Understanding chemotherapy - Macmillan Cancer

Understanding chemotherapyas good as existing treatments, or to have side effects thatoutweigh the benefits.If you decide not to take part in a trial, your decision will berespected and you don’t have to give a reason. However,it can help to let the staff know your concerns so that theycan give you the best advice. There will be no change in theway that you’re treated by the hospital staff, and you’ll beoffered the standard treatment for your situation.Our booklet, Understanding cancer research trials(clinical trials) describes clinical trials in more detail.We can send you a copy for free.Blood and tumour samplesBone marrow or blood and tumour samples may be takento help make the right diagnosis. You may be asked for yourpermission to use some of your samples for research intocancer. If you’re taking part in a trial you may also be askedto give other samples, which may be frozen and stored forfuture use, when new research techniques become available.These samples will have your name removed from them soyou can’t be identified.The research may be carried out at the hospital where youare treated, or at another one. This type of research takes along time, so you are unlikely to hear the results. The sampleswill, however, be used to increase knowledge about the causesof cancer and its treatment. This research will hopefully improvethe outlook for future patients.Our website macmillan.org.uk/clinicaltrials hasinformation about current clinical trial databases.78