When new prostate cancer therapies are announced, patients often ask, “Will this apply to me?” In this [ACT]IVATED program, Dr. Leanne Woods-Burnham of Morehouse School of Medicine shares simple, proactive steps patients can take to explore emerging treatment options, including how to search ClinicalTrials.gov, leverage state-level resources, and start informed conversations with their care team, so no opportunity is missed.
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Transcript
Deandre White:
So Dr. Burnham, when new therapies are discussed at meetings such as ASCO, patients and care partners often wonder: Will this therapy apply to our situation? So what practical steps can patients take to ensure that their story is also considered when it comes to newer or more advanced treatment options?
Dr. Leanne Woods-Burnham:
My activation tip for this question is, number one: ask your doctor. Not that all doctors are up to date, but it’s a good starting point to see what is out there, what you may qualify for going to ClinicalTrials.gov, you can find out on your own something that your own doctor might not be familiar with, that’s not even in the same state that you’re living in.
For example, I have a family member who lives in Ohio, but they travel to Texas to receive their treatment through a clinical trial that is offered there. And a doctor in Ohio may not know of the trial in Texas, and that can refer to any state. Somebody in California might not know what’s happening in Georgia, or whatever, but ClinicalTrials.gov is more of a nationwide database, so you can see what’s available.
You can also utilize resources at the state level to help pair you up with clinical trials. It would be different for each state, but here in the state of Georgia, we have state resources where you could even Google, a Google search or an AI search, “I want to participate in a clinical trial, and I don’t know where/how to get started,” and see what the internet throws back to you and give you resources where you can look at the state level, where they can help to pair you up with the right clinic, the right doctor, they can discuss with you your particular insurance, and see what you qualify for.
Speaking of insurance, there’s are a lot of clinical trials that have a study sponsor, which means that there are a lot of costs covered by the company that is sponsoring the trial, so they would be able to pay for the treatment, they would be able to pay for your visits, and pay for the testing, and even have additional compensation as you mentioned in terms of travel costs, meals, and time away from work, those sorts of things. So check and see what resources are available to you at the state level as well.
Deandre White:
So what would be your activation tip specifically for these patients that want to make sure that they are considered for these more advanced treatment options?
Dr. Leanne Woods-Burnham:
My activation tip would be to let your doctor know, to tap into your statewide resources, and let them know that this is something you would be interested in if something arises. Those would be my two strongest tips that I would have.