{"id":9175,"date":"2025-01-09T12:53:27","date_gmt":"2025-01-09T11:53:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ferocancer.org\/clinical-trials-hope-for-many-cancer-patients\/"},"modified":"2026-09-05T09:36:48","modified_gmt":"2026-09-05T07:36:48","slug":"clinical-trials-hope-for-many-cancer-patients","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ferocancer.org\/en\/clinical-trials-hope-for-many-cancer-patients\/","title":{"rendered":"Clinical Trials: Hope for Many Cancer Patients"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Clinical trials<\/strong> are studies conducted with a group of both healthy individuals and cancer patients that allow <strong>gathering information<\/strong> about how the body reacts to certain treatments or to the development of the disease itself based on different parameters.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They are designed by <strong>expert researchers and scientists<\/strong> in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients and undergo <strong>strict evaluation and approval protocols and requirements<\/strong> by <strong>regulatory agencies<\/strong> at national, European, and global levels, as well as <strong>research ethics committees<\/strong>, before they can be carried out.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <strong>safety\/toxicity (side effects)<\/strong> of participants in trials is the <strong>criterion that always prevails<\/strong>, as well as their <strong>freedom<\/strong> to participate in the trial and <strong>withdraw whenever they wish<\/strong>, without this affecting their <strong>subsequent medical care<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Clinical Trials: Phases<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A new treatment goes through several phases, and each of these phases has a different purpose:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Phase I Trials:<\/strong> study whether a new treatment is safe and seek the best way to administer the treatment. Physicians also look for signs that the cancer responds to the new treatment. <\/li>\n<li><strong>Phase II Trials:<\/strong> study whether a type of cancer responds to the new treatment.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Phase III Trials:<\/strong> study whether a new treatment is better than a standard treatment.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Phase IV Trials:<\/strong> find more information about long-term benefits and side effects.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Participation and Benefits of Clinical Trials<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Typically, all individuals who meet a series of <strong>inclusion and exclusion criteria<\/strong> according to the medical conditions determined by the <strong>physician investigators<\/strong> participate in <strong>clinical trials<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are several <strong>benefits<\/strong> for patients who participate in clinical trials, such as having the <strong>opportunity to help society<\/strong> and other people with the <strong>same condition<\/strong>, contributing to <strong>medical research<\/strong> and a deeper understanding of the disease. Additionally, they allow access to <strong>experimental treatments or medications<\/strong> for patients who lack other treatment alternatives or receive <strong>personalized medical follow-up<\/strong> throughout the development of the clinical trial in which they participate. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Clinical trials<\/strong> are of <strong>vital importance<\/strong> for science to advance. They allow us to <strong>implement, develop, test, and validate<\/strong> different work protocols to improve the <strong>selection of individual patients who are candidates<\/strong> for targeted therapies in phase I clinical trials. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They also aim to improve the <strong>panel of genes, biomarkers, indicators<\/strong>, etc., that allow us to <strong>better diagnose, classify, and select<\/strong> patients for certain therapies, <strong>anticipate<\/strong> who will <strong>respond<\/strong> or who may experience <strong>relapses<\/strong> and when, etc., thus creating a <strong>vast knowledge library<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">FERO and Its Commitment to Clinical Trials<\/h2>\n\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;6aa30c20aad61&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"6aa30c20aad61\" class=\"wp-block-image wp-lightbox-container\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--pointerdown=\"actions.preloadImage\" data-wp-on--pointerenter=\"actions.preloadImageWithDelay\" data-wp-on--pointerleave=\"actions.cancelPreload\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/em6q7wkx3sd.exactdn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ensayos-clinicos-fero-ok.jpg?strip=all&w=1920\" alt=\"FERO Clinical Trials Ok\"\/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-bind--aria-label=\"state.thisImage.triggerButtonAriaLabel\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.thisImage.buttonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.thisImage.buttonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The entry point for <strong>clinical trials<\/strong> is diagnostic units such as those <strong>we fund at FERO Foundation<\/strong>. At FERO, we believe in the <strong>importance of the best possible identification of mutations<\/strong> in order to refer patients to the <strong>correct clinical trials that can save their lives<\/strong>. These are units where samples from patients, in many cases candidates for entering these clinical trials, are analyzed with the purpose of <strong>identifying mutations, alterations, or other indicators<\/strong> that allow us a <strong>better diagnosis<\/strong> and support the decision of knowing what the <strong>best treatment<\/strong> is for their cancer. This treatment may be an <strong>already approved drug<\/strong> (from the multiple targeted therapies already on the market) or open the door to being included in a <strong>specific clinical trial<\/strong> for the identified alteration.   <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These <strong>precision medicine units<\/strong> that <strong>FERO Foundation funds<\/strong> are located at <strong>INCLIVA (Hospital Cl\u00ednico de Valencia)<\/strong>, Hospital Vall d&#8217;Hebron, and <strong>Hospital Cl\u00ednic de Barcelona<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Paloma D\u00edez de Madrid, an Example of the Usefulness of Clinical Trials<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Today we would like to share a <strong>good example<\/strong>. A <strong>lung cancer patient<\/strong> who is receiving an <strong>experimental treatment<\/strong> within a <strong>clinical trial<\/strong> at <strong>Hospital 12 de Octubre de Madrid<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thanks to this clinical trial, she has had a chance for a cure and therefore hope. And this is only because research advances. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Paloma D\u00edez de Madrid<\/strong> was diagnosed with stage IV lung adenocarcinoma at age 58. She tells us that when they informed her, it was <strong>difficult to accept<\/strong>. She felt <strong>uncertainty, fear, and helplessness<\/strong>.  <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Regarding her illness, she confesses that she has trusted the <strong>specialized medical staff<\/strong> from the first moment of diagnosis, with the greatest fortitude possible, counting, of course, on <strong>the support of her family and friends<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After <strong>a year and a half of treatment<\/strong> within this clinical trial,<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">what has helped her most is having confidence in the oncology team and feeling, from all the information provided by them, that she was receiving the best possible treatment for her situation.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Furthermore, seeing that she was responding well to treatment gave her <strong>the necessary confidence and peace of mind<\/strong> to get through each day.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She is currently participating in a <strong>phase II clinical trial<\/strong>. This is, for now, the <strong>only treatment<\/strong> she has received, since she was told it was the <strong>most appropriate therapeutic option<\/strong> for her disease. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Paloma expresses her enormous desire for this clinical trial to reach a successful conclusion so that other patients with the same diagnosis can benefit from it, just as she is benefiting today.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When we asked her whether she believes there is a need for <strong>greater awareness<\/strong> about cancer or whether society is already <strong>sufficiently aware<\/strong> of the disease, she tells us that she does believe there is <strong>awareness in society<\/strong> of the relevance of the disease, but at the same time <strong>lack of knowledge<\/strong> about how much <strong>treatments have advanced<\/strong> and <strong>research<\/strong> on it and what it means for the <strong>quality of life and life expectancy<\/strong> of patients who receive it.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Paloma emphatically insists that research is extremely important and must have all possible funding.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She states that she does not understand how at this point, with more and more cancer diagnoses, this is not absolutely clear.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She declares that from her point of view <strong>&#8220;we must promote and facilitate with professional and financial incentives for researchers to obtain more and better results. Our lives depend on it.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Clinical trials expand the range of therapeutic options available to end cancer, being the only way to see that new drugs are truly effective in humans,<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">after having tested them in <strong>animal and cellular models<\/strong>. Having <strong>Phase I clinical trials<\/strong>, where a drug is tested for the first time in humans, provides <strong>new opportunities<\/strong> to patients who, like Paloma, without this option would have no <strong>possibility of cure<\/strong>, since there is no <strong>drug available today<\/strong> for their tumor. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At <strong>FERO Foundation<\/strong>, we want to <strong>thank<\/strong> Paloma for sharing her experience with us, and <strong>all patients<\/strong> who participate in clinical trials for their generosity.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We believe that a future without cancer is possible, and for this, the only answer is: research.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you want to be part of the change and help us offer the <strong>best therapies and diagnostics<\/strong> to patients,\n<strong>join FERO!<\/strong>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/porunfuturosincancer.fero.org\/\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/ferocancer.org\/dona\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Clinical trials are studies conducted with a group of both healthy individuals and cancer patients that allow gathering information about how the body reacts to certain treatments or to the development of the disease itself based on different parameters. They are designed by expert researchers and scientists in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9176,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_titles_title":"Clinical Trials in Cancer: Phases and Benefits","_seopress_titles_desc":"Clinical trials in cancer: phases, safety, and benefits for patients, with ethical approval and access to innovative treatments.","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_robots_follow":"","_seopress_robots_imageindex":"","_seopress_robots_snippet":"","_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_robots_breadcrumbs":"","_seopress_robots_freeze_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_custom_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_canonical":"","_seopress_social_fb_title":"","_seopress_social_fb_desc":"","_seopress_social_fb_img":"","_seopress_social_fb_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_height":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_title":"","_seopress_social_twitter_desc":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_height":0,"_seopress_redirections_value":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled_regex":"","_seopress_redirections_logged_status":"","_seopress_redirections_param":"","_seopress_redirections_type":0,"_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","_seopress_news_disabled":"","_seopress_video_disabled":"","_seopress_video":[],"_seopress_pro_schemas_manual":[],"_seopress_pro_rich_snippets_disable_all":"","_seopress_pro_rich_snippets_disable":[],"_seopress_pro_schemas":[],"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[97],"tags":[143],"class_list":["post-9175","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-outreach-and-prevention","tag-clinical-trials"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ferocancer.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9175","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ferocancer.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ferocancer.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ferocancer.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ferocancer.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9175"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/ferocancer.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9175\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9177,"href":"https:\/\/ferocancer.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9175\/revisions\/9177"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ferocancer.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9176"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ferocancer.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9175"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ferocancer.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9175"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ferocancer.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9175"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}