Breast Cancer Clinical Trials
Breast cancer clinical trials offer new ways to treat breast cancer and enhance patient outcomes. As a recognized leader in the development of scientific advances for preventing, diagnosing and treating breast cancer, Moffitt Cancer Center is continually performing groundbreaking research, lead by the Breast Program Research Director Dr. Heather Han, who is also a medical oncologist specializing in breast cancer. Our research initiatives allow us to offer our patients a wide range of treatment options, including a variety of clinical trials.
These promising studies comprise a long and meticulous research process that begins in a laboratory and progresses through an extensive, multi-step testing procedure before being made available to the general public.
At Moffitt, the health and safety of our patients is always our top priority. Patients are carefully selected for participation in breast cancer clinical trials. Even if one or more research studies are available to treat a patient’s specific type of cancer, the patient may or may not qualify based on a number of factors, such as:
- Age
- Gender
- Cancer stage
- Overall health and wellness
- Other health conditions
- Past cancer treatments
If a patient is deemed eligible for a clinical trial, the decision on whether to participate is highly personal and should be made with the guidance of a physician. During a consultation, a physician will generally discuss the treatment, explain what can be expected to happen and describe the care the patient will receive. The patient will be invited to ask specific questions, such as how the study might affect his or her everyday life.
Breast cancer clinical trials can require a patient to undergo additional tests, see a physician more often and mandate more of the patient’s time. For these reasons, participants are required to sign informed consent forms to confirm that they were provided with all of the facts prior to deciding to take part in a study. Many clinical trial participants feel that the quality of care and attention that they receive are well worth the extra time and other commitments.
To learn more about the breast cancer clinical trials currently available at Moffitt, contact us at 813-745-6100 or 1-800-679-0775 (toll-free) or submit a clinical trials inquiry form. We welcome patients with or without a referral.
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