Strategies to increase enrollment in cancer clinical trials among African American women in Georgia

The low accrual rate in adult cancer clinical trials has a severe impact on the quality of cancer care provided to all cancer patients. A multitude of barriers plague the achievement of optimal participation rates, particularly in African American populations. Innovative strategies are necessary to achieve optimal patient recruitment to adult cancer clinical trials. The Georgia Center for Oncology Research and Education (Georgia CORE) developed a multi-disciplinary, statewide research network to enhance access to clinical trials by removing barriers and improving patient recruitment. The research network links community oncology practices and academic medical centers that participate in multi-site trials.

Georgia CORE's strategies have resulted in “early wins” based on the 2009 analysis of patient demographics for its first two Investigator-Initiated breast cancer trials, which enrolled 72 patients. Results showed that community site participation accounted for 22 percent of the total enrollment for the first study of 51 patients. More importantly, 55 percent of the total patient population for the study was African American. The second Investigator-Initiated breast cancer trial yielded community participation of 29 percent and African American participation of 48 percent. Based on the positive results of these trials, Georgia CORE has refined outreach, education, recruitment and partnership strategies for the research network.