Standard 1.9 can be a challenge for CoC-accredited Cancer Programs of all shapes and sizes. The overall goal is to provide information about the availability of cancer-related clinical trials and offer patients the opportunity to participate. The Commission on Cancer has a designated required percentage each calendar year based on the category of your program. They also have a percentage the program must achieve each year in order to be considered for commendation. All programs are required to make available to all patients information regarding clinical trials via handouts, internet access, patient navigators, physicians including referrals to facilities with possible available clinical trials.
There are various types of cancer clinical trials accepted by the Commission on Cancer:
- Treatment related clinical trials either National Cancer Institute (NCI) sponsored, cooperative clinical trial groups, pharmaceutical company sponsored research, locally developed that involve, molecular markers, drugs, vaccines, new surgical approaches and radiation therapy or a combination of treatments
- Prevention and Control Research Studies focused on prevention and early detection of cancer involving health people who usually do not have cancer. Prevention trials can be action studies (“doing something”) and agent studies (“taking something”). Screening trials may test for new ways to find disease early when it is more treatable.
- Quality of Life/Economics of Care Studies can be supportive care clinical trials or palliative care trials that impact side effects, coping with pain, nutrition etc. Economics of care may look at the cost of cancer care.
- Bio-Repository/Bio-Bank Studies involve patients giving blood and/or tissue samples for cancer research purposes.
- Patient Registry Studies have an underlying research focus such as the National Oncologic PET Registry.
The bottom-line for reaching your required or commendation level each year really requires the following key ingredients:
- Cancer related
- Institutional Review Board/Committee (IRB/IRC) approved
- Patient signs an informed consent
Meeting and exceeding this standard requires a dedicated focus on availability and access to cancer-related clinical trials, the role of the Clinical Trial Coordinator has never been more important to the success of accreditation than it is today. Registry Partners has the experience and knowledge to assist your cancer program in the development and/or maintenance of this process.