A cancer research center that receives support from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to do cancer research and provide services directly to cancer patients.
A cancer research center that receives support from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to do cancer research and provide services directly to cancer patients.
The total number of people who have completed or in the process of completing a specific trial. This number includes patients who withdraw.
Trial status. A study is ongoing, but potential participants are not currently being enrolled.
Americans with Disabilities Act. It prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in the workplace, transportation and public accommodations.
Alanine transaminase. An enzyme found in the liver that helps convert proteins into energy for liver cells.
Abdominalperineal resection. In this operation, the colon, rectum, and anal sphincter are removed, resulting in a permanent colostomy.
In clinical trials, an arm is a particular group in a trial receiving a drug or treatment. This often includes an experimental/treatment arm and a control/standard-of-care arm. Early-phase trials may have multiple experimental arms with no control arm. Placebos are very uncommon in cancer trials.
The first part of the large intestine, which passes upward from the cecum on the right side of the abdomen.
Proteins present in or released by the tumor or metastases that can be detected in blood, other bodily fluids, or tissues.
An examination of tissue removed from your body to discover the presence, cause, or extent of your cancer.
There are two types of blinded trials. In a single-blind trial, participants do not know what drug or regimen they are receiving. In a double-blind trial, neither the researchers nor the participants know which drug patients receive until after the trial finishes. Double-blind studies are used to minimize the influence of bias and the placebo effect.
A gene that codes for an enzyme that plays an essential role in a signaling pathway in your cells.
Complete blood count. A blood test measuring the number of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets in the body.
Set of drug treatments that use powerful drugs to kill cancer within the body. These drugs affect all rapidly dividing cells in the body including cancer cells, common side effects are seen when chemotherapy drugs affect normal cells.
Research studies performed in people that are aimed at evaluating medical, surgical, or behavioral intervention.
A 3-letter “word” in DNA or RNA that tells the cell which building block (amino acid) to use when making a protein.
A procedure in which a flexible fiber-optic instrument is inserted through the anus in order to examine the colon.
Community-driven, non-profit clinics located in medically underserved areas or serving populations that are medically underserved.
A written document that provides comprehensive information about a clinical trial. It will go over all the expectations and possible risks that come along with participating in a trial. You can choose to withdraw consent at any time.
A type of trial in which participants receive two or more interventions in a specific order. For example, one group of patients may receive drug A for a period of time, then drug B. The other group of patients would receive drug B then drug A.
Computed tomography scan. A procedure that uses a computer linked to an x-ray machine to make a series of detailed pictures of the inside of the body.
The part of the large intestine that pases downward on the left side of the abdomen toward the rectum.
Determining what kind of disease you have. Cancer diagnoses can come along with a whole bunch of information, from stage to cancer type.
The term used to describe how much or how little tumor tissue looks like the normal tissue it came from.
Includes the mouth, pharynx (throat), esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and anus. The main job is to absorb nutrients from food.
Percentage of patients whose disease shrinks or remains stable over the duration of the trial.
The length of time after primary treatment that a patient survives without any signs or symptoms of that cancer. In a clinical trial, measuring the DFS is one way to see how well a new treatment works. In study results, this value is reported as the median amount of time participants experienced DFS. Also known as relapse-free survival (RFS).
Deoxyribonucleic acid. A molecule found in every cell in the body, containing instructions for everything your cells need to do.
A dose-escalation study determines the optimal dose of a particular drug. In this type of study, the dose of a trial drug is gradually increased until they find the highest effective dose that doesn’t cause unacceptable side effects. Dose escalation can be a part of phase I and phase II clinical trials.
The process of finding the optimal dose of a particular drug, usually with a dose-escalation study. This is usually the focus of phase II clinical trials.
Genes that code for enzymes that are important in the breakdown of the chemotherapy drugs 5FU and capecitabine.
External beam radiation therapy. Refers to the delivery of tightly targeted radiation beams from outside the body.
This is a score from 0 to 5 that refers to a patient’s level of functioning and ability to carry out daily tasks. It’s often used as exclusion or inclusion criteria in clinical trials. The scale is listed below:
Equal Employment Opportunities Commission. A federal agency that enforces civil rights laws against workplace discrimination.
Epigenetic growth factor receptor inhibitor. A class of drugs that blocks the activity of specific proteins called epidermal growth factor receptors. They are often found at high levels on some types of cancer cells.
A procedure in which an instrument is introduced into the body to give view of its internal parts.
The thin tissue forming the outer layer of a body’s surface and lining the intestines and other hollow structures.
Rules to determine if a person is eligible to participate in a particular trial, focused on reasons why they would not be eligible. For example, a trial may not be open to MSS patients, patients with specific mutations, or patients with specific underlying health conditions.
