The University of South Alabama (USA) has been a designated MBCCOP since the inception of the program. The grant supports the administration and data management of cancer treatment protocols, cancer control programs and cancer prevention trials at USA. In addition, it supports limited travel of faculty to national research base meetings and the cost of transporting specimens to designated laboratories as required by protocols. USA is currently involved and has membership in the Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG), the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Program (NSABP), the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG), the Pediatric Oncology Group (POG), the MD Anderson program (MSKCC) and The University of Rochester. We are participants in the P1-Breast Cancer Prevention Trial (BCPT) and the Study of Tamoxifen and Roloxafine (STAR) program and the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial (PCPT). We plan to participate in the Prostate Prevention Trial utilizing vitamin E and selenium. Currently, over 450 living cancer patients are in active follow up. USA keeps about 185 active Investigative Review Board (IRB) approved protocols for eligible patients at any given time. Approximately ten percent of newly diagnosed cancer patients become participants of cancer treatment protocols at USA. We do not engage in any studies sponsored by pharmaceutical firms. Approximately one half of patients placed on cancer treatment protocols are minority individuals with the majority being African American. We have no difficulty in recruiting minority patients for cancer treatment protocols. However, it is difficult to recruit minority patients to cancer prevention trials and cancer control programs which involve either a procedure or a medication with potential side effects. Most minority subjects recruited to cancer prevention studies are from upper socioeconomic and educated groups. Recruitment occurs through appropriate radio, newspaper, health fairs, churches and social organizations. Population surveys at USA suggest that 'fatalism' plays an important role in delayed diagnosis and failure to use cancer preventative means. USA is the only University hospital with a 150 mile radius of Mobile Alabama in the Gulf Coast. It serves the urban population of a Gulf Coast Port City and a surrounding rural southern population of patients from South Alabama, Southern Mississippi and the panhandle of Florida. The University hospital has 840 beds with 32 beds in a designated adult oncology unit. Approximately 475 new cancer patients are seen yearly at this facility with half of them from minority populations. With increasing numbers of oncologists in the region and development of radiation treatment facilities in the community hospitals, cancer patient accrual has not increased at USA in recent years. To solve this problem it is planned to construct a USA Cancer Hospital and treatment facility largely using existent buildings, and assume responsibility for oncologic care at a community hospital. Further, we are involving former fellows and associates in Biloxi and Mobile for participation in the STAR trial.
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