In the United States, cancer clinical trial participation remains significantly lower for people of diverse race and ethnicity, and people in medically underserved communities.
At the same time, substantial disparities exist in screening, diagnosis and mortality rates for most cancers. According to 2020 data from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 73% of cancer trial participants are white, 14% are Asian, 6% are Hispanic and 5% are Black.
Disparities in clinical trial participation means that Americans from diverse groups may be less likely to benefit from new cancer treatments and the promise of precision medicine. The lack of diverse trial representation also makes it challenging for the healthcare industry to provide evidence-based treatments for all cancer patients.
A team of researchers at the University of Chicago Medicine have been awarded a grant from Stand Up To Cancer® (SU2C) to determine the most effective ways to increase clinical trial participation among the underserved community on Chicago’s South Side. The 800,000 residents, the majority of whom are Black and historically marginalized, face significantly higher rates of cancer.
“As a patient research advocate, I know how important it is for the Black community to participate in clinical trials. Cancer affects everyone differently and so does treatment. There are new drug therapies that are saving lives — the Black community deserves to have the best quality of life after cancer!” said Kimberly Richardson, founder and executive director of the Black Cancer Collaborative, and two-time cancer survivor.
The UChicago Medicine team is one of four groups in major cities participating in the SU2C Diversity in Early Development Clinical Trials Research Grants Program. As a part of the Health Equity Initiative, the program aims to create unique, replicable approaches that engage underrepresented communities in Phase 1 and Phase 2 cancer clinical trials.
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This story was first published by UChicago Medicine.
