NCRI: The wider age limits may allow more adolescent patients to participate in trials of cancer -
The age limits on clinical trials must be more flexible to enable more cancer patients teen the chance to access to new treatments, according to a report from the National cancer research Institute (NCRI), published in the Lancet Oncology .
The study, funded by the National Research Institute and adolescents Health Cancer Trust, found that the tests designed with wider age limits have resulted in more adolescents and young adults undergoing clinical trials.
The study showed that recommendation led to a 13 percent increase in cancer patients aged 15-19 taking part in clinical trials between 05 and 2010 (from 24 to 37 percent), and increase of five percent in the 20-24 age group (13 to 18 percent). Children under 14 participating in trials increased by six percent (from 52 to 58 percent) *.
This increase was due to the increased availability and access to testing for young people, increased awareness of health professionals, patients and the public about research and especially the opening test with wider age limits that allow older teenagers and young adults to the testing phase.
study leader Dr Lorna Fern, who coordinates research for the teenager NCRI and Young Adult Clinical Studies Group and is funded by Teenage Cancer Trust, said: "We know that patients are often better on tests because of the specialized care they receive, but now too many of our young patients are unnecessarily falling through the gap between pediatric and. trials of adult cancer.
"by encouraging doctors to consider the entire age range of patients with different types of cancer, we have shown that it is possible to design tests that include cancer patients adolescents and especially that better the underlying biology of the disease and those affected. "
in the light of this study, Cancer Research UK is one of the first major donor fund cancer in the UK to start asking researchers to justify age restrictions on new studies in an effort to recruit more teenage cancer patients on its testing
Kate law, director of cancer Research UK clinical trials, said :. "Old or young, it is essential that treatments effective are developed for the fight against cancer in all age groups. We now only accept age limits on our clinical trials if they are supported by objective evidence, which will hopefully mean more young cancer patients have the opportunity to contribute to research and have the latest experimental treatments. "
Simon Fuller, Director of Services for Teenage Cancer Trust comments:" Too many young people miss out on clinical trials and have been working with patients, politicians, the NCRI and other organizations to increase awareness of this lack of access. change is essential to improving the quality of life and chances of survival for young people with cancer from 13 to 24. We need everyone involved in setting service and regulation of clinical trials to work together across the UK, Europe and the world to help save young lives. the next week we will start our own working paper at the international Conference 8 teenage cancer Trust on adolescent medicine and young adult cancer "
Dr. Karen Kennedy, director of the NCRI, said:" These results show that we 're gradually break down the barriers to enable more young patients. young adults to take part in cancer trials. If other donors to cancer research funds adopt those recommendations and then we have a great opportunity to help ensure more patients, young and old, have access to treatments that could be useful to them. "
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