All questions · If we offer you a trial

What does “standard of care” mean in my case?

It is the best treatment we would give you today if there were no trial, which means it is the same care you would get outside the study. In most cancer trials it is what the comparison group receives.

Ask your team to name it: the actual drugs and the actual schedule, rather than the phrase. Then you can compare the two groups properly.

Written by two physicians. Checked against patient information from the US National Cancer Institute and Cancer Research UK.

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Content last updated 25 September 2026 · How we write these cards · Report a problem with this card

These cards are for learning. They are not medical advice and do not replace talking with your own doctor.