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As of 2019, there are over 15 million cancer survivors in the United States, and approximately two million of them have survived for 20 years or longer, according to the National Cancer Institute. Some of the reasons cancer survival rates have dramatically increased over the past two decades can be linked directly to such things as improvements in early detection methods, more advanced therapies, and to genetic research and clinical trials which are responsible for developing more effective drugs.
Cures for Cancer Will Come from Clinical Trials
The future cures for various types of cancer will all come from clinical research, yet not many adult cancer patients participate in clinical trials. Why? Many times it is because clinical trials are misunderstood and patients fear being “a guinea pig.” In clinical trials for a life-
threatening disease like cancer, no one who participates in a clinical trial is ever treated like a guinea pig. In fact, such great precautions are taken on behalf of patients who participate in clinical trials that, many times, their cancer treatment goes beyond standard care protocols.
Debunking the Myths
Aside from the misconception about being a guinea pig, patients who are considering participating in a clinical trial for cancer are often concerned that they might be given a placebo or a drug that will prove to be ineffective. The truth is that in some types of clinical trials (specifically those that are investigating something simple such as a new cold medication) some participants are given only a placebo. However, in clinical trials for cancer, a participant is never given anything less than the current standard of care.
All participants in oncologic clinical trials will be given the best standard treatment available for their particular type of cancer; then in addition to that standard treatment, they may be given the new drug that is being tested or a placebo. No participant is ever given a placebo alone.
Increased Participation in Clinical Trials Means Faster Approval for New Treatments
According to the American Cancer Society, there are hundreds of promising new cancer drugs and therapies currently undergoing research. The average time for a new drug to be approved is seven years, and many times clinical trials cannot be conducted because of a lack of patient participation. If more cancer patients participated in clinical trials, there would be more new drugs available sooner in the future. Don’t miss the opportunity to be a part of finding the cures for cancer.
Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute
(FCS) is a recipient of the national ASCO Clinical Trial Participation Award and a strategic partner of the Sarah Cannon Research Institute, one of the largest clinical trial organizations in the U.S. As such, FCS offers access to more national clinical trials than any other private oncology practice in Florida; and, if you qualify to participate in a clinical trial, you can do so in the comfort and convenience of your local FCS cancer center.
World-Class Cancer Treatment Close to Home
Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute (FCS) has a statewide network of expert, board-certified physicians who bring world‐class cancer treatments to local communities, both large and small, throughout Florida. With nearly 100 locations, FCS is the largest independent oncology/hematology group in the United States. That status puts the practice on the leading edge of clinical trial research and gives FCS physicians access to the newest, most innovative treatments.
Florida Cancer Specialists treats patients with all types of cancer, and offers a number of services, such as an in-house specialty pharmacy, an in-house pathology lab and financial counselors at every location, that deliver the most advanced and personalized care in your local community.
For more information, visit FLCancer.com
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1400 N US Highway 441, Suite 540
The Villages, Florida 32159
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