Abstract IA029: Expanding access and participation to early phase clinical trials for our underrepresented populations

Abstract

Abstract The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) has a firm position that phase I trials provide trials participants potential benefit with improved quality of life, psychological and direct medical benefit. Disproportionate access to novel therapies through early phase clinical trials among underrepresented populations continues to exist. In fact, there is worsening disparity in accrual of patients from racial and ethnic minority groups in phase 1 trials of drugs for metastatic cancer. Access to cutting-edge clinical trials leading to paradigm-changing treatments is critical for cancer care and equity in society, as participation in clinical trials correlates with reduction in mortality. Stark disparities in access and participation to clinical trials impact underserved populations among racial and ethnic minorities, socioeconomically disadvantaged, and geographically isolated populations. The impact of newer therapies, if inadequately studied in underserved populations, may result in poor generalizability of study results and uncertain benefit for these groups. Further, evidence suggests that access to clinical trials narrows the gap in cancer care disparity among patients in urban and rural communities. In response to ethical, clinical, and biologic mandate, the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) Create Access to Targeted Cancer Therapy for Underserved Populations (CATCH-UP.2020) was created. This congressional mandate was a P30 administrative supplement awarded to eight NCI-designated cancer centers to enhance access to early phase precision medicine Experimental Therapeutics Clinical Trials Network (ETCTN) clinical trials for minority and underserved populations. The purpose of this presentation is to share best practices learned in CATCH-UP.2020 and discuss how this program helped create a roadmap to building a clinical trials ecosystem that allowed expanded access to early phase trials through cross-fertilization of successful tools among the CATCH-UP sites and within ETCTN. In our institution, learned best practices are applied across the spectrum of early phase clinical investigations to help overcome clinical trials disparities using the rural lens. With the goal of bringing precision medicine clinical trials close to home for our underrepresented populations, we aim to accelerate drug development without leaving anyone behind. Citation Format: Joaquina C. Baranda. Expanding access and participation to early phase clinical trials for our underrepresented populations [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 16th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2023 Sep 29-Oct 2;Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2023;32(12 Suppl):Abstract nr IA029.