Addressing the current challenges of non-small-cell lung cancer clinical trial accrual

Conducting research in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is challenging, primarily because of low patient accrual rates resulting from patient-, physician-, protocol-, and healthcare system-related barriers. The Coalition of Cancer Cooperative Groups convened a 1-day program entitled Addressing the Current Challenges of NSCLC Clinical Trial Accrual to develop specific strategies for enhancing accrual into NSCLC clinical trials and to increase and sustain the level of discussion with and among cooperative group and community-based researchers. Some of the important areas that were highlighted at the meeting included predictors of successful and unsuccessful trial accrual based on 6 NSCLC trials, of which 4 were considered high-priority NSCLC trials; issues surrounding the process of clinical trial activation; and the role of patient advocates in enhancing trial accrual. Efforts by multidisciplinary teams comprising clinical and laboratory researchers, patient advocates, governmental agencies, and private industries are needed to improve NSCLC trial activation and accrual, with a focus on commitment to ongoing communication among all constituents, measures to improve the activation process, and increased study awareness at the community oncology and patient levels.