Why clinical trials are so important

The treatment options for pediatric brain tumors are very limited. New options are desperately needed to improve survival rates and quality of life. Before a new treatment can be approved it must go through a large number of tests and analysis. Clinical Trials are a critical step in which the new treatment option is tested on patients. Making Headway understands the critical role that clinical trials play in new discoveries, and currently funds a Research Manager to organize and manage these trials at the Stephen D. Hassenfeld Children’s Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders. This past year, the Clinical Research Manager oversaw 35 active research projects that are devoted specifically to pediatric brain or spinal cord tumors. Each trial has the potential to discover a new treatment or possibly a cure for these pediatric tumors.