The endpoint of a clinical trial is an outcome that can be measured to determine whether or not the drug or treatment tested has benefit to patients. This could be an improvement in overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS) or symptoms and side effects. When a trial fails to meet its endpoint, it means that the treatment being studied has not acheived the benefit that researchers were expecting — however this endpoint may be based on information that has changed over the years. So a “failed” trial may still show that a treatment provides some benefits for patients. Take a look at OS, PFS, ORR, etc for other measures of success.
A blood test that checks for heritable gene mutations present in all cells of your body — including the tumor.
Hepatic artery infusion pump. A method of delivering chemotherapy medicine directly to the liver.
Hazard ratio. In clincial trials, it’s a measure of how often a particular event happens in one group compared to how often it happens in another group, over time. A hazard ratio of one means that there is no difference in survival between the two groups. A hazard ratio of greater than one or less than one means that survival was better in one of the groups.
A special kind of care that focuses on quality of life for people and their caregivers who are experiencing an advanced, life-limiting illness.
Immunohistochemistry test. A test performed on cancer tissue removed during a biopsy. The test is used to show whether or not cancer cells have specific proteins expressed.
The prevention or treatment of disease with substances that stimulate an immune response.
Rules to determine if a person is eligible to participate in a particular trial, focused on reasons why they would be eligible. For example, a trial may be open to only MSI-H patients, or patients with a BRAF V600E mutation.
Sponsored by a for-profit company, typically a pharmaceutical or biotech company.
The group that is responsible for reviewing and monitoring medical research involving human subjects. They are responsible for approving or rejecting research studies based on FDA regulations.
A holistic-oriented medical professional who takes account of the whole person, including all aspects of their lifestyle, when treating patients.
The process of analyzing the data from all participants in a trial, based on the group or arm they were initially assigned to. This is done regardless of whether patients dropped out, did not adhere to the full treatment, or were switched to another treatment arm. This is in contrast to a “per-protocol” analysis, where those in the groups listed above would be excluded from the analysis.
A review of trial data done before the trial is complete. Not all trials have interim analyses. It depends on the protocol decided on before the trial began.
A specific action that a trial is investigating. Interventions can be drugs, medical devices, behaviors, procedures, and more.
iRECIST (immune Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors) is a set of guidelines designed to evaluate tumor response in cancer immunotherapy trials.
Lower anterior resection. In this surgery, the tumor and part of the rectum is removed. Then, the lower part of the colon is reattached to the rectum.
Lower anterior resection syndrome. This describes a series of bowel-related symptoms that people who have undergone a LAR operation may experience, such as loose stools, urge to go to the bathroom, and incomplete stools.
Read about LARS:
The order in which different treatments are given to patients as their disease progresses. If you experience tumor growth on the first line of therapy, you may move to the second line, and so on..
A test done on a blood sample to look for cancer cells or pieces of tumor cell DNA circulating in the blood.
A colorless fluid containing white blood cells, which surrounds tissues and drains through the lymphatic system into the bloodstream.
A network of tissues, vessels and organs that work together to move lymph back into your bloodstream.
Inherited mutations in genes that affect DNA mismatch repair, a process that fixes mistakes made in DNA replication. Lynch syndrome is the most common cause of hereditary colorectal cancer.
A term for disease in which abnormal cells divide uncontrollably and invade nearby tissues.
The highest dose of a particular drug or treatment that does not cause unacceptable side effects. The definition of “unacceptable” is determined by each individual trial. In addition, the definition of what is tolerable may vary between patients.
Multi-disciplinary tumor boards. A treatment planning approach in which a number of doctors who are experts in different specialties review and discuss a patient’s medical condition and treatment options.
A common eligibility requirement. Researchers measure the size of tumors to evaluate whether a treatment is working. However, some tumors are in places they cannot be easily measured, or are too small to measure. According to RECIST 1.1, the requirement is often at least 10mm on the longest dimension.
A medical professional who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental health issues.
Often referred to as ‘mets’. The development of a secondary cancer growth in a different organ than the primary tumor site.
Minimal residual disease. Refers to a small number of cancer cells left in the body after treatment.
Magnetic resonance imaging. A procedure that uses radio waves and a powerful magnet linked to a computer to create detailed pictures of inside the body.
A treatment planning approach in which a number of doctors who are experts in different specialties review and discuss a patient’s medical condition and treatment options.
Any change in a gene, resulting in a variant form. This can be caused by changes in single base units in DNA, or the deletion, insertion, or rearrangement of larger sections of genes or chromosomes.
A patient is considered treatment-naive if they have never undergone a specific treatment before. For example, a patient who has never had FOLFOX would be considered Oxaliplatin-naive.
National Comprehensive Cancer Network. A not-for-profit alliance of leading cancer centers devoted to patient care, research, and education.
National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines. A comprehensive set of standard guidelines oncologists follow to determine treatment options. There are separate guidelines for providers and patients.
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