Abstract 1002: The historically black colleges and universities cancer trial consortium: A way forward to diversifying cancer clinical trials
Authors: Holder Sheldon L. , Winn Robert A. , El-Deiry Wafik S. 
Published: March 2024

The National Comprehensive Cancer Center Network cancer guidelines state that the best management for a cancer patient is on a clinical trial. However, the demographics of 74 registration trials for oral cancer therapies from 2009 - 2019 show only 2.5% of participating patients were Black. Similarly, of the 3,593 patients enrolled in all registration trials for new cancer drugs approved by the FDA in 2019, only 4% were Black patients. A third analysis showed that between 2008 and 2018, only 3.1% of cancer trial patients were Black.

The underrepresentation of Black patients in cancer clinical trials is a complex issue that requires a multifaceted solution. Complicated, interdependent causes include, but are not limited to system, provider, and patient bias. Increasing globalization of clinical trials also contributes to a widening gap in Black patient enrollment. Achieving diversity among clinical trial participants requires intention in study design regarding accrual sites and outreach, and involvement of a diverse trial workforce.

The ideal clinical trial system would minimize system, provider, and patient biases. Such a system already exists in the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) system. HBCUs represent 3% of institutions of higher education in the USA, yet they enroll 16% of Black students and confer 24% of all baccalaureate degrees earned by Black students. 40% of Black engineers, 50% of Black lawyers, 70% of Black physicians, and a staggering 80% of Black judges attended an HBCU. HBCUs are exceptional at impacting communities of Color and have been doing so for centuries.

The HBCU Cancer Trials Consortium (HBCU CTC) is a network of HBCUs and Ally institutions that aims to bring innovative cancer clinical trials to historically underserved communities and honor the legacy of HBCUs, which have consistently and successfully served underserved communities for over a century. The HBCU CTC will oversee and conduct cancer clinical trials at member institutions. We envision founding flagship members to include HBCUs that provide graduate medical education and training, such as Howard, Meharry, Charles Drew, and Morehouse. Non-HBCUs committed to the mission are invited to join the consortium as Ally institutions (eg. MSIs). Membership is not exclusive of membership in other cancer consortia. The HBCU CTC will provide shared resource services for member institutions that lack expertise or funding to conduct services locally (eg. data management, DSMB, biostatistics, a cancer focused IRB, central radiology, and central pathology). The Consortium will also work to develop local infrastructure support for the conduct of cancer clinical trials at member institutions.

Citation Format: Sheldon L. Holder, Robert A. Winn, Wafik S. El-Deiry. The historically black colleges and universities cancer trial consortium: A way forward to diversifying cancer clinical trials [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 1002.