ONS Connect - December 2008 - (Page 7) EDiTOR’SNOTE Encourage Your Patients to Participate in Community Clinical Research [By Debra M. Wujcik, RN, PhD, AOCN®, Editor] Debra M. Wujcik, RN, PhD, AOCN ®, Editor If you would not participate in cancer research or recommend participation for a family member, ask yourself why. f the estimated 1.5 million people in the United States who will be diagnosed with cancer in 2008, approximately 15% will be diagnosed and treated at National Cancer Institute (NCI)–designated comprehensive cancer centers and 85% will be diagnosed and treated at community cancer centers and physician offices (NCI, n.d.b). Although clinical research is essential to the development of new drugs and therapies, only 5% will participate in cancer clinical trials (NCI, n.d.a). Studies have been conducted to determine why patients agree to participate in clinical trials and why physicians agree to offer their patients clinical trials. One study of the attitude of adults who had not been diagnosed with cancer toward cancer clinical trial participation indicated that patient attitudes were not the problem with accrual (Comis, Miller, Aldige, Krebs, & Stoval, 2003). Barriers to clinical trial participation that were more problematic than patient attitudes were a lack of available trials, eligibility requirements, and physician reluctance to recommend clinical trials. Community-based clinical research received a new emphasis when the National Institutes of Health Roadmap for Medical Research (http://nihroad map.nih.gov) was released in 2003 with an initiative to develop new partnerships with patient communities, community-based healthcare providers, and academic researchers. The NCI Community Cancer Centers Program is a three-year pilot to expand research into the communities where patients O live (NCI, n.d.b). Results from this pilot will be available soon and will determine whether there will be ongoing funding for these community programs. All oncology nurses are positioned to recommend participation in clinical research. Patients often ask nurses, “What would you do if this was you or your family member?” If you would not participate in cancer research or recommend participation for a family member, ask yourself why. Do you understand the need for cancer research and the regulatory requirements in place for patient protection? Can you answer basic questions about cost, additional tests, and the informed consent process? You can get this information from local research staff and principal investigators. ONS has a Clinical Trials Special Interest Group, and the NCI Web site provides professional and patient educational materials. Although clinical trials may not be recommended for all patients in all stages of all cancers, increased clinical trial participation will speed up the development of new treatments. By taking clinical cancer research into more communities, this goal can be achieved sooner. ✱ Comis, R.L., Miller, J.D., Aldige, C.R., Krebs, L., & Stoval, E. (2003). Public attitudes toward participation in cancer clinical trials. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 21(5), 830–835. National Cancer Institute. (n.d.a). Clinical trials. Retrieved November 11, 2008, from http:// www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials National Cancer Institute. (n.d.b). NCI Community Cancer Centers Program. Retrieved November 11, 2008, from http://ncccp.cancer .gov/index.htm December 2008 ONS CONNECT 7 http://nihroadmap.nih.gov http://nihroadmap.nih.gov http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials http://ncccp.cancer.gov/index.htm http://ncccp.cancer.gov/index.htm
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