Skip to main content

1 in 5 U.S. Cancer Patients Join in Medical Research

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on April 3, 2024.

By Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, April 3, 2024 -- More patients these days are taking part in cancer research, a new study finds.

At least one in five people with cancer (22%) participate in some form of clinical research, when all types of cancer studies are considered, researchers found.

Moreover, enrollment in cancer treatment trials was 7%, more than double previous participation estimates of 2% to 3% of patients.

“Cancer clinical research, in all of its forms, simply cannot be conducted without the contributions of people with cancer,” said lead researcher Joseph Unger, a health services researcher and biostatistician at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle.

“These contributions are much more extensive than was previously recognized,” Unger said in a cancer center news release.

For the study, published April 2 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, researchers cast a wide net to capture all participation in not only clinical trials, but also patients who contribute tissue samples for research or take part in quality-of-life studies.

The expanded analysis included more than 70% of people diagnosed with cancer each year in the United States. These folks received care in a variety of settings, from community hospitals to comprehensive cancer centers.

Participation rates for various studies included:

Participation in treatment trials was more than five-fold higher at National Cancer Institute-designated cancer centers than at community hospitals, 22% versus 4%, researchers found.

This reflects the impact that federal funding can have on a hospital’s ability to offer clinical trials and recruit patients, researchers said. Most U.S. cancer patients receive treatment at a community hospital.

“We know that most patients with cancer will participate in a clinical trial if given the chance, and the level of enrollment we see at NCI-designated cancer centers shows what participation can be when patients are offered trials,” said senior researcher Mark Fleury, a policy principle at the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network.

“These findings emphasize the need to offer more patients in community settings the chance to participate and that will require an investment in these sites that currently isn’t there,” Fleury added.

Sources

  • Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, news release, April 2, 2024

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Posted April 2024

Read this next

1 in 8 Older Americans Are Stricken With Traumatic Head Injury

FRIDAY, May 31, 2024 -- About one in eight U.S. seniors will be treated for a traumatic brain injury, typically during a fall, a new study finds. Medicare data shows that about...

Could Tough Workouts Trigger a Hot Flash?

FRIDAY, May 31, 2024 -- While going through menopause, many women who gain weight head to the gym for intense workouts, but new research suggests that too much exercise may help...

U.S. Deaths Linked to ATVs Rose by a Third in One Year

FRIDAY, May 31, 2024 -- In just one year, U.S. deaths linked to the use of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) jumped by a third, according to the latest report from the Consumer Product...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.