This minority based CCOP proposal originates jointly from the University of California at Irvine (UCI) Clinical Cancer Center and the Department of Pediatrics Oncology Program. The goal is to demonstrate an increased enrollment of minority pediatric cancer patients on CCG/Intergroup/SWOG trials. We identified some obstacles which deter study enrollment in our largely Asian and Hispanic minority patient population at UCI as: a) physician related; b)patient related; c) institutional; and d) data management based.
The specific aims are to: 1) conduct high quality clinical oncology trials emphasizing the inclusion of minority and socioeconomically disadvantaged pediatric patients; 2) identify additional factors inhibiting patient entry/continuation on study; 3) use resources and materials to overcome the impediments; 4) continue the development, maintenance, and support of satellite affiliated contributing to patient entry. Our 61% minority population of children, some socioeconomically disadvantaged, are derived from a referral base in an expanding network of 4 major HMOs and IPAs, 17 Pediatricians and primary care physicians who refer patients for evaluation on Cooperative study protocols through the Children's Cancer Group (CCG), the largest pediatric study group in the world. Participation in these trials requires a carefully crafted and executed program to apply personnel and material resources to include these populations in treatment, epidemiologic and cancer control studies. Problems and solutions identified in this program will have implications for ethnic minority populations at other centers in an environment emphasizing cost containment and managed care.
