ACORI Call to Action Summit Activating Equity in Community Oncology Research-Day One: Advancing Health Equity through Community Cancer Research

Video Transcription

Video Summary

Before the panel discussions, Janelle Schrag shared results from an ACCC survey on the clinical research landscape. Most respondents were experienced community-based cancer program staff, and many sites conduct treatment and supportive care trials, though staffing, training, finances, and poor fit between available trials and patient populations were major barriers. Respondents also wanted better patient education, more trial information, and improved clinicaltrials.gov searchability and EHR integration.<br /><br />The main panel, moderated by Sybil Green, focused on advancing health equity through community cancer research. She emphasized persistent disparities in cancer outcomes and trial participation for Black, Hispanic/Latinx, Native American, rural, and low-income populations. Panelists Linda Burns-Stefanoff, Isabel Duran, and Karen Wingfield stressed that communities are not the problem—systems are. Key solutions included early and sustained community partnerships, trusted patient navigators or community health workers, culturally and linguistically appropriate outreach, accountable funding, and involving community voices from the start. They also argued that institutions must be held responsible for recruiting diverse participants, asking patients about trials, and building research capacity in community settings.

Keywords

clinical research

cancer trials

health equity

community cancer research

trial participation

patient navigators

community partnerships

diverse recruitment

clinicaltrials.gov