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KVUE's Terri Gruca reports

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Last year nearly 183,000 women were diagnosed with breast cancer.

Mention cancer treatment and most people picture chemo therapy and radiation treatments. However, clinical trials are improving survival and quality of life especially for people with breast cancer.

"For the majority of cancers a trial really is one of the best treatments because you have with the study the standard therapy that anybody else would be getting plus or minus a new drug," said Dr. Jerry Fain with Texas Oncology.

Dr. Fain has always encouraged his patients to look into trials but for years ran into trouble.

"Thirteen years ago, when I started practicing here in Austin, we would often tell patients we don't have anything that we can do,” he said. “They would be sent across the country looking at trials."

The closest some patients could find help was often M.D. Anderson in Houston. However patients no longer have to drive to Houston to take part in trials; in fact, they're happening all the time at doctor's offices in Austin, and they're showing great success.

"Now certain practices in medical oncology actually have research departments and staff so you can do clinical trials that are being done across the country close to home," said Dr. Fain.

At Texas Oncology, doctors are participating in 20 different studies, and every week new studies become available. It has allowed doctors to give breast cancer patients a better quality of life. Many now take lower doses of medicine or show even better results.

"I think everyone in our practice has seen patients that are alive or free of cancer by x-ray who shouldn't be alive at all," said Dr. Fain.

Not everyone is a candidate for clinical trials because of health issues or other lab work, but patients should ask their oncologist if there are any trials they might be able to participate in.

Another reason to inquire: often times the cost of the medicines can be completely covered.