What happens if a study drug does work?

We assess the efficacy of study treatments by conducting regular scans (like CT or MRI scans) throughout the study to measure the size of your tumour.  We compare these tumour measurements to the size of your tumour measured at the scan conducted at the start of the study (baseline). If your tumour has shrunk in size or if it has neither shrunk nor grown (stable) we invite you to continue taking the study drug and will continue to monitor your tumour with regular scans. Some treatments are given for a defined time period (6 months for example) and others allow patients to stay on treatment indefinitely until disease progression. This is stated in the information sheet given to you at the start of the study. If you are unclear how long you can remain on the study drug, the study team can tell you. If the study protocol allows you to stay on treatment indefinitely, you will continue to have regular scans and your tumour will be measured at each time. Provided your scans do not show significant tumour growth, or you do not display worsening symptoms or side effects, you can remain on study throughout. If you wish to stop treatment regardless of the scan results, you are welcome to do so as all our studies are voluntary.