San Juan Minority - Based Community Clinical Oncology Program

Baez, Luis

Abstract

The San Juan Minority-Based Community Clinical Oncology Program (SJMBCCOP) was formed and funded by NIH in 1990. The Program promotes and expands cancer clinical research in the Island of Puerto Rico It brings state of the art treatments, prevention and control research to minority individuals in their own environment. It incorporates primary health care providers and other specialists in cancer prevention and control. It identifies barriers and challenges to cancer prevention and treatment research. It improves our operational base and expands our program into the island at large with increasing involvement of private practice groups and organizations. The Island is 100 miles by 35 wide and is located in the Caribbean 1200 miles from US Mainland. Our population is of Hispanic descend. The last population based census of 2000 revealed a total of 3.8 million female inhabitants (51%). The Island Cancer Registry reports approximately 12,000 new cancer cases per year. There is an excess of incidence as compared with USA mainland for tobacco/alcohol related malignancies, specifically, Head and Neck Cancer, Esophageal, and Liver Cancer. There is also an increased incidence of Cervical/Uterine and Gastric Cancer. The death rate has been higher in Oral Cancer, Esophagus, Larynx, Liver and Stomach Cancer. Close to 40% of the population is medically-indigent (uninsured). The majority of this sector of population derive their medical care from a government sponsored and funded Health Care Reform. In this Reform the government has contracted private insurance carriers and their providers to deliver cancer care in their practicing medical institutions and offices. The SJMBCCOP targets specifically these physicians/Institutions and their patient/subjects. The SJMCCOP is affiliated to ECOG, NSABP, MD Anderson, SWOG and CTSU. Our accrual highlights have been in Breast Cancer treatment and Prevention Trials;and the Prostate Cancer Prevention (SELECT). Our participating institution /investigators have accrued close to 100 women to the Breast Cancer Prevention Studies in NSABP and over 1,000 subjects to the Prostate Cancer Prevention. In 1990, the San Juan MBCCOP started within the PR Medical Center facilities. Since them the program has extended to include 4 hospital/institutions and 5 large physicians/group practices in San Juan, Ponce, Bayamon and Manati regions. Currently, the MBCCOP has 76 investigators, including 22 medical oncologist, 7 radiation oncologist, 21 surgeons, 10 internist and 4 family physicians. It is the aim of the program to continue outreach program that can encompass all regions in the Island of Puerto Rico. 1. San Juan Hospital, San Juan, PR 2. San Juan Oncologic Hospital, San Juan, PR 3. Ponce Oncologic Hospital, Ponce, PR 4. VA Caribbean Healthcare System, San Juan, PR 5. Doctor's Center Hospital Hematology-Oncology Group, Manati, PR 6. Hato Rey Hematology-Oncology Group, San Juan, PR 7. Puerto Rico Hematology-Oncology Group, San Juan, PR 8. Primary Care Physician Group, San Juan, PR 9. Doctor's Center Hospital Hematology-Oncology Group, Bayamon, PR