AUTHOR=Wong Rosemary S. L. , Vikram Bhadrasain , Govern Frank S. , Petereit Daniel G. , Maguire Patrick D. , Clarkson Maggie R. , Heron Dwight E. , Coleman C. Norman
TITLE=National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Disparities Research Partnership Program: Experience and Lessons Learned
JOURNAL=Frontiers in Oncology
VOLUME=4
YEAR=2014
URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oncology/articles/10.3389/fonc.2014.00303
DOI=10.3389/fonc.2014.00303
ISSN=2234-943X
ABSTRACT=Purpose: To increase access of underserved/health disparities communities to National Cancer Institute (NCI) clinical trials, the Radiation Research Program piloted a unique model – the Cancer Disparities Research Partnership (CDRP) program. CDRP targeted community hospitals with a limited past NCI funding history and provided funding to establish the infrastructure for their clinical research program.
Methods: Initially, 5-year planning phase funding was awarded to six CDRP institutions through a cooperative agreement (U56). Five were subsequently eligible to compete for 5-year implementation phase (U54) funding and three received a second award. Additionally, the NCI Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities supported their U56 patient navigation programs.
Results: Community-based hospitals with little or no clinical trials experience required at least a year to develop the infrastructure and establish community outreach/education and patient navigation programs before accrual to clinical trials could begin. Once established, CDRP sites increased their yearly patient accrual mainly to NCI-sponsored cooperative group trials (~60%) and Principal Investigator/mentor-initiated trials (~30%). The total number of patients accrued on all types of trials was 2,371, while 5,147 patients received navigation services.
Conclusion: Despite a historical gap in participation in clinical cancer research, underserved communities are willing/eager to participate. Since a limited number of cooperative group trials address locally advanced diseases seen in health disparities populations; this shortcoming needs to be rectified. Sustainability for these programs remains a challenge. Addressing these gaps through research and public health mechanisms may have an important impact on their health, scientific progress, and efforts to increase diversity in NCI clinical trials.