Oncology Clinical Trials helping More People Beat Cancer

It was not so long ago that a diagnosis of cancer was a very grim diagnosis with little or no hope of recovery. These days though the number of cancer survivors grows each year. People are diagnosed, successfully treated and go on living a happy and healthy life for many years.

 
Much of this is due to advancements in detection, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through the knowledge gained from clinical trials. Better detection leads to catching cancers earlier than ever before. Advancements in the technology and tools available to doctors help them diagnose cancers correctly and determine the best treatment.
 
With the widespread media coverage of cancer research and advancements, even the public is very aware of what to look for. Monthly self-exams are encouraged and family histories are closely examined. CAT scans and PET scans are more thorough and accurate than ever.
 
People today can make it through several bouts of cancer throughout their life, often in completely different parts of their body. Treatments for certain types of cancer are so far advanced that people can continue to work and live a normal life even while undergoing treatment.
 
It is important, however, that clinical trials continue. Only through clinical trials are we able to develop new and better treatments. Also the knowledge gained from clinical trials for pure research is invaluable. The fact that cancer treatments have grown successfully in leaps and bounds over the past few decades is testament to the effectiveness of clinical trials for testing new drugs and medications.
 
This is good news to anyone diagnosed with cancer. For others who think they may be at risk due to a history of cancer in their family or environmental factors, they now know what to do to detect cancer earlier. Anyone who thinks they may be at a high risk should talk to their doctor. With early detection and the advancement of treatment options, cancer is no longer the grim diagnosis that it once was.