Share

    


In This Section

Home / Learn / Community Oncology Research

Community Oncology Research

Expanding access to clinical trials is instrumental in achieving equitable cancer care delivery. Clinical trials can be a lifeline for patients with cancer, providing leading-edge care by clinicians dedicated to a specific disease. The oncology community is filled with stories of patients whose lives were improved and/or extended due to participation in a clinical trial. Yet, despite the potential of clinical research to improve outcomes for patients with cancer, enrollment in trials remains low.

The Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC) is dedicated to helping the oncology community advance new therapies, expand access to clinical trials, and to close the gap in cancer care delivery by offering the latest education and resources on real-world research, evidence, and clinical trials.

ACCC Community Oncology Research Institute

The ACCC Community Oncology Research Institute (ACORI) was launched to address disparities in cancer research and to establish clinical trials as a standard of care for all cancer patients.

ASCO-ACCC Joint Initiatives

The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and ACCC have jointly released the Just ASK™ Training Program and Site Self-Assessment resources to help increase the racial and ethnic equity, diversity, and inclusion in cancer clinical trials.

Expanding Access to Clinical Trials

ACCC is committed to ensuring clinical trials are accessible to underserved populations and to closing the gap in cancer research resulting in equitable representation for all patients.

More Community Oncology Research Resources

From the ACCCBuzz Blog

  • EHR Integration: The Next Necessary Step for Optimized Cancer Care
    November 17, 2023
    At the ACCC 40th NOC, an exclusive EHR Working Summit was held to understand and explore effective practices/workaround solutions for streamlined biomarker test ordering and results management.
  • Comprehensive Cancer Care: The Role of Biomarker Testing
    November 06, 2023
    Equitable access to precision medicine should be a right to which all patients with cancer are entitled regardless of their insurance coverage or type. Read more about ACCC’s efforts to help Medicaid beneficiaries overcome financial barriers to biomarker testing.
  • Improving Care Delivery for Transplant-Ineligible Patients with AML
    October 24, 2023
    ACCC in partnership with HealthTree Foundation for Acute Myeloid Leukemia, has launched an education program to explore the current barriers in care coordination and therapy options for patients with AML who are not eligible for transplant.

Cancer Buzz Podcasts

  • The Role of the Clinical Trials Navigator — [MINI PODCAST] EP 129
    Aug 29, 2023

    Adding a clinical trials navigator to this practice team required a business case that demonstrated return on investment. After a successful onboarding, this navigator is now the point person to help identify patients appropriate for clinical trials and to help busy clinicians with enrollment criteria and trial selection.

  • Cannabis and Cancer: Developing a Patient Clinic — [PODCAST] Ep 86
    Jul 12, 2022
    The demand for medical cannabis education from both providers and patients is increasing dramatically as stigma on its use decreases. Learn how the Cannabis and Cancer Research and Education Clinic (CanCaRE) is helping meet this growing need. 
  • [PODCAST] Ep 84: Increasing Clinical Trial Access for Blood Cancers
    Jun 7, 2022

    Clinical trials are the best instrument to advance treatment for blood cancers, but numerous challenges exist around trial identification, enrollment, and participation. We’ll hear perspectives from a community provider and patient advocacy organization on immediate—and forward-thinking—solutions to help this population better access clinical trials, including a tool from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to help patients identify cancer clinical trials that may be a fit.

On-Demand Webinars

  • An online implicit bias training program that presents the broader context of structural and systemic racism, the role of implicit bias in clinical trial selection, vignettes with real-world examples of implicit bias, and guidance for mitigating disparities in cancer research settings.

  • The Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC) has established the ACCC Community Oncology Research Institute (ACORI) to build on its existing mission to close the gap in cancer research through optimal oncology partnerships. As part of this mission, ACCC hosted the ACORI Call to Action Summit, a two-day virtual event that explored practical solutions to strengthen and diversify oncology clinical trials in communities across the country.
    (Sep 13-14, 2021)

  • An expert panel reviews currently available data on cancer care disparities, discusses the needs of disadvantaged populations, and shares practical solutions and methods for implementing bias training. (April 20, 2021)

From Oncology Issues

  • Human-Centered Design: A Possible Solution to Rural Clinical Trial Enrollment
    By Wade T Swenson, Emily Westergard, Zachary Schroeder, and Abigail Swenson
    Adopting a human-centered approach to designing clinical trials that considers the preferences and experiences of rural patients with cancer and providers could increase patient enrollment and close care gaps.
  • Trending Now in Cancer Care Part 2
    By Monique Marino
    A deep dive into 4 topics discussed during a series of interactive sessions at the ACCC 49th Annual Meeting and Cancer Center Business Summit: business and artificial intelligence technology, research and clinical trials, and precision medicine.
  • Views: 10 Tips for Using RECIST 1.1 in the Community Setting
    By Pamela J. Mason, RN, BSN, CCRP, and Julie Williams, PHD, MPH
    Actionable strategies for coordinating RECIST 1.1 at a community hospital.