Patients often present too late for inclusion in trials

BMJ 1995;311:1570 (9 December)

Letters

Patients often present too late for inclusion in trials

EDITOR,--Heather Goodare and Richard Smith encourage patientsto become involved in the establishment as well as the performanceof clinical trials.¹ In prospective randomised controlled clinicaltrials in malignant disease, patients are in general well preparedto cooperate and participate. However, they must first reachthe treatment centre at a time when their condition is suitablefor inclusion.

The randomised controlled clinical trials of the CHART (continuous,hyperfractionated, accelerated radiotherapy) regimen of radiotherapy,in which 36 treatments are given over 12 days, were establishedin a cooperation between the Medical Research Council, CancerResearch Campaign, and Department of Health in 1990. Entry tothe head and neck study was satisfactory, but fewer patientswere submitted to the companion study in non-small cell lungcancer.

A survey of 484 patients who attended for radiotherapy for non-smallcell lung cancer at 12 of the contributing centres during athree month period showed . . . [Full text of this article]

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