Dr. Danielle Brander Shares How CLL Clinical Trials Can Help You!

On May 6th, Dr. Danielle Brander from Duke Cancer Institute presented on CLL clinical trials and how they can help patients. Watch the event's recording or read the summary below!

Why are CLL Clinical Trials Important? 

Dr. Brander emphasized the critical role of clinical trials in advancing treatment options for patients with CLL and SLL. Clinical trials, often considered a pathway for testing new drugs or therapies, also explore combinations of existing treatments to determine their efficacy and safety in new contexts. Beyond just drug interventions, trials can also involve studies on non-drug factors that could improve treatment outcomes or patient well-being.

What are the Phases of Clinical Trials? 

Dr. Brander detailed the different phases of clinical trials:

• Phase 1 focuses on the safety of a new drug and determines the appropriate dosage levels.
• Phase 2 continues to assess safety but also begins to evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment.
• Phase 3 compares the new treatment with standard therapies to establish its relative effectiveness.

These phases are crucial in ensuring that any new treatment is both safe and beneficial for patients.

Who Helps Me Decide to Join a Clinical Trial? 

A key aspect of Dr. Brander's discussion was the personalized approach to deciding whether a patient should participate in a clinical trial. This decision should involve discussions between patients and their healthcare providers, considering the potential benefits and risks based on the patient's medical background, life goals and treatment needs.

How Can I Find CLL Clinical Trials? 

Besides speaking with a healthcare provider to review available clinical trials, the website ClinicalTrials.gov offers detailed information about ongoing trials. Despite its challenges, this platform is a critical resource for patients and caregivers looking to find appropriate clinical trials. HealthTree Foundation also offers a clinical trial finder specifically for CLL patients with the goal of making the process of finding and joining a trial easier to navigate. 

Conclusion

Dr. Brander's discussion was aimed not only at informing patients and caregivers about the intricacies of clinical trials but also at encouraging active participation and dialogue. By fostering a better understanding of these trials, Dr. Brander hopes to enhance patient outcomes and advance treatments for CLL and SLL, reflecting her and Duke Cancer Institute’s commitment to pioneering patient-centered research. 

Audience Q&A 

During the event, Dr. Brander answered several patient questions. Some of these included: 

• What does patient education for side effect management look like during the trial’s consent process? (Timestamp 35:44) 
• Can you talk more about non-drug interventions in clinical trials? (Timestamp 40:16) 
• What are the current challenges for developing targeted therapies for CLL? (Timestamp 44:07) 
• If I enroll in a clinical trial, will I be informed of any new findings during the study? (Timestamp 49:35)  
• If I need to travel long-distance for a clinical trial, are there financial programs to support me? (Timestamp 54:54) 
• Are there any encouraging trials for patients who have deletion 17p? (Timestamp 59:32)

To listen to the answers to these questions, we invite you to watch the event recording by clicking here. 

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