Novel method for benchmarking recruitment of African American cancer patients to clinical therapeutic trials.
OBJECTIVE
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has historically evaluated the participation of underserved minorities within University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI) clinical trials in relation to the proportion of African Americans in the general population of the UPCI primary service area of Allegheny County (12%). This standard seemed to be unrealistically high as a result of a younger age distribution of African Americans within the county.


METHODS
The proportions of African Americans within the following four separate county populations were compared using data from 2000 to 2004: general population; invasive cancer patients; invasive cancer patients diagnosed or treated at UPCI-affiliated facilities; and patients enrolled onto UPCI's clinical therapeutic trials.


RESULTS
Although the proportion of African Americans within the general population was approximately 13%, only 9.8% of patients diagnosed with invasive cancers were African American. Approximately 9.5% of all cancer patients diagnosed or treated at UPCI facilities were African American, which is comparable to the county-wide percentage of African American cancer patients. Recruitment rate of African Americans to oncology clinical trials from within the UPCI patient population was 7.6%. The NCI benchmark did not reflect the actual invasive cancer incidence rate in African American patients. By comparing the percentage of African Americans contributing to cancer incidence with the percentage of African American cancer patients treated at research-affiliated institutions, a more appropriate benchmark was derived.


CONCLUSIONS
The method developed by UPCI is recommended as a useful mechanism for benchmarking recruitment of African American cancer patients to clinical therapeutic trials at other cancer centers.
Morgenlander
Keith H
KH
Department of Hematology/Oncology and Radiation Oncology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA.
Winters
Sharon B
SB
Lin
Chyongchiou J
CJ
Robertson
Linda B
LB
Heron
Dwight E
DE
Herberman
Ronald B
RB
D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019985:Benchmarking; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D054547:National Cancer Institute (U.S.); D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D018579:Patient Selection; D010414:Pennsylvania / Q000453:epidemiology; D016730:Program Development; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology