Due to the general aging of the population over the next few decades, the number of people with cancer is expected to increase (see Canadian Cancer Statistics for more information).

For more than 30 years, our Juravinski Cancer Centre Clinical Trials Department has conducted research related to cancer with a focus on:

• Cancer Prevention (finding new ways to stop cancer from occurring in patients who have never had cancer)
• Early Detection (testing ways to better screen and diagnose cancer in the earliest stages to hopefully increase the chance of a cure)
• Cancer Treatment (using new drugs, radiation therapy, or surgical techniques, using older treatments in newer ways, or a combination of any of these)
• Supportive and Palliative Care (using drugs, techniques, or interventions to improve a patient’s quality of daily life)
• Survivorship (helping people to live better and longer with cancer)

Many of our clinical trials involve cancer treatment, which may include:

• New ways of doing surgery or the timing of when to do surgery
• New chemotherapy drugs or combinations of chemotherapy with other treatments
• New radiation techniques, such as radiosurgery
• New treatments, such as immunotherapy, vaccines, and personalized targeted therapies
• Using older therapies in a new way
• Using medical devices and technology to treat tumors

The opportunity to take part in a clinical trial is a very important part of the experience we provide to our patients here at the Juravinski Cancer Centre.