The Mississippi/Alabama Radiation Oncology Research Partnership is formed to establish and sustain a radiation oncology research program that will address cancer disparities among African Americans and underserved populations in the Mississippi region. The potential partners include the Regional Cancer Center (RCC) at Singing River Hospital System (SRHS) in Pascagoula, Mississippi, the University of Alabama Comprehensive Cancer Center (UABCCC) in Birmingham, Alabama, and the Gulf Coast Minority-Based Cooperative Clinical Oncology Program (MBCCOP). The overall goal of the proposed partnership is to improve access and accrual of cancer clinical trials for African American and historically underserved populations. Clinical trials are the principal tools for achieving and demonstrating progress in cancer treatment and prevention. Unfortunately, the level of accrual of African Americans and underserved populations in clinical trials is disproportionate to the disease burden. In addition, many health care institutions that provide care to a disproportionate number of these populations are not often linked to the national cancer research protocols. As a result, radiation oncologists in these institutions have a difficult time starting, developing, and sustaining research programs. Thus, this proposed partnership seeks funding to support the planning, development, and implementation of a radiation oncology clinical trials program. Three pilot clinical trials research projects will be conducted as part of implementation of the research program to address patient accrual. Project #1 is the """"""""Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy for Head and Neck Cancer."""""""" Project #2 is """"""""Phase II study of Gamma Knife Radiosurgery and Temozolomide (Temodar) for Newly Diagnosed Brain Metastases."""""""" Project #3 is """"""""Evaluation of Prostate Screening Outcomes in African American Men."""""""" The proposed research plan will enable investigators to examine whether increasing access to cancer clinical research trials will increase accrual and participation. The partnership collaboration will serve as the major vehicle for building a research infrastructure and generating new findings in radiation oncology that may impact cancer disparities in African American and underserved populations.
