When most people think of clinical trials, they think of trials that test new drugs and drug combinations. However, clinical trials also study ways to improve quality of life and reduce side effects, as well as collect information to advance cancer research. These types of trials are called non-treatment, non-therapeutic, non-interventional, or observational studies.
Some non-treatment trials study how diet and exercise improve quality of life and reduce side effects. Others conduct genetic or biomarker testing, collect blood or tumor samples, or study new imaging tests (scans) to learn more about breast cancer. Other trials study ways to help your doctor select your next treatment and predict your cancer’s response to treatment. Just like treatment clinical trials, non-treatment clinical trials always require informed consent.
Read below for more information about different types of non-treatment trials. Click “Filter by Trial Type” on Metastatic Trial Search to see the full list of non-treatment trials available for people with MBC.
Introduction to Non-Treatment Trials
- Syneos Health: Non-Interventional Studies
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Observational Studies
Diet, Exercise, and Complementary and Integrative Medicine
- Memorial Sloan Kettering: Diets and Cancer
- Memorial Sloan Kettering: A Study Examining Diet, Exercise, and Breast Cancer
- Metastatic Trial Talk: What is Complementary and Integrative Medicine?
- Metastatic Trial Search: MBC Trials for Complementary and Integrative Medicine
Registries and Providing Tissue Samples
- National Cancer Institute: Providing Tissue Samples
- Research Advocacy Network: Providing Tissue Samples
- Cancer Research UK: Giving Tissue Samples
- Columbia University: Research Registries and Studies
- Metastatic Breast Cancer Alliance: MBC Connect
- Metastatic Trial Search: MBC Trials for Surveys/Interviews/Registries
Genetic/Biomarker Testing
- Medline Plus: How Does Genetic Testing in a Research Setting Differ from Clinical Genetic Testing?
- Metastatic Trial Search: MBC Trials for Genetics/Family History
Treatment Decision Support
- Patient Preference and Adherence (Journal Article): Decision Support in Breast Cancer
- American Psychological Association (Journal Article): Decision Support Intervention for Black Women with Breast Cancer
- Metastatic Trial Search: MBC Trials for Treatment Decision Support
- Metastatic Trial Search: MBC Trials for Predicting Response to Treatment
Support/Education
- Dana Farber Cancer Institute: Young and Strong Program and Study for Young Adults with Breast Cancer
- Metastatic Trial Search: MBC Trials for Support/Education
Clinical Trials for Imaging
- National Cancer Institute: Imaging Clinical Trials
- Metastatic Trial Search: MBC Trials for Imaging
Last Modified on December 12, 2023