Rapid City Regional Oncology Group CCOP is a multidisciplinary group of private practitioners who have organized to provide high quality clinical cancer research in a community setting. We are currently members of the North Central Cancer Treatment Group and have access to cancer research protocols through this organization. We feel we are in a unique position to support the stated goals of the National Cancer Institute in expanding cancer control activities into undeserved communities. The population to be served in in a geographically large rural area 150 miles in radius with Rapid City at its center. It includes a large population of medically undeserved American Indians. Rapid City is the only large city in this area and the only site where sophisticated medial care is provided. The population served is approximately 150,000. This includes all of western South Dakota, eastern Wyoming, northwestern Nebraska, and southwestern North Dakota. There are not any competing cancer treatment facilities in this entire area. The hospital has a strong cancer registry program with a substantial data base. All of these factors combine to provide a unique opportunity to extend cancer control efforts in early detection, prevention, screening, pretreatment evaluation, treatment, continuing care, and rehabilitation of cancer patients. The relative isolation, stability of population and centralized medical car can provide useful information on cancer epidemiology. Rapid City Regional Oncology Group CCOP would exploit these opportunities by participating in protocols of the North Central Cancer Treatment Group and ECOG and by developing our own cancer control studies. Rapid City Regional Oncology Group CCOP will also be able to offer state-of-the-art cancer care to this large rural area.
