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A group of researchers in the United Kingdom recently discovered a way to group patients in clinical trials in order to help determine success rates. In this case, the researchers were able to better predict a patient’s response to the clinical trial according to three biological factors. They are:
The researchers analyzed 38 different clinical trials that occurred between 2003 and 2015. Sixty-five patients were measured according to the three biological factors after the trials were completed. The researchers then divided the patients into two groups. The first group, which had the lower and more improved scores according to the biological factors had an overall survival rate of 13.4 months. It was significant that none of those patients died within the first 90 days of the trial.
The second group, which had higher and more critical scores, had an overall survival rate of four months with 10 out of 30 patients dying within that 90-day window. Usually, a patient cannot enroll in a clinical trial if it is determined that the patient will not survive at least 90 days into the trial.
Researchers may find that they are often required to lower acceptance criteria in order to let enough patients into the study for the number to be significant. In the patients who were studied, most of them who were involved in the clinical trials had few or no serious side effects. Even more significantly, many of the patients even showed anti-tumor activity during the trial.
These patients were studied after a phase I clinical trial. Phase I is typically designed to determine the tolerability and safety of the treatment and assists in determining the dosage for phase II.
Researchers in this project believe that the prognostic tool, whereby they measure the three biological criteria mentioned, will lead to better selection criteria for the clinical trials which will lead to better information gathering after the trial. Additionally, this tool will help increase the number of patients who benefit from molecular targeting agents used in clinical trials including trials that are used for diseases other than mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma can be fast-acting and painful disease. If you are suffering from mesothelioma or other asbestos-related disease, you are urged to contact the Philadelphia mesothelioma lawyers at Brookman, Rosenberg, Brown & Sandler today. Call us at 800-369-0899 or contact us online to arrange a free consultation at our Philadelphia office, where we serve clients throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey.