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My friends sister has stage 4 stomach cancer. 8 months of chemo and it spread to her abdomen and bones (pelvic area). I would think she would qualify for a clinic trial but they told her she didn’t and the only option was to start chemo again to keep the cancer at bay.
Presumably they told her why she didn't qualify for a CLINICAL trial - it could be they have enough people, she has the wrong type of cancer(s), it's in the wrong stage, etc. - they have very strict criteria. Sorry about your sister.
Each trial has very strict entrance protocols. Besides that, most trials are double blind with half the patients get the med and the other half get a placebo.(Inert tablet or a saline infusion)
The only benefit for entering a trial with metastasizing stage 4 CA is the ability to help someone down the road. Not the participant in the trial.
If she started chemo again even though the cancer still spread after her initial 6 months of chemo, does this mean it’s just to slow down the growth so she has more time?
If she started chemo again even though the cancer still spread after her initial 6 months of chemo, does this mean it’s just to slow down the growth so she has more time?
Yes, and to decrease unpleasant/painful symptoms during the time she has left.
Most physicians don't have a full view of active clinical trials, because there are so many. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ lists most active clinical trials in the US (but not all), but you might need help in understanding the listings. I'd start there, and note the search options.
Yes it's true that most trials have stringent entry criteria. Keep in mind that the purpose of trials is not to help people but to further commercial or scientific interests. Not all trials are strict placebo controlled trials. Some have cross-over designs, and very successful ones often end early with the placebo patients also getting the drug.
My friends sister has stage 4 stomach cancer. 8 months of chemo and it spread to her abdomen and bones (pelvic area). I would think she would qualify for a clinic trial but they told her she didn’t and the only option was to start chemo again to keep the cancer at bay.
It could be her gender, her age, the type of cancer, they're usually really specific like "We want women, age 30-35, that have never had diabetes, that have stage 2 cancer that has only spread to lymph nodes, that were only previously treated with chemo" for example. They're really specific.
Location: Finally the house is done and we are in Port St. Lucie!
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There are very strict criteria with trials. I'm not eligible right now for any trials. Some trials that I may be eligible require that I fail at least one or two chemo tries. So far I'm currently doing well with the chemo. The cancer is responding *knock on wood* but I am keeping an eye out for trials that I would qualify for....just in case.
For most trails I need to be healthy (except for the cancer) with no heart problems, diabetes etc... Not obese, within a certain age range. The particular cancer mutation also determines for which trial I would be eligible.
My mutation does not qualify me for immunotherapy trials.
I know in my DH's case, one of the criteria to be admitted to the trial was that he had never been treated with the older medications. He hadn't. There were others, though, that were the opposite, where they did want you to have completed an older therapy.
Staging of the disease mattered. Late stages were excluded.
Another criteria was agree to no alcohol use. DH does not drink so no problem there. However, the nurses told him there were many people who declined to be in the trial due to that criteria or lied to get in. They literally had dismissed people from the trial for showing up drunk for their weekly blood test.
If you have to take medication for another chronic condition, they may exclude you, depending on what it is.
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