A cancer trial’s unexpected result: Remission in every patient
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Re: A cancer trial’s unexpected result: Remission in every patient
#2relatedly, the only good reason to stop a trial early is that it becomes unethical not to treat the control group because the effect size in the treatment group is so huge. And it does happen, sometimes.
Re: A cancer trial’s unexpected result: Remission in every patient
#3relatedly, the only good reason to stop a trial early is that it becomes unethical not to treat the control group because the effect size in the treatment group is so huge. And it does happen, sometimes.
I sometimes wonder if the exhilaration of such a result comes with a twinge of regret that the result could not have been foreseen before the science reached it, and more people given the lifesaving treatment immediately.
But that is the human condition, I guess. Scientific progress and learning brings regrets, often very momentous ones in retrospect.
Re: A cancer trial’s unexpected result: Remission in every patient
#4relatedly, the only good reason to stop a trial early is that it becomes unethical not to treat the control group because the effect size in the treatment group is so huge. And it does happen, sometimes.
I mean, treat everybody in the world with that condition at that point, right?
Re: A cancer trial’s unexpected result: Remission in every patient
#5relatedly, the only good reason to stop a trial early is that it becomes unethical not to treat the control group because the effect size in the treatment group is so huge. And it does happen, sometimes.
I sometimes wonder if the exhilaration of such a result comes with a twinge of regret that the result could not have been foreseen before the science reached it, and more people given the lifesaving treatment immediately. But that is the human condition, I guess. Scientific progress and learning brings regrets, often very momentous ones in retrospect.
Regret, sure, but since we can't change the past that regret should motivate us to work harder to make the present and future better. We're a young species, and part of growing up is looking back with chagrin at how foolish we seem in the light of our new growth and learning.
Re: A cancer trial’s unexpected result: Remission in every patient
#6relatedly, the only good reason to stop a trial early is that it becomes unethical not to treat the control group because the effect size in the treatment group is so huge. And it does happen, sometimes.
I sometimes wonder if the exhilaration of such a result comes with a twinge of regret that the result could not have been foreseen before the science reached it, and more people given the lifesaving treatment immediately. But that is the human condition, I guess. Scientific progress and learning brings regrets, often very momentous ones in retrospect.
While I totally get what you mean, I’d guess for scientists, the answer is generally, “no”. Expected outcomes for trials like this are a whole lot less certain to the people doing the work, that than it seems on the outside, so i think it wouldn’t even occur to the scientists that the downside of “withholding” treatment from the tiny (relative to the population) control group comes close to the upside.
Re: A cancer trial’s unexpected result: Remission in every patient
#7Fascinating, this drug (molecule) somehow “unmasks” the cancer cells, allowing the body’s natural immune system to target and destroy them.
How does a molecule do that!? Enters the blood stream, is absorbed by the cancer cell, and then…? Blocks some enzyme?
Re: A cancer trial’s unexpected result: Remission in every patient
#8Earlier quoted context omitted.
I sometimes wonder if the exhilaration of such a result comes with a twinge of regret that the result could not have been foreseen before the science reached it, and more people given the lifesaving treatment immediately. But that is the human condition, I guess. Scientific progress and learning brings regrets, often very momentous ones in retrospect.
While I totally get what you mean, I’d guess for scientists, the answer is generally, “no”. Expected outcomes for trials like this are a whole lot less certain to the people doing the work, that than it seems on the outside, so i think it wouldn’t even occur to the scientists that the downside of “withholding” treatment from the tiny (relative to the population) control group comes close to the upside.
Yeah, it's just a wistful thing, and most of us laymen don't even experience the part where you want to know something but don't know it yet.
Re: A cancer trial’s unexpected result: Remission in every patient
#9> The medication was given every three weeks for six months and cost about $11,000 per dose.
That’s an $88,000 treatment for the medication alone. Given the apparent success of the drug, is it expected for the price to drop as the volume of patients spike?
Re: A cancer trial’s unexpected result: Remission in every patient
#10relatedly, the only good reason to stop a trial early is that it becomes unethical not to treat the control group because the effect size in the treatment group is so huge. And it does happen, sometimes.
I mean, treat everybody in the world with that condition at that point, right?
The treatment costs ~$100k over half a year.