Research and clinical trials
Go to Cancer Research UK’s clinical trials database if you are looking for a trial for lung cancer in the UK. You need to talk to your specialist if there are any trials that you think you might be able to take part in.
All cancer treatments must be fully researched before they can be used for everyone. This is so we can be sure that:
they work
they work better than the treatments already available
they are safe
To make sure the research is accurate, each trial has certain entry conditions for who can take part. These are different for each trial.
Hospitals do not take part in every clinical trial. Some trials are only done in a small number of hospitals, or in one area of the country. You may need to travel quite far if you take part in these trials.
This study focuses on stage 3, N2 non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This means the cancer has spread just outside the lung to the . There are two main treatments available in the UK for this type of lung cancer:
surgery followed by or chemotherapy
radiotherapy followed by chemotherapy
People live for a similar length of time with either treatment option. So it is difficult for them and health professionals to know which treatment to choose.
The researchers feel it is important to understand how:
the treatment affects people with cancer in their daily lives
different types of cancer treatment affect people with cancer and their family carers
The information collected will help people with cancer and their carers decide the best treatment option for them in future.
People with lung cancer tend to be older and frailer than those with other cancers. So they may have poorer . They are also less able to cope with treatments for their cancer, such as chemotherapy. Research shows that nutrition and physical activity support help people with cancer. Unfortunately, many older people are not included in these studies.
In this study, the researchers want to develop and test a nutrition and activity programme for older people with lung cancer. They want to personalise it for each patient. This can help them to have the best possible quality of life from the moment they start a new type of cancer treatment.
The researchers will also:
test the developed programme in a small study, also called a
see if it is possible and acceptable to patients, families, and staff to take part and deliver it
see if it helps patients have and cope with cancer treatments and improve their quality of life
In this study, the researchers want to find out more about the range of wearable vital signs monitors. A wearable vital sign monitor is like a watch. You usually wear it around your arm. It can measure your:
heart rate
temperature
amount of oxygen in your blood, also called blood oxygen saturation
They want to find out if it could be used to support patients during cancer treatment.
The researchers also want to know:
if it is possible to check vital signs during cancer treatment continuously
if it is acceptable for patients having cancer treatment
what else can they learn from the information gathered
Open lung surgery to remove a lung through the side of the chest is called a thoracotomy. Your surgeon makes a cut that runs around the side of the chest. It is one of the types of surgery you might have if you have lung cancer. As part of your anaesthetic, you also have pain relief. But some people have pain that lasts for months or years after surgery.
Currently, there are 2 usual ways of giving pain control during surgery to help with long term pain. These include:
a nerve block to one side of the chest (this is a paravertebral blockade)
a nerve block to both sides of the chest (an epidural blockade)
There is some evidence that a nerve block to one side of the chest works best. But doctors don’t know for sure. So, they want to find out more.
In this study, researchers looked at the experience of people with cancer. They used the English Cancer Patient Experience Survey (CPES) for this. CPES is a way of checking the progress of national cancer care.
The time and personal views of people with lung cancer helped to find out whether people’s expectations of care were met.
Some of the things the researchers found in this study were that people needed more information and support from their healthcare team if:
they had stage 1 lung cancer
were under 65
were from a better socio economic area
The researchers also found that females from minority backgrounds felt that their experiences of lung cancer care did not meet their expectations.
Last reviewed: 09 Mar 2023
Next review due: 09 Mar 2026
Lung cancer starts in the windpipe (trachea), the main airway (bronchus) or the lung tissue. Cancer that starts in the lung is called primary lung cancer.
Current research is looking at ways to improve the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer.
Your treatment depends on several factors. These include what type of lung cancer you have, how big it is and whether it has spread (the stage). It also depends on your general health.
Metastatic lung cancer is when the cancer has spread from the lung and gone to another part of the body.
There is support available during and after treatment to help you cope. This includes support from your clinical nurse specialist, cancer charities, community services, and family and friends.
Researchers around the world are looking at making better and kinder treatments for lung cancer.
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Search our clinical trials database for all cancer trials and studies recruiting in the UK.
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