Increased participation in clinical trials is needed to double the survival rate for pancreatic cancer by 2020, the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network said on Wednesday.

The organization hopes that more people will enroll in clinical studies because trials are an “extremely important part” in the investigation process as scientists look for better treatments options to increase survival. The organization advises that “all patients consider clinical trials” as a treatment option.

"Clinical trials are especially important for pancreatic cancer because so few effective treatment options exist, which is reflected in the dire statistics for this disease,” said Julie Fleshman, the organization’s president and CEO.

“Through participation in clinical trials, patients have access to cutting edge research and are taking an active role in advancing pancreatic cancer research. Clinical trials pave the way to therapeutic breakthroughs,” she said.

There are numerous pancreatic cancer trials taking place across the nation, and the pancreatic cancer organization said that patients can get personalized eligibility searches of all the pancreatic cancer-specific trials to locate a potential study that fits best with the patient through the organization’s Patient and Liaison Services program.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest cancers in the U.S. with just a six percent chance of a five-year survival rate, and more efforts need to be made to increase survival rate the organization said.