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Vapiwala N, Thomas CR, Grover S, Yap ML, Mitin T, Shulman LN, Gospodarowicz MK, Longo J, Petereit DG, Ennis RD, Hayman JA, Rodin D, Buchsbaum JC, Vikram B, Abdel-Wahab M, Epstein AH, Okunieff P, Goldwein J, Kupelian P, Weidhaas JB, Tucker MA, Boice JD, Fuller CD, Thompson RF, Trister AD, Formenti SC, Barcellos-Hoff MH, Jones J, Dharmarajan KV, Zietman AL, Coleman CN. Enhancing Career Paths for Tomorrow's Radiation Oncologists. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2019; 105:52-63. [PMID: 31128144 PMCID: PMC7084166 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2019.05.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2018] [Revised: 05/03/2019] [Accepted: 05/08/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Neha Vapiwala
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
| | - Charles R Thomas
- Department of Radiation Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Surbhi Grover
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana
| | - Mei Ling Yap
- Collaboration for Cancer Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Ingham Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia; Liverpool and Macarthur Cancer Therapy Centre, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, Australia; School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia
| | - Timur Mitin
- Department of Radiation Medicine Director, Program in Global Radiation Medicine, Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Lawrence N Shulman
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Mary K Gospodarowicz
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Cancer Clinical Research Unit, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - John Longo
- Department of Radiation Oncology Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
| | - Daniel G Petereit
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Rapid City Regional Cancer Care Institute, Rapid City, South Dakota
| | - Ronald D Ennis
- Clinical Network for Radiation Oncology, Rutgers and Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey
| | - James A Hayman
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Danielle Rodin
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Radiation Medicine Program, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jeffrey C Buchsbaum
- Radiation Research Program, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Bhadrasain Vikram
- Clinical Radiation Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - May Abdel-Wahab
- Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria
| | - Alan H Epstein
- Uniformed Service University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Paul Okunieff
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Florida Health Cancer Center, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Joel Goldwein
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Elekta AB, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Patrick Kupelian
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, California
| | - Joanne B Weidhaas
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; MiraDx, Los Angeles, California
| | - Margaret A Tucker
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - John D Boice
- National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements, Bethesda, Maryland; Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Clifton David Fuller
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Reid F Thompson
- Department of Radiation Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon; VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, Oregon
| | - Andrew D Trister
- Department of Radiation Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Silvia C Formenti
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York City, New York
| | | | - Joshua Jones
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Kavita V Dharmarajan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Mount Sinai Hospital, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, New York
| | - Anthony L Zietman
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - C Norman Coleman
- National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
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McClelland S, Leberknight J, Guadagnolo BA, Coleman CN, Petereit DG. The pervasive crisis of diminishing radiation therapy access for vulnerable populations in the United States, part 2: American Indian patients. Adv Radiat Oncol 2018; 3:3-7. [PMID: 29556572 PMCID: PMC5856975 DOI: 10.1016/j.adro.2017.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2017] [Revised: 08/14/2017] [Accepted: 08/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) patients with cancer disproportionally present with more advanced stages of disease and have the worst cancer-specific survival rates of any racial/ethnic group in the United States. The presence of disparities in radiation therapy (RT) access for AI/AN patients has rarely been examined. METHODS AND MATERIALS National Cancer Institute (NCI) initiatives toward addressing AI/AN disparities were examined. Additionally, an extensive PubMed literature search for studies investigating RT access disparities in AI/AN patients was performed. RESULTS Literature describing RT access disparities for the AI/AN patient population is sparse, revealing only 3 studies, each of which described initiatives from the Walking Forward program, the NCI Cancer Disparity Research Partnership initiative to address barriers to cancer screening among AI populations in the Northern Plains region (eg, geographic remoteness and mistrust of health care providers). This program has used patient navigation, community education, and access to clinical trials for more than 4000 AI/AN patients to combat high cancer mortality rates. Over the course of its 15-year existence, the program has resulted in patients presenting with earlier stages of disease and experiencing higher cure rates. Lung cancer, the most common cause of cancer-related mortality in AI/AN patients, is the most recent and ongoing focus of the program. CONCLUSION The amount of information regarding RT access in AI/AN patients is limited, with nearly all peer-reviewed published progress in this area being associated with the Walking Forward program. Further initiatives from this program will hopefully inspire similar initiatives throughout the country to reduce the barriers to optimized cancer care that these patients face. Given the similarities with cancer disparities of populations worldwide, the AI/AN experience should be included within the broad issue of a global shortage of cancer care among underserved populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shearwood McClelland
- Department of Radiation Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | | | - B. Ashleigh Guadagnolo
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | | | - Daniel G. Petereit
- Walking Forward Program, Rapid City, South Dakota
- International Cancer Expert Corps, Washington, DC
- Rapid City Regional Cancer Care Institute, Rapid City, South Dakota
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Wong RSL, Vikram B, Govern FS, Petereit DG, Maguire PD, Clarkson MR, Heron DE, Coleman CN. National Cancer Institute's Cancer Disparities Research Partnership Program: Experience and Lessons Learned. Front Oncol 2014; 4:303. [PMID: 25405101 PMCID: PMC4217306 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2014.00303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2014] [Accepted: 10/14/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To increase access of underserved/health disparities communities to National Cancer Institute (NCI) clinical trials, the Radiation Research Program piloted a unique model - the Cancer Disparities Research Partnership (CDRP) program. CDRP targeted community hospitals with a limited past NCI funding history and provided funding to establish the infrastructure for their clinical research program. METHODS Initially, 5-year planning phase funding was awarded to six CDRP institutions through a cooperative agreement (U56). Five were subsequently eligible to compete for 5-year implementation phase (U54) funding and three received a second award. Additionally, the NCI Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities supported their U56 patient navigation programs. RESULTS Community-based hospitals with little or no clinical trials experience required at least a year to develop the infrastructure and establish community outreach/education and patient navigation programs before accrual to clinical trials could begin. Once established, CDRP sites increased their yearly patient accrual mainly to NCI-sponsored cooperative group trials (~60%) and Principal Investigator/mentor-initiated trials (~30%). The total number of patients accrued on all types of trials was 2,371, while 5,147 patients received navigation services. CONCLUSION Despite a historical gap in participation in clinical cancer research, underserved communities are willing/eager to participate. Since a limited number of cooperative group trials address locally advanced diseases seen in health disparities populations; this shortcoming needs to be rectified. Sustainability for these programs remains a challenge. Addressing these gaps through research and public health mechanisms may have an important impact on their health, scientific progress, and efforts to increase diversity in NCI clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosemary S L Wong
- Radiation Research Program, Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, National Cancer Institute , Rockville, MD , USA
| | - Bhadrasain Vikram
- Radiation Research Program, Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, National Cancer Institute , Rockville, MD , USA
| | - Frank S Govern
- Radiation Research Program, Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, National Cancer Institute , Rockville, MD , USA
| | - Daniel G Petereit
- Walking Forward Program, Rapid City Regional Hospital , Rapid City, SD , USA
| | | | | | - Dwight E Heron
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center McKeesport , McKeesport, PA , USA
| | - C Norman Coleman
- Radiation Research Program, Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, National Cancer Institute , Rockville, MD , USA
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