Clinical Trials

Main Trials Page | Search Trials | Clinical Trial Site List | Drug Watch List

First-line Trials | Gleevec/Sutent-resistant | All Trials | Recruiting Trials | Preventative (Adjuvant)Treatment Trials

Do you need a clinical trial?

If you have GIST progression despite Gleevec and/or Sutent treatment you or your doctor may want to investigate a clinical trial as an option. While clinical trials are technically considered research, many GIST patients have benefited from participation in a clinical trial. When patients are no longer responding well to standard therapies such as Gleevec and Sutent, they may have the option of entering GIST clinical trials.

In addition, there are now several trials for front-line therapy. Several of these are testing Gleevec plus another drug as a combination for front-line therapy. Front-line therapy is therapy that is taken before Gleevec in the hope that it might improve on the results of Gleevec alone (search for first-line trials). In other cancers, drug combinations are generally used and are often more effective than single drugs. Many people have speculated that the same will hold true for targeted therapies in general and for GIST specifically.

  

Navigating Clinical Trials

Using the LRG clinical trials database

Trial Phase Definitions

Glossary of Clinical Trials Terms (Clinicaltrials.gov)

GIST Cancer Center Trial List

Predefined Trial Searches in Clinicaltrials.gov

Latest International Trial Listing (PDF)

Latest US Trial Listing (PDF)

See Listing of All Clinical Trials Bulletins

Clinical Trial Strategy Sheet (Updated Dec. 2008)

Navigating Clinical Trials Pamphlet

Understanding Drug Classes

States that require health plans to cover patient care in clinical trials

A Guide to Understanding Informed Consent (NCI website)

Have questions about GIST clinical trials or navigating the clinical trials section? Contact LRG Science Coordinator Jerry Call - 303 835-1745 or LRG Clinical Trials Coordinator Jim Hughes - 847 866-8360.

This site adheres to the Policies and Disclaimers adopted by the Life Raft Group specifically with respect to User Agreement, Privacy, and Disclaimers for Medical Information and Warranty.

What are the benefits?

There can be several benefits for GIST patients participating in clinical trials:

  • Option to access treatment after standard treatment fails
  • Receive treatment at major GIST trial center
  • Expanded treatment options
  • Help future GIST patients
  

What are the risks?

  • The new drug may not work for you
  • Side effects may occur
  • Additional testing, time and travel
  • Some costs may not be covered by insurance
What type of trial are you looking for?
The links below are also included at the top of every page (including this page) in the clinical trials section of the website.
First-line Trials Never had Gleevec before, metastatic or unresectable disease
Gleevec/Sutent-resistant GIST Resistant to Gleevec/Sutent
Preventative (Adjuvant)Treatment Trials Trials of Gleevec to try to prevent a recurrence after surgical removal of a primary tumor.
All Trials Includes trials that are no longer open
"Recruiting" Trials  Shows all recruiting trials including; First-line, Gleevec/Sutent-resistant and Adjuvant trials
Search Trials This page allows for custom searches. For example, you can search for all drugs of a certain class like all HSP90 inhibitors or all PI3K inhibitors. This is especially helpful if you are searching for a class of drug and something near your home.
Clinical Trial Site List Returns a list of all of the clinical trial sites that have a trial that we are tracking. This is very helpful if you are interested in a particular site and want to see what trials are available at that site. The site list is sortable by site, city, state and country.
Drug Watch List Shows a list of the drugs that we are tracking including all of the ones listed in the trials and a few others of interest. From the list you can select any drug for more detailed information about the drug. For approved drugs this typically includes links to prescribing information, patient assistance programs, trial results and more.