Medical Oncologist
CION Cancer Clinics
How to find liver cancer clinical trials in India | CION Cancer Clinics
Start with your own oncologist, then search the Clinical Trials Registry of India (CTRI) and ClinicalTrials.gov. Trials enrolling patients in India must be registered on CTRI, so it is the fullest public list. This page shows you where to look, how to read a listing, how to check a trial is genuine, and when searching is not the right next step. At CION Cancer Clinics, a multidisciplinary tumour board weighs your liver function and your scans before recommending any treatment.
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Medically reviewed by Dr. Naresh GunduConsultant Medical Oncologist · MBBS, DNB (Internal Medicine), DM (Medical Oncology, AIIMS) · last reviewed October 2026, next review due October 2027
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On this page
- Where do I look for a liver cancer trial in India?
- Which sources actually list liver cancer trials?
- How do I search a trial registry without getting lost?
- What do the words on a trial listing mean?
- What do people assume about trials in India that is not true?
- What can this page not tell me, and who is a search not for?
- Common questions about finding liver cancer trials in India
The short answer
Where do I look for a liver cancer trial in India?
Start with your own oncologist, then search the Clinical Trials Registry of India (CTRI) and ClinicalTrials.gov. Every trial that enrols patients in India has to be registered on CTRI before the first person joins, so it is the most complete public list.
Searching is the easy part. The harder part is knowing whether a listed trial is still open, whether it is near enough to reach, and whether it fits your stage and your liver. This page walks you through that, step by step. If you are still deciding whether a trial is right for you at all, read should I join a liver cancer trial first.
Which liver cancer this page is about
This page is about cancer that started in the liver, such as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and bile duct cancer. If your cancer spread to the liver from the bowel or elsewhere, search under that original cancer instead, because that is how those trials are listed.
Four places to look
Which sources actually list liver cancer trials?
No single list is perfect. Most families find the clearest picture by checking more than one.
Your oncologist
The quickest route. Oncologists often hear about trials through colleagues and tumour boards before a listing is easy to find.
Ask directly. Many patients are never asked.CTRI, the Indian registry
Run by the Indian Council of Medical Research. It lists trials taking place in India, with the sites, the sponsor and the ethics approval.
Search words to try
- hepatocellular carcinoma
- liver cancer
- cholangiocarcinoma
ClinicalTrials.gov
A large international register run in the United States. You can filter by condition, by country and by whether a trial is still recruiting.
A hospital research office
Larger hospitals that run trials often have a research coordinator. They can tell you which studies are open at their own site.
Not sure whether this applies to you?
Ask an oncologistStep by step
How do I search a trial registry without getting lost?
Gather your reports first
Keep your scan reports, biopsy report and latest blood tests together. You will need your diagnosis, stage and liver function to judge any listing.
Search the condition
Type the name of your cancer as it appears on the biopsy report. Try both the full name and the short form.
Check whether it is recruiting
Look at the status. Ignore trials marked completed, closed or not yet recruiting, unless your doctor wants to follow one.
Check the site list
Note the cities. A trial that only runs far from home may be hard to keep up with for months of visits.
Read the inclusion and exclusion rules
These say who can join. Note anything you are unsure about, such as liver function or earlier treatment.
Take your shortlist to your oncologist
Bring the registration numbers. Your doctor can tell you which, if any, are worth a call to the trial team.
On the listing
What do the words on a trial listing mean?
- Registration number
- The trial's unique code. Quote it to your doctor and the trial team so everyone is talking about the same study.
- Phase
- How far along the testing is. Our page on what the phases mean explains each one.
- Recruitment status
- Whether the trial is taking new patients right now. Listings are not always updated quickly, so confirm it.
- Inclusion criteria
- What you must have to join, such as a confirmed diagnosis and a liver that is still working reasonably well.
- Exclusion criteria
- What rules you out, such as advanced liver failure or certain earlier treatments.
- Sponsor
- The company or institution paying for the trial. It is a fair question to ask what the sponsor covers.
Leave a number, we will call you
One field. No form to fill in, and no charge for the call.
!
Be careful of anyone selling a trial
A genuine trial does not charge a fee to get you in, and it does not come through an agent on WhatsApp. If someone asks for money to enrol you, offers a trial you cannot find on CTRI, or promises the treatment will work, stop and check with your oncologist before you share reports or pay anything. Real trial teams welcome questions and give you time to decide.
Commonly believed
What do people assume about trials in India that is not true?
"Good trials only happen abroad."
Several international liver cancer trials include sites in India. Joining one here keeps you near family and avoids the cost and strain of living overseas for months.
"If a trial is listed, I can just walk in and join."
