Seeking Clinical Trials
While many clinical trials have been disrupted due to the outbreak, SurvivorNet has compiled a list of tips to help those who are still seeking access to clinical trials.
- Visit clinicaltrials.gov to see which clinical trials are still accepting applicants
- Talk to your oncologist about the possibility of enrolling in clinical trials, and see if they have recommendations
- Assess whether enrolling in a clinical trial can be delayed or must be done immediately
- Connect with other cancer patients who have previously enrolled in clinical trials
- Research existing clinical trials to determine which ones are the best option
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