Study Sheds Light on Cancer Research Participation

Researchers from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network and peer institutions released new findings in the Journal of Clinical Oncology showing that when all types of cancer research studies are considered, at least one-in-five people with cancer, or 21.9%, participate in some form of clinical research.

Using deidentified accreditation data from the CoC, the study evaluated all categories of cancer studies, such as treatment trials, biorepository studies, and quality of life studies—the first time an estimate of participation in all types of cancer studies has been reported. Moreover, enrollment in cancer treatment trials was 7.1%, a notably higher participation rate than previous estimates of 2%-3%.

The study also found that enrollment in treatment trials was more than five-fold higher at National Cancer Institute-designated cancer centers than at community sites (21.6% versus 4.1%), reflecting the impact that NCI funding for staff and infrastructure has on an institution’s ability to offer trials and recruit patients.