Why clinical trials matter

Find out how clinical trials improve treatment and help future patients too.

Without clinical trials, we wouldn’t have any of the current known treatments for blood cancer, and it would be impossible to discover new and better treatments.

Why do clinical trials matter?

Blood cancer clinical trials can help doctors to improve existing treatments, and reduce the risk of developing side effects and late effects.

In addition, clinical trials play a vital role in improving survival rates for people with blood cancer. In 1960 just 1 in 10 children (10%) diagnosed with the most common childhood leukaemia survived for five years after diagnosis. Today, 9 in 10 children (90%) survive.

Successful blood cancer clinical trials

You can read more about successful clinical trials in blood cancer elsewhere on our website, including:

The RAPID trial, which showed the benefits of giving people with Hodgkin lymphoma body scans before and after treatment. This trial changed clinical practice worldwide and means fewer people now need radiotherapy.
The DESTINY trial, which showed that it is possible for some people with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) to pause treatment, allowing them to take a break from side effects or even start a family.
The CLARITY trial, which showed that a previously unexplored combination of drugs was a highly effective treatment for people with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). These combined drugs were able to destroy cancer cells with fewer side effects than traditional treatment.
The MAJIC trial, which led to a new treatment being developed and approved for polycythaemia vera (PV).