Evolution of Cancer Care Delivery Research in the NCI Community Oncology Research Program

Abstract

Research seeking to improve patient engagement with decision-making, use of evidence-based guidelines, and coordination of multi-specialty care has made important contributions to the decades-long effort to improve cancer care. The National Cancer Institute expanded support for these efforts by including cancer care delivery research in the 2014 formation of the National Cancer Institute Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP). Cancer care delivery research is a multi-disciplinary effort to generate evidence-based practice change that improves clinical outcomes and patient well-being. NCORP scientists and community-based clinicians and organizations rapidly embraced the addition of this type of research into the network, resulting in a robust portfolio of observational studies and intervention studies within the first 5 years of funding. This commentary describes the initial considerations in conducting this type of research in a network previously focused on cancer prevention, control, and treatment studies; characterizes the protocols developed to date; and outlines future directions for cancer care delivery research in the second round of NCORP funding.

Older adult participation in cancer clinical trials: A systematic review of barriers and interventions

“…As our findings highlight, older adults may face more challenges than younger patients with travel, caregiver support, and other logistics associated with trial participation. Infrastructures, such as the NCI Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP), a national network designed to open participation of NCI‐approved studies at community‐based practices, should be leveraged to support a larger and more diverse patient population, accelerate accrual, and increase generalizability of trial findings 115,116 . One successful example of this is the Improving Communication in Older Cancer Patients and Their Caregivers (COACH) study (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT02054741), a cluster‐randomized clinical trial of community oncology practices within the University of Rochester NCORP that examined whether a GA summary with recommendations to oncologists can reduce toxicities and improve communication in patients aged ≥70 years with advanced cancer 117 .…”

Achieving a multilevel evidence-based approach to improve cancer care in the U.S. post-COVID era: What is the role of management?

“…In 2014, the NCI, as part of a reorganization of community-based clinical programs, launched the NCI Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP). This program was centered on expanding clinical trials in the community but it also included research about the delivery of cancer care [ 15 ], examining ways in which social factors, financing systems and organizational structure and processes, health technologies, and health care provider and patient behaviors affect access, quality and cost of care, and patient-reported outcomes on quality of life for cancer patients and their families [ 16 ]. The explicit recognition of the need to more directly engage with the delivery system provided the opportunity to leverage and develop a research relationship with the large network of hospitals and the associated physicians within NCORP.…”

Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer from Genomics to Therapeutics: A Framework for Community Practice Integration to Arrive at Personalized Therapy Strategies

“…Furthermore, the establishment of integrated clinical research has been shown to translate to wider awareness and acceptance of research results, and in 2013, the NCI formed the NCI Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP) [181]. First-cycle results showed that NCORP improved cancer care delivery and access in the community, but challenges remain in growing the program to more organizations across the nation [182]. The evolution of cancer care has to be met with advancements in cancer care and genomic testing access and delivery in community practice.…”