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BreastCancerTrials.org (BCT), www.breastcancertrials.org, is a newly launched pilot web-based service to match breast cancer patients with clinical trials. The project is sponsored by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the University of California San Francisco Comprehensive Cancer Center, and the Center of Excellence for Breast Cancer Care.

Patients looking for trials that are potentially right for them are asked to enter information about their cancer history into a confidential and secure online database that builds a Personal Health Record document through a series of forms. The patient's Personal Health Record (PHR) is controlled by the patient and will then be used to match the patient with breast cancer trials in the San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento. Participating sites that have listed their trials with BCT include both academic and community-based institutions as well as physician practices.

Patients will be notified of BCT trial matches through a secure, password-controlled Message Center. They will be provided with summary information for each trial matched to their PHR. Interested patients can contact researchers directly for further information about their trials or choose to provide their health information to the investigator through the password controlled message center.

BCT has just been launched as a pilot project for breast cancer trials located in and around the San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento. Because of this geographical focus, most outreach for the pilot will be targeted to California residents who can travel more easily to the study sites. However, interested patients from anywhere in the country, are welcome to participate. For more information, check out the BCT Web site www.breastcancertrials.org.

The NCI's Center for Bioinformatics and Office of Communications have collaborated with the University of California San Francisco Comprehensive Cancer Center, the Center of Excellence for Breast Cancer Care, and breast cancer patients to bring this pilot project to cancer patients.