Bone Cancer Clinical Trials 2023

What Are Bone Cancer Clinical Trials?

Bone cancer is an uncommon type of cancer characterized by the growth of abnormal cells, a malignant tumor, or a mass of tissues. Bone cancers can be of two major types – primary bone cancer, which starts in the bones, and secondary bone cancer, which starts elsewhere in the body and spreads to the bones as it progresses. Primary bone cancer can be further divided into 30 different types. That’s a lot of bone cancer varieties, and not all of them are well understood. Healthcare experts are also not sure about the exact causes of bone cancer.

Bone cancer clinical trials are scientific attempts to bridge these knowledge gaps, clear any confusion there may be, and find better treatments and cures for all the different types of bone cancers.

Why Is Bone Cancer Being Studied Through Clinical Trials?

There are several reasons why bone cancer is being studied through clinical trials. Not only is it a serious disease with several different types, but also its causes are not well understood. Moreover, scientists aren’t sure why certain types of cancers spread to bones when they metastasize, forming secondary bone cancers, and others don’t. There are also several misconceptions regarding bone cancers, such as bone injuries can cause bone cancer. Scientific research and clinical trials can help with all of these. They will help improve our overall understanding of this potentially fatal disease, which will arm us with better ways to fight against it. Through clinical trials, scientists are also attempting to find better ways to manage the symptoms of bone cancer, reduce the side effects of currently available treatments, and improve patients' overall quality of life.

What Are The Types of Treatments Available For Bone Cancer?

Like other diseases, formulating a treatment plan for bone cancer requires considering multiple factors, such as the type of bone cancer, its location, stage, how far it has spread, and a patient’s overall health. However, treating bone cancer often requires using more than one type of treatment from the following:

• Surgery
• Chemotherapy
• Radiation
• Targeted Therapy
• Immunotherapy
• Palliative Care
• Counseling

What Are Some Recent Breakthrough Clinical Trials For Bone Cancer?

2023: A ground-breaking research study conducted by researchers at University College London found that non-invasive biomarkers can potentially be used to identify people with the highest risk of osteosarcoma’s debilitating effects. These biomarkers, researchers believe, could be used for the early detection of the reactions to chemotherapy, relapse, and remaining tumors post-surgery. Once validated, the non-invasive biomarkers could also aid healthcare experts in the early detection of a patient’s responsiveness to new targeted therapies in trials.

2021: An animal study conducted at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis found early evidence for the efficacy of a two-drug combination to treat osteosarcoma. The drug combination used to target the energy sources of the tumor was found to be equally effective and safer (less toxic) than the chemotherapy drug methotrexate, giving researchers the hope to find better drugs for osteosarcoma treatment.

Who Are Some Of The Key Opinion Leaders / Researchers / Institutions Conducting Bone Cancer Clinical Trial Research?

American Cancer Society: The American Cancer Society is a leading voluntary health organization that has been working to eliminate cancer for over a century. With over 250 regional centers throughout the US, the organization has been actively working to improve the lives of cancer patients and their families through research, advocacy, support, and efforts to make cancer treatment accessible to everyone.

National Cancer Institute: NCI is the primary federal agency set up by the government in 1937 for cancer research and training. The organization conducts and supports cancer research to improve knowledge and care.