Understanding the Publication and Format of Cancer Research Studies [from Cancer.net]
Doctors and scientists are always looking for better ways to care for people with cancer. To make medical advances, they conduct research studies. They carry out these studies in the lab or with volunteers in the clinic. Studies that involve people are known as clinical trials. Well-designed research helps answer key questions about how cancer works in the body. They also show what tests and treatments may work best.
However, the results of these studies cannot improve cancer care unless other doctors know about them. The main way that scientists can share their findings is by publishing it in medical journals. They may publish their own research, which describes the results of a study they conducted. Or they may write a review article. A review article looks at all of the published research on a certain topic.
Most cancer research studies are written for other doctors and scientists. But it is becoming more common for patients to read these studies. Patients may do this while researching their type of cancer and the treatment options. Since research studies use scientific terms, it may be hard for a person without a science background to interpret them. Therefore, it is important to talk with your health care team about the research in a journal article.
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