Find · Evaluate · Discuss · Enroll
Osteosarcoma Clinical Trial Checklist
Your one-page guide to finding, evaluating, and enrolling in a trial — built to bring to appointments and work through with your oncology team.
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What's inside
- Step 1 · Preparing your child's profile — the exact diagnosis, staging, and lab details to have ready before you search.
- Step 2 · Searching for trials, starting at OsteosarcomaNow.org and ClinicalTrials.gov, with the filters that narrow results fast.
- Step 3 · Evaluating each trial you find — phase, eligibility, primary endpoint, randomization, and sponsor.
- A plain-language glossary of key terms: MAP, ADC, kinase inhibitor, Pediatric MATCH, and tumor necrosis rate.
- Steps 4 and 5 · exactly what to ask your oncologist, and what to confirm before you enroll.
Key terms this checklist covers
Sources: OsteosarcomaNow.org · ClinicalTrials.gov · Children's Oncology Group (childrensoncologygroup.org) · The Osteosarcoma Institute (osinst.org).
Frequently asked questions
Where do I start searching for an osteosarcoma clinical trial?
Start at OsteosarcomaNow.org, the Bardo Foundation's osteosarcoma-specific trial finder, then cross-check at ClinicalTrials.gov, the definitive U.S. registry. Search the condition "osteosarcoma," filter by recruiting status, age group, and location, and note the NCT number of each relevant trial.
What does the trial "phase" actually mean?
Phase I trials test safety and dosing. Phase II trials test efficacy. Phase III trials compare the new treatment to the current standard of care, and carry the most weight since positive results can change that standard.
Will asking for a second opinion offend our current oncology team?
No. You can request a second opinion at a Children's Oncology Group (COG) member institution without offending your current team, and doing so does not mean giving up your current care.
Does enrolling in a trial mean giving up standard treatment?
Not usually. Most trial protocols include standard care as part of the design. Before enrolling, confirm exactly what's experimental versus standard in the specific protocol you're considering, and clarify what your insurance covers.
Related guides
- For the fuller context behind this checklist, see the parent's guide to osteosarcoma research.
- Trial eligibility often comes up during treatment planning — the family roadmap for the first 30 days after diagnosis covers exactly where that fits.
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