Clinical Trials & Research

Our members are involved in the design and running of a number of clinical studies, helping to ensure that they are targeted effectively. We work as advocates at a strategic level with clinicians and clinical researchers in order to improve clinical research and outcomes for all cancer patients.

We get involved in many different ways. For some studies, we input into the very earliest stages of trial development, contributing to the development of funding proposals. We read and comment on trial protocols and on patient information materials to make it more likely that patient will enrol. Our members sit on the steering committees of many active trials to ensure that the patient perspective is considered.

In recent years our members collaborated on a wide range of studies, including: OPTIMA, a new clinical study that should ultimately reduce the amount of chemotherapy given to breast cancer patients; IMPORT HIGH & LOW (two trials looking at different ways of giving radiotherapy to high- and low-risk breast cancer patients ); POETIC ( a trial looking at whether having hormone therapy before and after surgery improves the outlook for post-menopausal women with breast cancer); and iBREAST (a trial seeking to determine whether innovative alternative follow up methods are equivalent to traditional specialist hospital-based follow-up in terms of survival and patient perception of living with cancer).

We have supported and continue to work with the Breast Cancer Campaign’s tissue bank board of management and tissue access committee.

For more information on these and projects please follow the links on the left or read our review which can ben found on the publications page.