Clinical trials are important for progress to be made in medicine, and they may be valuable for you.

Clinical trials are research studies that test how well new therapies, medicines or treatments work, and whether they are safe and effective. Some of these new options may be better than what is now available, or they may be equally effective with fewer side effects.

There are ongoing clinical trials for many different aspects of breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. About one-third of all open clinical trials in breast cancer accept both men and women. A few trials are just for men with breast cancer. Each trial has a list of criteria for whether or not you can participate. These may include the type and stage of the cancer, where you are in treatment, your general health, previous conditions and treatments, among others.

You can learn more about clinical trials by talking with your doctor, and visiting website of the National Institutes of Health at clinicaltrials.gov.