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NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms

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eligibility criteria  listen  (EH-lih-jih-BIH-lih-tee kry-TEER-ee-uh)

  In clinical trials, requirements that must be met for an individual to be included in a study. These requirements help make sure that patients in a trial are similar to each other in terms of specific factors such as age, type and stage of cancer, general health, and previous treatment. When all participants meet the same eligibility criteria, it gives researchers greater confidence that results of the study are caused by the intervention being tested and not by other factors.