Myths about Clinical Trials

MYTH

Clinical trials are reserved only for late-stage cancers as a last-ditch effort and can often delay treatment or limit treatment options.

FACT

Clinical trials are often recommended and extremely effective for early-stage cancers. From new diagnosis to advanced disease, some investigational treatments are safer and offer fewer side effects and better outcomes than the standard treatment available.

To inquire about clinical trials or reach a nurse navigator:

703.636.1473

MYTH

Patients can’t withdrawal from a clinical trial once they commit.

FACT

Participation is fully voluntary, and patients can voluntarily withdraw at any time without affecting their future medical care.

MYTH

Clinical trials are only offered at hospitals or academic institutions.

FACT

There are hundreds of thousands of clinical trials offered in many settings, including at Virginia Cancer Specialists, which operates the largest clinical trial portfolio in the Mid-Atlantic.

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“Dr. Spira is warm, welcoming, and most importantly, knowledgeable. I saw a different oncologist before him & changing doctors was the best move I ever made! The difference was night & day, in how I was treated, the communication, the expertise, the willingness to go to bat for me. And it’s not just Dr. Spira — this is the “corporate culture” expected here, and it applies to EVERYONE in the practice, from the receptionists, to the nurses, to the phlebotomists, and everyone else I’ve interacted with.”

To inquire about clinical trials or reach a nurse navigator:

703.636.1473