Male Speaker: 50-year old California resident Sue Nelson got the shock of her life a few years ago, when she went in for diagnostic exam.
Sue Nelson: I was first diagnosed with lung cancer almost 14-years ago, I was 36-years old and I went in for routine chest X-ray to look at possible arthritis and doing so they found small lump, a tumor in my right lung. I was not a smoker, I lived a very, very healthy life-style, very physically active pretty much of a, pretty much of health nut.
Male Speaker: Four days later she was in surgery. Doctors removed the cancer and a portion of her lung, then four-and-half years later more bad news.
Sue Nelson: At that point is when they actually discovered that the cancer had not only returned in the lung that they had removed most of it surgically, but also it did a metastasis to the left lung as well.
Male Speaker: Sue had some tough choices to make about her cancer treatment because her cancer had spread, doctors told Sue her best option was to join a clinical trial, an experimental treatment approach that compares promising new discoveries with excepted standard therapies.
Susan Braun: We first have hypothesis about why or how something will work and than that could be tested in computer models or in test tubes, but eventually we have to try that in human beings and find out if it really is in advancement
Male Speaker: Susan Braun is the president of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation which funds cancer research projects including clinical trails.
Susan Braun: We and many others look for ways to get more people involved in clinical trials.
Male Speaker: Most of the modern breakthroughs in cancer treatment came out of the clinical trials which are often divided into three phases. A phase I trial usually involves up to 30 patients. Phase II as many as 100 and Phase III new treatments may be tested on thousands of patients.
Dr. James Atkins: And then there is a large number of doctors I mean these groups that participate was clinical trials from my point view that's -- that's the best with the best.
Male Speaker: Sue was watching a television news story about a local clinical trial focused on the kind of cancer she was battling. She decided to join and the results have been remarkable.
Sue Nelson: For me after one weak of taking this particular drug. I noticed immediate changes. My husband and I noticed that my lung cancer symptoms basically stopped. Some of the tumors have now diminished up to 90%.
Male Speaker: Sue's quick response to the treatment is not a typical one. Even once that resolved in a similar positive of out comes can often take significantly longer, but she is grateful for the results and the improvement in her quality of life.
Sue Nelson: It is just helped me not only with providing me sometime in my life but it's helped give me a lot of comfort - my symptoms I just fell so much better.
Male Speaker: Researchers hope that as the number of clinical trial volunteers increases, more new discoveries to fight disease will follow.
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