Abstract 1340P
Background
As the only NCI designated cancer center in the region, it is the mission of University of Kansas Cancer Center (KUCC) to lead efforts to reduce the cancer burden affecting our catchment area. KUCC serves a total population of 4.5 million; 96 counties (78%) and 25% of the population are rural based upon Rural-Urban Continuum Codes (RUCC). Notably, Kansas is a non-Medicaid expansion state and many rural individuals live at or below the poverty level. All but 12 of the 123 counties in KUCC catchment area are primary care Health Professional Shortage Areas by geographic and/or population standards. Paradigm-changing clinical trials (CT) are critical for high quality cancer care, and access to early phase trials should not be contingent on geographic location. Here we report early phase clinical trial participation for rural and underrepresented populations at our cancer center.
Methods
At the KUCC, all the clinical trials and their accrual information are centrally tracked in a clinical trial management system (CTMS, powered by WCG Velos). All data elements are standardized across every clinical trial that the KUCC executes. For this research study, we have extracted data from the CTMS system across every early phase study that had an enrollment from 2016 to 2021.
Results
Between 2016 and 2021, the KUCC recruited 98, 82, 145, 220, 178, and 175 patients respectively by year to early phase clinical trials. In 2016, 3% of participants were from a minority racial group, 6% were Hispanic, and 19% were from a rural community. In 2021, 9% of participants were from a minority racial group, 1.7% were Hispanic and 14% were from a rural community.
Conclusions
Despite the impact COVID-19 had on healthcare systems, the University of Kansas Cancer Center has maintained clinical trial accrual of rural and racial minority patients. Sustaining these efforts for expansion of early-phase will give more patients access to potentially life-saving treatments. Further expanding access to these populations will cast a wider net for screening potential patients in an era of precision medicine.
Clinical trial identification
Editorial acknowledgement
Legal entity responsible for the study
The authors.
Funding
National Cancer Institute Cancer Center Support Grant P30 CA168524.
Disclosure
J.C. Baranda: Financial Interests, Personal, Stocks/Shares: Forty-seven, Zymeworks, Moderna, Aprea, Merux. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interest.