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Patients are being made more aware of the pioneering research going on at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust (CCC) in a new promotional campaign, including an animation which explains about studies and clinical trials they may become involved in.

Clatterbridge is one of the leading cancer research centres in the country – and patients play a huge role in discovering new therapies to treat the disease, designing new techniques or finding innovative ways to look after those in the Trust’s care.

Thousands of patients have taken part in research at CCC – including on clinical trials – and many of the pioneering studies they have joined have led to therapies becoming standard treatments in the NHS.

A clinical trial is where a patient agrees to have an experimental therapy when standard treatments have not worked properly for them. Clinical trials are vital in advancing medical knowledge as researchers can learn how effective new cancer therapies are.

CCC is a national NHS centre for cancer clinical trials – with some of studies being world firsts – and the Trust has been awarded a number of prestigious accreditations for the research it carries out.

By taking part in a clinical research trial, patients receive cutting-edge treatment not currently available to the general public, so have the opportunity to help their own condition as well as furthering cancer research for other patients now and in the future.

As is the case with all medical procedures, there is an element of risk, but all CCC’s clinical trials go through many layers of testing and authorisation by national organisations before they are offered to patients. All clinical trials patients are closely monitored throughout their treatment, and afterwards, to minimise any problems that may arise.

Patients are only invited to join a clinical research trial if the medical team believes it can help them – and taking part is completely voluntary. Patients can leave the trial at any time, without the need to give a reason.

Watch the animation – funded by the Clatterbridge Cancer Charity – about research at Clatterbridge: https://youtu.be/dkvnlIgehCs

You can also watch a British Sign Language version of the animation here: https://youtu.be/JtkftJjFOYs

For more information about clinical trials and research at Clatterbridge, see: https://www.clatterbridgecc.nhs.uk/professionals/research-1/our-research