What are the different types of clinical trials?

Cancer clinical trials generally fall into four main types, each designed to answer a different research question.

Treatment trials are the most common type. They involve people who already have cancer and test new treatments, or new ways of using existing treatments.

Prevention trials look at ways to prevent cancer from developing. Participants are often people at high risk of cancer, or people who've had cancer before and are at high risk of a new cancer, rather than people currently being treated.

Screening trials test ways to find cancer before it causes symptoms, when it may be easier to treat.

Supportive care, or palliative care, trials focus on improving quality of life for people with cancer, especially by looking at ways to manage side effects of cancer and its treatment.

Knowing which type of trial you're looking at can help you understand whether it's relevant to your own situation.