Every trial checks your scans, blood tests and history against its own rules first. Many people who apply do not qualify, and that says nothing about how seriously your case is taken.
"A news story about a new drug means I can get it now."
Most headline results come from trials that have already closed. Read our guide on judging a breakthrough headline before you go looking for it.
Being straight with you
What can this page not tell me, and who is a search not for?
This page cannot tell you which trials are open today. Trials open, fill up and close all the time, and registries lag behind. Only the trial team can confirm whether a place exists and whether you qualify.
It cannot judge your eligibility
Trial rules depend on details in your reports that need a doctor to read. Your oncologist is the right person to say whether a listing is worth pursuing.
Who this is not for
A trial search is usually not the right next step if your liver is failing, if you are too unwell for frequent visits, or if a proven treatment that suits you is ready to begin. Starting standard care on time matters. If a medicine is not yet available in India and no trial fits, ask about compassionate use and named-patient access.
This page is here to inform you. It does not recruit anyone into a trial.Questions we are asked
Common questions about finding liver cancer trials in India
Is CTRI the only place I need to search?
It is the most complete list for trials running in India, so start there. ClinicalTrials.gov is worth checking too, because many international trials with Indian sites appear on both. If a trial shows up on only one, ask the trial team to confirm its Indian registration.
The listing says recruiting. Does that mean it is open?
Not always. Registries are updated by the trial teams, and some listings lag behind. A trial may have filled its places or paused. The only way to be sure is to contact the site named on the listing, ideally through your oncologist.
Can I contact a trial team myself?
Yes. Listings usually give a contact for each site. It often works better when your oncologist makes the first contact, because the team will want a summary of your case. Have your reports ready either way.
Are there liver cancer trials in Hyderabad?
Sometimes, but it changes. Search CTRI for your diagnosis and look at the site list for Hyderabad and nearby cities. Your oncologist may also know of studies opening soon that are not yet easy to find.
I have bile duct cancer. Should I search differently?
Search for cholangiocarcinoma and biliary tract cancer as well as bile duct cancer. Ask whether your tumour has had its DNA tested, because some bile duct trials are only open to people with a particular gene change. A test result can widen or narrow your options.
Do I need to speak English to join?
No. You must understand what you are agreeing to, and trial teams in India are expected to explain the study in a language you understand. Ask for the information sheet and consent form in Telugu, and bring a family member to the discussion.
Will searching for a trial delay my treatment?
It should not. Ask your oncologist whether it is safe to wait while you look, or whether you should start standard care now. Some trials only accept people before any treatment, so it is worth raising early, but never at the cost of time you do not have.
Can CION help me look?
Your CION oncologist can review your reports, explain your standard options and talk through any trial you have found. Whether you qualify is decided by that trial's own team. Read our questions to ask before joining before you call them.
Your Specialists
Meet CION's liver cancer specialists. Bring your scan reports and liver blood tests.
Our medical and surgical oncologists plan liver cancer care together, weighing the tumour and how well your liver works before choosing surgery, a liver-directed procedure or medicines.
Medical Oncologist
Dr. C. Raghavendra Reddy
MBBS(Gold Medal), DNB(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Gold Medal)
Medical Oncologist
Dr. Bharati Devi Gorantla
MBBS, MD(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Adyar,Chennai), ECMO, MRCP SCE(UK)
Medical Oncologist
Dr. Owais Mohammed
MBBS, MD (General Medicine), DrNB (Medical Oncology), ECMO, MRCP SCE (Medical Oncology) (UK)
Medical Oncologist
Medical Oncologist
Surgical Oncologist
Dr. Muralidhar Muddusetty
MBBS (AIIMS), MS (Surgery) (AIIMS), DNB (Surgical Oncology), MRCS (Edinburgh)
Surgical Oncologist
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Sources
- Clinical Trials Registry - India — Clinical Trials Registry - India
- ClinicalTrials.gov — ClinicalTrials.gov
- National Cancer Institute — What Are Clinical Trials?
- Cancer Research UK — Research and clinical trials for liver cancer
This page is general information, not a prescription. Do not change or stop any treatment based on what you read here. If anything is worrying you, contact your own treating team — or call our helpline and we will help you reach the right specialist.
Keep reading
Related pages
Should I join a liver cancer trial?Decide whether a trial suits you before you searchQuestions to ask before joining a trialWhat to ask the trial team when you callWhat phase 1, 2 and 3 meanMake sense of the phase on a listingCompassionate use and named-patient accessIf no trial fits and a medicine is not available here
Talk to us
Found a trial and not sure it fits?
Bring the listing and your reports, and an oncologist will explain how it compares with your standard options. One helpline serves every CION centre.