May is a time to recognize the importance of research in preventing, diagnosing and treating cancer and the importance of the study in the search of cancer cures.
Leaders at City of Hope, one of the largest cancer research and treatment organizations in the United States, forecast that in 2024 more people will benefit from cancer breakthroughs, including research that unlocks the biology behind cancer disparities, wider access to CAR T cell therapy and rapid whole genome sequencing1.
Cancers are the most common cause of death worldwide. There has been significant process in understanding and treating cancers however, it is estimated that around one-in-six deaths worldwide in 2019 were from cancer2. As of January 2023, the overall cancer survival rate worldwide was estimated at 68%, up from 49% in the mid-1970s. Survival rates vary by cancer type, stage of detection, diagnosis, and treatment. For example, the 5-year survival rate for breast cancer in the UK is over 80%. Thyroid cancer has the highest survival rate at 98%3.
As research continues to discover cures for cancer, we at MRN are on a mission to make it easier for any patient from any community around the world to participate in potentially life-saving clinical trials. MRN has delivered thousands of clinical trials at-home for Oncology patients since 2006, with several active studies today. This patient population has unique challenges and needs that should be addressed through appropriate protocol design to have a successful trial experience. By bringing trials to patients in their own communities (home, work, school or clinical site) we can address some of these challenges, making participation less burdensome and trials more accessible.
Reducing the burden for participants doesn’t just mean reducing travel time and time spent waiting in the clinic (although that is a significant benefit) but it also means having a visit at a more convenient time to the patient. This is huge when you consider the life of a patient – if they can work, what is their work schedule like? Do they have children in school, camp, sports? How do they physically feel? Does their disease cause mobility issues? By meeting the patient where they are and when they want, we can give the patient back some comfort and time with their families, all while maintaining their relationship with their clinical team at site.
Community-based clinical trials can increase the pool of patients that have access to a clinical trial. A hybrid trial design (like those incorporating Home Trial Support – MRN’s in-home, remote visit solution), will make it less difficult to participate in the trial because it is in a patient’s own community or home. In addition to bringing trial to the patient at home, it’s important to build up sites in different communities expanding the reach of a trial beyond the established research sites. That means we need to provide focused support to sites to achieve their goals for their patients before, during and after participation.
By bringing visits to patients and new sites to trials we can bring more patients to clinical research, reduce participation challenges specific to oncology patients, and drive medical advancements in the search for cancer cures.
Sources:
- https://www.cityofhope.org/about-city-of-hope/newsroom/2024-predictions#:~:text=Leaders%20at%20City%20of%20Hope,therapy%20and%20rapid%20whole%20genome
- https://ourworldindata.org/cancer
- https://www.wcrf.org/cancer-trends/cancer-survival-statistics/