Cancer Clinical Trials Continue to be Out of Reach for Many Patients

New Report finds 70% of US Counties Lack Any Cancer Trials

Millions of Americans with cancer likely struggle to access some of the most advanced, state-of-the-art treatments being tested in clinical trials for their disease, according to a new analysis from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).

The 2023 State of Cancer Care in America Snapshot and corresponding manuscript found 70% of U.S. counties lack a single active cancer treatment trial, and a fourth of adults over 55 - the age group most diagnosed with the disease - would have to travel more than two hours round-trip to access a trial site with wide cancer offerings. Additionally, 90% of adult patients do not participate in clinical trials at all and only half of all patients nationwide had access to a trial at their cancer care facility. The study is published in JCO Oncology Practice and accompanied by an infographic.

The challenge is especially profound for patients in rural areas where only 10% of the nation's oncologists practice.

"We need to support bringing clinical trials to where the patients live and receive their care, as opposed to leaving them with no choice but to travel for a trial," said Dr. Ishwaria Subbiah, MD, MS, Executive Director, Cancer Care Equity & Professional Wellness, Sarah Cannon Research Institute. "Clinical trials provide people with access to new, novel treatments. Yet, whether someone can access a potentially life-saving trial is often determined by where they live rather than if they'd be a good fit and could benefit. We need to bridge this divide and ensure more people with cancer can consider all the treatment choices available without being shut out because of location."

In addition to geographic disparities, the infographic also assesses the diversity of the oncology workforce; a critical element to reducing cancer care disparities. Presently, there are nearly 16,000 oncologists actively engaged in patient care in the U.S. Of that, 50% are White, 30% are Asian, 5% are Hispanic or Latino, and 3% are Black. The workforce data also shows that 36% of oncologists are women.

"This information highlights the need for increasing workforce diversity. A diverse workforce is more likely to increase cultural humility and the ability to deliver high-quality care to a broad patient population," said Dr. David M. Waterhouse, MD, MPH, Director, Early Phase Clinical Trials, Oncology Hematology Care at the Sarah Cannon Research Institute. "We need to introduce more students/early careers to oncology as early as possible so that more of them choose it as a career in the future."

ASCO is committed to expanding access to clinical trials and diversifying the oncology workforce. An ASCO Task Force recently issued a call-to-action detailing practical steps to allow patients to participate in trials closer to their homes. And the fourth year of ASCO's Oncology Summer Internship program, an immersive, paid internship designed to introduce rising second-year medical students from populations underrepresented in medicine to the field of oncology, will begin this spring.

Data from the infographic is covered in depth in "The state of cancer treatment trials in America: A comparison of counties with and without active trials by demography and social vulnerability." View the 2023 Snapshot here and manuscript here.

Founded in 1964, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, Inc. (ASCO®) is committed to the principle that knowledge conquers cancer. Together with the Association for Clinical Oncology, ASCO represents more than 50,000 oncology professionals who care for people living with cancer. Through research, education, and promotion of high quality, equitable patient care, ASCO works to conquer cancer and create a world where cancer is prevented or cured, and every survivor is healthy. Conquer Cancer, the ASCO Foundation, supports ASCO by funding groundbreaking research and education across cancer's full continuum. Learn more at www.ASCO.org, and follow us on Facebook, X, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.