Jay Lohrey, M.D. Answers Questions On: Cancer Clinical Trials

Why are cancer clinical trials important?: Everything we know about treating cancer comes from a clinical trial. Over the last 50 years, we’ve gotten to where we are now by doing clinical trials. That’s how you make progress – not just in cancer medicine, but in all medicine. We’re constantly trying to make things better and trying to bring new medicines to patients with the goal to cure them and prolong their life. There’s so much hope in that.
Are there different phases of cancer clinical trials?: Yes. In Phase I, brand new medicines are being tested for appropriate dosage. In Phase II, we use that dosage of that medicine or group of medicines to treat a particular type of cancer. In Phase III, we compare that medicine or combination of medicines with the current standard of care.
What type of cancer clinical trials are offered in Ft. Worth?: Patients are able to access almost any cancer clinical trial in Ft. Worth that they could get at the main UT Southwestern campus in Dallas, for all phases and all tumor types.