ReCAP: Impact of the National Cancer Institute Community Cancer Centers Program on Clinical Trial and Related Activities at a Community Cancer Center in Rural Nebraska [HEALTH CARE DELIVERY]

QUESTION ASKED: What is the impact of participating in the National Cancer Institute Community Cancer Centers Program (NCCCP) on the number of clinical trials available, number of patients enrolled in trials, and trial-related services provided to patients at a rural community-based cancer program? SUMMARY ANSWER: Significant increases in the number and percentage of patients enrolled in clinical trials, in the number of available treatment and non-treatment (eg, prevention, biospecimen, cancer control) trials, in clinical trial staffing, and in the number of tissue samples collected and/or stored were observed during the 5-year period of NCCCP. Biospecimen trials helped promote standardization of collection and storage processes in our community cancer program. Employment and utilization of a genetic counselor, smoking cessation counselor, outreach project coordinator, and two nurse navigators enabled delivery of improved cancer care continuum services to our rural patient population. METHODS: SFCTC clinical trial activities data from July 2002 to June 2007, the 5 years before participation in the NCCCP, and from July 2007 to June 2012, the 5 years during the program, were gathered and compared. Data capture included information on the number and percentage of patients on clinical trials, number and type of available clinical trials, percentage of underserved patients in clinical trials, clinical trial staffing, collection and storage of tissue samples, organizational infr...
Source: Journal of Oncology Practice - Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Tags: Clinical Trials HEALTH CARE DELIVERY Source Type: research