Whenever news of a promising development in prostate cancer research is reported, the hopes of many men with prostate cancer and their family members are raised.
It is important to remember, though, that a treatment which has been successful in the laboratory or in animals must be tested very carefully in humans, and this process can often take years.
The information below offers some advice for interpreting news about medical research. There are descriptions of the different kinds of scientific studies you might hear about, and what they will mean to you. There is also a section on how to interpret statistics about risk in news reports, and some questions to ask yourself when reading about developments in prostate cancer research.
Understanding media stories on research
Media reports on research can often be confusing. It is quite common for the media to make risk factors sound more dramatic or potential benefits sound more promising. It's important to be critical when reading or listening to reports of new medical findings. First of all, an understanding of the different types of research would be useful.
Types of research
There are 4 main types of research:
It is important to know that any information about medical research in the media may not apply to you and it is best to discuss any issues with healthcare professionals.
Some questions that can help you understand how relevant a media story is to you include:
- Was the study in cells, animals or people?
- Did the study include men with prostate cancer?
- Where was the research being done?
- If a new treatment was being tested, were there side effects?