Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 22, 2026
03:07
Single-Port Robotic-assisted Transaxillary Breast-conserving Surgery: A Prospective, Single-arm, Non-randomized Phase IIa Clinical Trial
Published on: August 19, 2025
Randomized controlled trials in surgical oncology: where do we stand?
Kellie L Mathis1, Heidi Nelson
1Department of Surgery, Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. mathis.kellie@mayo.edu
Surgical Oncology Clinics of North America
|May 16, 2012
Summary
Clinical trials in breast cancer surgery have significantly improved patient care. However, advancements in rectal cancer surgery often occurred outside of formal trials, highlighting the need for better implementation of surgical trial findings.
Area of Science:
- Surgical Oncology
- Clinical Trial Methodology
- Evidence-Based Medicine
Background:
- Clinical trials are crucial for advancing surgical practices.
- Breast cancer surgery has been significantly transformed by clinical trials.
- Rectal cancer surgery evolution has largely occurred outside of formal clinical trials.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the history and impact of clinical trials in surgical oncology.
- To examine the strengths and limitations of surgical clinical trials.
- To propose improvements for future surgical trial design and implementation.
Main Methods:
- Historical review of surgical clinical trials.
- Case study analysis using breast and rectal cancer surgery.
- Discussion of trial limitations and implementation gaps.
Main Results:
- Breast cancer surgical management has been profoundly impacted by clinical trials.
- Rectal cancer surgical advancements have frequently occurred outside of trial settings.
- Surgical trials face challenges in surgeon participation and clinical practice integration.
Conclusions:
- Future surgical trials should mandate pretrial credentialing for surgeons.
- Bridging the gap between trial results and clinical practice implementation is essential.
- Enhancing the design and adoption of surgical trials can improve patient outcomes.
Related Concept Videos
01:16Clinical Trials
Clinical trials are prospective experimental studies conducted on humans to determine the safety and efficacy of treatments, drugs, diet methods, and medical devices. Using statistics in clinical trials enables researchers to derive reasonable and accurate conclusions from the collected data, allowing them to make wise decisions in uncertain situations. In medical research, statistical methods are crucial for preventing errors and bias.
There are four phases in a clinical trial. A phase one...
There are four phases in a clinical trial. A phase one...
02:57Targeted Cancer Therapies
The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
01:21Cancer Survival Analysis
Cancer survival analysis focuses on quantifying and interpreting the time from a key starting point, such as diagnosis or the initiation of treatment, to a specific endpoint, such as remission or death. This analysis provides critical insights into treatment effectiveness and factors that influence patient outcomes, helping to shape clinical decisions and guide prognostic evaluations. A cornerstone of oncology research, survival analysis tackles the challenges of skewed, non-normally...
01:11Clinical Trials: Overview
Clinical development focuses on how the drug will interact with the human body and encompasses four key phases of clinical trials, each serving a specific purpose in assessing the safety and effectiveness of new drugs. These phases overlap and build upon one another. Phase I involves a small group of healthy volunteers (typically 20-80 individuals) or, in cases where significant toxicity is expected, patients with the targeted disease, such as cancer or AIDS. The volunteers are tested for...