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. 2002 Jan-Feb;10(1):28-35.
doi: 10.1046/j.1523-5394.2002.101006.x.

Clinical trial enrollment of rural patients with cancer

Electra D Paskett  1 , M Robert Cooper, Nancy Stark, Thomas C Ricketts, Sara Tropman, Teresa Hatzell, Tim Aldrich, James Atkins
Affiliations

Clinical trial enrollment of rural patients with cancer

Electra D Paskett et al. Cancer Pract. 2002 Jan-Feb.

Abstract

Purpose: The goal of this study was to examine the effect of a rural community clinical oncology program-based cancer-care intervention program that was launched to increase the number of rural patients with cancer enrolled in clinical trials.

Description of study: Five rural counties in eastern North Carolina served as intervention communities, and five rural counties in South Carolina served as the comparison region. The intervention counties used a rapid tumor-reporting system, a nurse facilitator who identified and prompted oncologists to enter patients into clinical trials, a quarterly newsletter to primary-care physicians about cancer treatment and clinical trials, and a health educator who focused on community-wide education regarding cancer prevention, treatment, and clinical trial information. Outcomes included changes in knowledge and attitudes about clinical trials among the primary-care providers who were surveyed and enrollment in clinical treatment trials for breast and colorectal cancer, as analyzed by comparing practice pattern data from before and after the intervention.

Results: The results indicate that the intervention was not effective. The proportion of primary-care physicians who were aware of clinical trials for their patients with cancer rose slightly in comparison counties (26% to 34%) but remained constant (41% to 43%) in intervention counties. Perceived patient and actual physician barriers toward clinical trial participation were reported by the physicians. A minority of potentially eligible patients with breast or colon cancer in both North Carolina and South Carolina were enrolled in clinical trials.

Clinical implications: These data suggest that different types of interventions may be needed to improve accrual to cancer treatment trials in rural communities. In addition, the role that primary-care providers play in encouraging patients with cancer to participate in clinical treatment trials needs further exploration.

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