Fast Facts Clinical Trials In Oncology

Written by leading experts, 'Fast Facts: Clinical Trials in Oncology' will enhance the reader’s ability to critically evaluate published evidence. Assuming little or no prior knowledge, the book sets out clearly the fundamental features of clinical trials. The key attributes of Phase I–III trials of pharmaceutical products are described, as are trials of surgical procedures, radiation therapy and advanced therapies. The processes and documentation required to set up and conduct a trial are outlined, and the authors describe how trial data and real-world evidence are used to improve care. Although this concise colorful book focuses on oncology, the principles apply equally to interventions in other areas of practice. It will prove invaluable to medical, pharmaceutical and allied health professionals who want, or need, an overview of how contemporary clinical trials are designed and conducted.

Using real examples from oncology trials, but keeping it simple, this concise resource explains the basic principles of medical statistics so that you can better appraise clinical trial results. Key concepts covered in this book include: • hypothesis testing • Kaplan–Meier curves and other graphic representations of data • calculating the power of a study • the stopping rules for efficacy and futility. ' Fast Facts: Medical Statistics' is aimed at all clinicians, clinical scientists, medical writers and regulatory personnel who need a better understanding of the statistical terms and methods used in the planning of studies and the analysis of clinical trial data. If you have ever wanted to know what a type I error is, how an odds ratio is calculated or what a forest plot is really all about, then this is the book for you. Contents: • Statistical inference • Analysis of time-to-event endpoints • Power and sample size • Multiplicity • Interim analysis • Modeling • Graphical methods

Written by leading experts, 'Fast Facts: Clinical Trials in Oncology' will enhance the reader’s ability to critically evaluate published evidence. Assuming little or no prior knowledge, the book sets out clearly the fundamental features of clinical trials. The key attributes of Phase I–III trials of pharmaceutical products are described, as are trials of surgical procedures, radiation therapy and advanced therapies. The processes and documentation required to set up and conduct a trial are outlined, and the authors describe how trial data and real-world evidence are used to improve care. Although this concise colorful book focuses on oncology, the principles apply equally to interventions in other areas of practice. It will prove invaluable to medical, pharmaceutical and allied health professionals who want, or need, an overview of how contemporary clinical trials are designed and conducted. Contents: • Fundamental features of clinical trials • Phase I trials • Phase II trials • Phase III trials • Trials of non-drug interventions • Setting up and conducting trials • Publishing trial results, changing clinical practice, and supporting evidence

The third edition of the bestselling Clinical Trials in Oncology provides a concise, nontechnical, and thoroughly up-to-date review of methods and issues related to cancer clinical trials. The authors emphasize the importance of proper study design, analysis, and data management and identify the pitfalls inherent in these processes. In addition, the book has been restructured to have separate chapters and expanded discussions on general clinical trials issues, and issues specific to Phases I, II, and III. New sections cover innovations in Phase I designs, randomized Phase II designs, and overcoming the challenges of array data. Although this book focuses on cancer trials, the same issues and concepts are important in any clinical setting. As always, the authors use clear, lucid prose and a multitude of real-world examples to convey the principles of successful trials without the need for a strong statistics or mathematics background. Armed with Clinical Trials in Oncology, Third Edition, clinicians and statisticians can avoid the many hazards that can jeopardize the success of a trial.

Wherever you are in your career, and whatever involvement you have with caring for women with breast cancer, the fifth edition of 'Fast Facts: Breast Cancer' has something for you. The world-class authors of this popular fact-packed handbook provide practical advice on all the key areas of breast cancer management, from risk factors and diagnosis to treatment of all cancer stages. But what really makes it stand out from the crowd is the authors' awareness of the information you need when you talk to a woman concerned about breast cancer. The chapter dedicated to perception of risk will refresh your knowledge and help you talk to your patients about their individual prospects, while the short chapter on clinical trials will help you discuss potential participation in trials and answer common questions. Improvements in the management of breast cancer have followed three major themes in recent years: greater optimization of individualized local treatment, longer duration of therapies, and the use of biological therapies targeted at specific receptors. This colorful up-to-date handbook addresses all these trends, alongside the disturbing issues of overdiagnosis as a result of screening and overtreatment. Given the explosion in information technology, patients and their families have access to much more information on their condition and as a result assume a more active role in their medical management. Health professionals have an important role in helping patients sort the facts from the fallacies, put the risks and benefits into perspective and balance their treatment choices. For this reason alone, 'Fast Facts: Breast Cancer' is an invaluable evidence-based resource for everyone working in breast cancer care in primary and secondary settings, from medical and nursing students, to GPs, specialist nurses and residents. And one for your patients too ... The authors encourage you to make your patients well-informed active partners in their breast cancer care by sharing this highly readable book with them. Contents: * Risk factors * Perception of risk * Pathophysiology * Diagnosis * Local control of primary tumor * Adjuvant therapy * Follow-up and rehabilitation * Management of advanced cancer * Clinical trials * Future trends * Useful resources

The treatment of cancer is being revolutionized by drugs that modulate the immune system, offering the prospect of long-term response and extended survival for many patients with advanced incurable cancer. A plethora of new drugs are being incorporated into current standards of care but many questions remain unanswered - and new ones emerge - about how to use these exciting new drugs to best effect. A good understanding of immune-oncology is therefore becoming increasingly important to keep up to date with this rapidly changing field. 'Fast Facts: Immuno-Oncology' takes you from the fundamentals of immunology through to the new concepts of immunoediting and immunotherapy and likely future directions. Whether you are a practicing oncologist, oncology health professional, medical student, cancer researcher or industry professional, this book provides all you need to know about immuno-oncology, concisely summarized. Contents: • Components of the immune system • How cancers evade the immune system • How cancer immunotherapy works • Clinical use of immune checkpoint inhibitors • The future of immuno-oncology • Useful resources

The National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Clinical Trials Cooperative Group Program has played a key role in developing new and improved cancer therapies. However, the program is falling short of its potential, and the IOM recommends changes that aim to transform the Cooperative Group Program into a dynamic system that efficiently responds to emerging scientific knowledge; involves broad cooperation of stakeholders; and leverages evolving technologies to provide high-quality, practice-changing research.

Despite an overall decrease in tobacco use, lung cancer (80–85% of which is non-small-cell lung cancer [NSCLC]) is still the leading cause of cancer death in both men and women worldwide. Annual low-dose CT screening of high-risk individuals has the potential to detect early-stage tumors, which can usually be successfully treated with a combination of surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy and, in some cases, targeted therapy. However, most patients with NSCLC still present with advanced or metastatic disease. For these patients, initial therapy is guided by the tumor’s molecular characteristics and patient’s performance status. Targeted therapies have significantly improved clinical outcomes and, for some patients with no targetable genetic alterations, immunotherapy has demonstrated significant overall survival benefit. This insightful guide is designed to bring you up to speed with the latest developments and is important reading for all health professionals and medical trainees working in this fast-moving field. Table of Contents: • Prevention and screening • Diagnosis and staging • Surgery • Radiotherapy • Systemic therapy in non-metastatic NSCLC • Systemic therapy in advanced-stage/metastatic disease without a molecular driver • Personalized treatment in advanced NSCLC • Oligometastatic disease and brain metastases

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