Ask the Experts: When should I talk to my doctor about clinical trials?

You and your doctor might want to consider joining a clinical trial any time you must decide about your treatment such as at initial diagnosis, upon progression or when a change in treatment is needed for other reasons.

Many believe clinical trials are only available or helpful to patients who have exhausted other treatment options but that is not true. In fact, clinical trials need to enroll a variety of participants including patients who have been recently diagnosed, those who have been living with the disease for several years and patients across all stages and types of lung cancer. If you are ever dissatisfied with your current treatment options, a clinical trial may provide a new therapy that you and your doctor can consider.

You may also want to discuss future clinical trials that could be right for you even if your current treatment is effective. Researching options now could help you to feel ready if you experience progression and do not have other options. Clinical trial participants have access to the treatments still being developed and contribute to research that could help other patients with cancer.

Some easy ways to learn more about whether you are eligible for a clinical trial are to talk to your doctor or call the GO2 for Lung Cancer HelpLine at 1-800-298-2436 and ask to speak to a to one of our treatment and trial navigators who can help you understand which treatments and trials are right for you.

In each issue of Your Community, we will be answering your questions about lung cancer and/or GO2 programs and services, including questions about screening, treatment types and advancements, clinical trials, support services and the lung cancer community. Please email your questions to yourcommunity@go2.org.

Please note that the information included in any published answer is for educational pursuit only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult their healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation. Nothing from GO2 for Lung Cancer should be construed as an attempt to offer or render a medical opinion.