About Clinical Trials

A clinical trial is a study of a medical treatment in human subjects. After laboratory research shows that a new method has promise for preventing cancer, treating cancer, or managing the side effects of cancer or cancer treatments, it must be tested with human subjects in a clinical trial. Clinical trials answer questions about safety and effectiveness. Clinical trials are used to determine whether the best treatments are being used, and to help the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) determine whether or not to approve a treatment for general use.

NCCTG Clinical Trials
Patients who participate in an NCCTG Clinical Trial have the advantage of NCCTG's state-of-the art scientific resources through our research base at Mayo Clinic and our close connection with the National Cancer Institute, the professional staff at our member institutions, and our long history of conducting cancer clinical trials since 1977.

NCCTG Storage and Use of Biospecimens
Biospecimen Policy

For More Information
For more information about clinical trials please see the National Cancer Institute's Cancer Facts - Clinical Trials: Questions and Answers.