2011 Eortc Cancer Symposium
A major international cancer conference is to be held at the European Parliament during 7-9 September 2011, to examine the importance of using a patient's perception and experience when undergoing new and pioneering clinical trials, which can help,
Online, August 18, 2011 (Newswire.com) - Dr. Bottomley states that "This is a great opportunity to raise the profile of the patients' experience to be given prominence in all future European and international cancer clinical trials". Now is a perfect time to ensure patients are proactively involved when designing trials that they will participate in and be aware of the possible benefits future treatments can have on reducing symptoms or improving quality of life".
The eminent EORTC Quality of Life Group has been involved in over 25 years of research developing new tools to assess QOL in clinical trials and many members will present and give their visions for the future at the symposium. Overall, this symposium brings together 28 world leading Faculty, to speak about their expertise in different fields of cancer care and on implementing quality of life and symptom research into clinical trials. Importantly, European Patient groups will well represented and also provide a greater insight into future treatments presenting their experience during the symposium.
Marisa Matias, MEP and session chair at the symposium states "It is important to involve cancer patients in the treatment and in the search for new treatments. A disease like cancer has many forms and stages, and we know very little about the treatment and its conditions, manly in phase IV. To better know the causes of the disease, the best treatment and how treatment research can make the difference for their lives, we must involve the patients. In the same way, that involvemen can give us a better understanding on the treatment efficiency and in which areas and stages there are less coverage and access to treatment. However, the voluntary possibility to participate in clinical trials is still a much closed reality. For us, policy makers it is crucial to take into consideration the patient's experience."
The conference already has over 350 registered attendees, from more than 40 countries, and as such the organizers think this will be a great forum for bringing speakers and interested parties together to discuss the latest results and techniques into assessing patient perspectives in cancer treatment.
If you are interested in knowing more information or attending the conference, which is free of charge, contact the EORTC Symposium Chair, Dr. Andrew Bottomley (Andrew.bottomley@eortc.be)