The specific aim of the Sooner State CCOP is to provide the communities throughout the state with access to NCI-approved clinical trials which encompass cancer treatment and cancer control studies. Long-term objectives include: 1) Increasing the availability of NCI-approved clinical trials to the substantial underserved rural and minority populations in the state; 2) Expanding the involvement of community physicians in cancer prevention and cancer control projects; 4) Increasing patient accrual to NCI clinical trials; 5) Measuring the impact that the availability of NCI clinical trials has on clinical outcomes in the state. First, the Sooner State CCOP is a single component, Cancer Care Associates, Inc (CCA), a private practice oncology group with a statewide network of 32 medical, surgical, and radiation oncologists at 22 separate locations throughout the state. The CCOP will create new alliances with location practitioners statewide resulting in continued growth in patient referrals and increased availability of NCI clinical trials through association with multiple cooperative groups: NCCTG, ECOG, NSABP, GOG, and RTOG. Second, research nurses will implement screening of medical records at multiple sites for potential participants in clinical trials. A research nurse at each of the two primary research hubs will be responsible solely for activation of prevention and cancer control studies their respective regions. Previous experience in activating major prevention trials (BCPT and PCPT) led to the endorsement of numerous community resources which will be expanded. Third, multiple CCA satellite offices in rural communities provide local cancer care services not previously available, as well as access to NCI clinical trials and prevention/control studies. The collective resources and expertise of CCA physicians and staff provides numerous benefits in quality cancer and treatment options not usually available in rural communities. Fourth, the CCOP will implement a computer network connecting all sites and an electronic medical record which will improve disease management and provide data on cost effectiveness and patient outcomes previous impossible to obtain. Analysis of this data will hopefully demonstrate the benefits of clinical trials participation to major insurance and managed care providers.
