PHILADELPHIA (January 24, 2024) — A team of nursing researchers from Fox Chase Cancer Center and Temple Health has received a $564,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Defense to fund research into increasing clinical trial enrollment of underrepresented kidney cancer patients by making it easier for them to participate in such trials.
“Clinical trials are necessary for the development of new therapies to fight cancer. However, enrollment demographics across oncology trials, including kidney cancer clinical trials, are not representative of the diverse population of the United States,” said Susan Rux, PhD, RN, ACNS-BC, CNE, the Principal Investigator for the grant.
Rux will conduct the research with Rutika Kokate, PhD, MS, Scientific Manager for the GU Research Team in the Office of Clinical Research at Fox Chase. Other co-investigators include Kimberly Costello, RN, BSN, OCN, CCRC; Courtney Lambert, RN, BSN, OCN; and Kristin Virag, RN, MSN, OCN, who are all nurses at Fox Chase and members of the Office of Clinical Research.
“Most patients that participate in oncology clinical trials are non-Hispanic white, male, and younger than 65 years old,” added Rux, who is the Associate Vice President of Nursing Education & Professional Development/Innovation at Temple Health.
It has been shown that there are many barriers for racial and ethnic groups, women, older adults, and those patients of low socioeconomic status who want to participate in oncology clinical trials, Rux said. Lower-income patients are less likely to enroll in clinical trials due to concerns about affording the extra costs associated with participating in them.
One study showed that patients from lower-income households and those who traveled farther for their cancer care experienced greater financial challenges when enrolled in a clinical trial, including out-of-pocket nonmedical costs such as food, flights, lodging, and fuel.
This topic is of particular importance to the Department of Defense because nearly one-third of active-duty service personnel are members of a racial/ethnic minority group that could be affected by such disparities.
“Equal access to trials is essential in determining the effectiveness of therapy in a real-world patient population,” Rux said. “Through education and alleviation of financial toxicity enabled by our research program, we will improve access to kidney cancer clinical trials, thereby increasing enrollment of underrepresented patients.”
She added that when the project is completed, the team plans to extend their education sessions to kidney cancer patients at the Veterans Association and within the greater Philadelphia community. Successful project implementation will also have a positive effect on research into and treatment of other cancers at Fox Chase and Temple Health.
“Fox Chase and Temple Health are well-known for their nursing excellence, but this grant also underscores the fact that our nurses also lead the way when it comes to research into new ways of improving and delivering care,” said Anna Liza Rodriguez, MSN, MHA, RN, OCN, NEA-BC, Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President of Nursing and Patient Services at Fox Chase.
The Nurse Initiated Research Award is from the Department of Defense’s Kidney Cancer Research Program.