Question 1

What is Second Look Cancer?

Accepted Answer

Second Look is a free clinical trial matching platform built specifically for colorectal cancer patients. We help you discover relevant trials based on your biomarkers, treatment history, cancer stage, and location preferences—so you can have more informed conversations with your care team.

Question 2

Who is Second Look built for?

Accepted Answer

Second Look is designed for colorectal, colon, and rectal cancer patients at any stage—whether newly diagnosed, currently in treatment, or exploring options after prior therapies. Caregivers and advocates can also use the platform to research trials on behalf of a loved one.

Question 3

Is Second Look free to use?

Accepted Answer

Yes, completely free. There are no hidden fees, premium tiers, or paywalls. Our mission is to make clinical trial information accessible to every patient who needs it.

Question 4

How long does it take to set up my profile?

Accepted Answer

Most users complete their profile in 5–10 minutes. You'll enter information about your diagnosis (biomarkers, stage, treatment history) and location preferences. If you don't know some details, you can skip them and update later.

Question 5

Do I need an account to browse trials?

Accepted Answer

Individual trial detail pages are publicly viewable, but browsing and filtering the full trial database requires a free account. Creating an account also unlocks personalized AI matching, the ability to save trials, add notes, and receive notifications when trial statuses change.

Question 6

What if I don't know all my biomarkers?

Accepted Answer

That's completely okay. You can select "Unknown" for any biomarker you haven't been tested for yet. Second Look will still show you relevant trials, and you can update your profile anytime as you learn more from your care team.

Question 7

Can I update my profile after creating it?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely. Your medical situation may change—new test results, different treatment lines, or updated diagnoses. You can edit your profile anytime from Settings, and your matches will automatically reflect the changes.

Question 8

Do I need my oncologist's help to fill out my profile?

Accepted Answer

If you have access to your pathology reports and biomarker testing results, you can enter the information yourself. If you're unsure about certain details, your oncologist or care team can help clarify.

Question 9

What happens if my diagnosis changes?

Accepted Answer

Simply update your profile with the new information. Whether it's a different stage, new biomarker results, or progression, your trial matches will be recalculated to reflect your current situation.

Question 10

Can I delete my account and all my data?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You have full control over your data. You can request complete account deletion by contacting us at support@secondlookcancer.com. We'll remove all your personal information from our systems.

Question 11

How does the AI matching work?

Accepted Answer

Our AI analyzes your complete medical profile—biomarkers, cancer stage, treatment history, ECOG status, and location—against the eligibility criteria of active clinical trials. It generates a personalized match score and explanation for each trial, ranking them by relevance to your specific situation.

Question 12

Is Second Look replacing my doctor?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely not. Second Look is an educational discovery tool, not medical advice. We help you find trials worth discussing, but your oncologist and care team are the only ones who can determine if a trial is truly right for you. Always consult your healthcare providers before making any decisions about clinical trial participation.

Question 13

How often should I run the AI matcher?

Accepted Answer

We recommend re-running your AI matches whenever your medical situation changes (new test results, treatment progression) or periodically every few weeks to catch newly opened trials. New trials are added to the platform regularly.

Question 14

Can I share my AI matches with my care team?

Accepted Answer

Yes! You can generate a shareable link to your AI matches or export them as a PDF to bring to appointments. This makes it easy to discuss specific trials with your oncologist.

Question 15

How often is trial data updated?

Accepted Answer

We sync with ClinicalTrials.gov daily to ensure you have access to the most current information, including new trials, updated eligibility criteria, and status changes (like when a trial starts actively recruiting).

Question 16

What is the difference between "Explore Trials" and "AI Matches"?

Accepted Answer

"Explore Trials" lets you browse and filter all colorectal cancer trials in our database manually. "AI Matches" uses our AI to analyze your profile and rank trials by how well they fit your specific medical situation, with explanations for each match.

Question 17

What are MRD/ctDNA trials?

Accepted Answer

Minimal Residual Disease (MRD) refers to microscopic cancer cells that may remain after treatment, detected through sensitive ctDNA blood tests before they're visible on scans. MRD trials focus on treating these cells early, before they have a chance to grow or cause recurrence.

Question 18

Can I save trials to review later?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Click the bookmark icon on any trial to save it to your Saved Trials list. You can add personal notes to each saved trial—useful for tracking your thoughts or questions to ask your doctor. You'll also receive automatic notifications when anything changes on your saved trials, including new recruitment locations, phase updates, or status changes.

Question 19

Can I track my trial applications?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Our Track Applications feature lets you log which trials you've applied to, track status updates (inquiry sent, screening, enrolled, etc.), and keep notes on each application. It's like a personal CRM for your clinical trial journey.

Question 20

Is my health data secure?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Your health information is encrypted and stored securely. We never sell your data to third parties. Your profile information is only used to match you with relevant clinical trials. We may use anonymized, aggregated data (like overall user statistics) to improve our platform and support research partnerships—but this data can never be traced back to you.

Question 21

Do you share my information with trial sites?

Accepted Answer

No. Second Look never automatically shares your personal or medical information with anyone—including trial sites, sponsors, or pharmaceutical companies. You control when and if you want to reach out to trial coordinators directly.

Question 22

How can I contact you with questions or concerns?

Accepted Answer

You can reach us anytime at support@secondlookcancer.com or through our Contact page. We're here to help and typically respond within 24-48 hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

Getting Started

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AI Matching

Platform Tools & Navigation

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