Ask the Care Team
How can I participate in research? Are there ways for me to contribute if I'm not a patient?
One way to participate in research is by enrolling in a clinical trial – a research study aimed at answering important questions about medical care. Some attempt to find new treatments for diseases, while others seek to explain why certain individuals develop a disease and others do not. At Dana-Farber, there are hundreds of research studies going on as investigators attempt to understand diseases better.
In order to take part in a clinical trial, potential participants must meet certain medical requirements. Investigators establish eligibility criteria to reduce the risk that participation will be harmful. Additionally, clinical trials usually have guidelines to ensure that all patients who enroll have similar features, such as type and stage of cancer, making it possible at the end of the study to determine whether one treatment was more successful than another.
"If you are potentially eligible and are thinking about taking part in a study, it is important that you speak to your primary oncologist," says Sharon Lane, RN, MSN, OCN, director, Clinical Trials Nursing. "Discuss all available options and determine which ones are best for you."
You can also learn about clinical trials through Dana-Farber's Web site at www.dana-farber.org/res/clinical, which lists all open trials by diagnosis, or by calling (866) 790-4500. All DFCI trials are open to current patients or to those thinking of coming to the Institute.
Healthy volunteers also needed
Some studies at Dana-Farber allow individuals who have not been diagnosed with cancer to participate. Healthy volunteers may serve as a comparison group in studying how chemotherapy and other treatments affect the body.
In addition, family members or friends of patients can also help further research efforts at Dana-Farber by donating blood products or stem cells for patients receiving treatment.
For information on how to donate blood, contact Brigham and Women's Hospital Blood Donor Center at (617) 732-6620, or to donate platelets, contact the Kraft Family Blood Donor Center at DFCI at (617) 632-3660.
To learn more about becoming a potential stem cell donor, call the National Marrow Donor Program's Donor Recruitment office at (617) 632-2561 or (866) 875-3324.
