Clinical Trial Exclusions

A recent SEER report looked at the incidence of  previous cancer diagnoses in newly diagnosed patients. An average of 18% of newly diagnosed cancer patients have previously been diagnosed with cancer. (25% of  patients over the age of 65 and 11% of those under 65.)  All these people will also probably exempted from any clinical trials for their new cancer because of their previous cancer.

"The investigators concluded: “A substantial proportion of patients diagnosed with incident cancer in the United States have survived a prior cancer. These patients may be excluded from clinical trials and underrepresented in observational research, and little is known about their treatment and survivorship needs. Understanding the nature and impact of prior cancer is critical to improving clinical trial accrual and generalizability, disease outcomes, and patient experience.”"
I am in this group with two cancers before the age of 50. I have never participated in a clinical trial. Why? Because my previous cancer always exempts me.

While I understand that clinical trials try to keep their participants as homogeneous as possible to prove product safety. However, the problem is it excludes a lot of people. Why should my medical history bar me from potentially benefiting from a clinical trial medication? And why can't I help future medical care by participating in a clinical trial? And its not just me, its the other 18% of the population which already has had cancer and has been diagnosed with another one.

I just took a peek at a few trials over on clinicaltrials.gov and easily found some with exclusions that include:

• Prior cancer diagnosis or chemotherapy treatment.
• Active autoimmune disorder.

Here I would not be accepted because of my two cancer diagnoses, chemotherapy, and active RA. (This can make me feel like no one loves me.... and I could get a complex here.)

I think it is time that clinical trails reflect the population - we are aging, we have medical histories, 18% of us have lived through cancer. 18% of clinical trials should include patients with a history of cancer. We live through cancer but we can't participate. Not fair to us nor to future patients who might benefit from our medical histories.

Bathing Suit Shopping - or things cancer people should be exempt from

Yesterday after work, I went bathing suit shopping. What a bad idea. Why do I do this to myself? Cancer people should get awesome bathing suits without having to try them on and have their size fit them, not the one two sizes larger. They should also get exempt from lots of bad things in life - standing in line to start with.

Why are bathing suits sized so small? Who ever finds a bathing suit in their regular size that fits? Every one I know always gets a bathing suit a size or two larger than their normal size. I know you want them to fit you and not fall off when getting out of the water. But seriously? They never fit.

Anyway, I did go bathing suit shopping. Did I buy a bathing suit? No. I found one I really like but will have to go to another store to find it in my the larger size. They are called 'Magic suits' and are supposed to make you look like you lost ten pounds instantly.

What I did buy was a gift for a friend, a pair of shorts, three tops, a sweater, a replacement power cord for my phone and a wireless keyboard for my tablet. But no bathing suit. This means I have to go bathing suit shopping again. Damn.