How A Decentralized Clinical Trial Model Can Enhance Diversity In Oncology Research

By Esther Howard, Oncology Advisor, THREAD

When a patient is first diagnosed with cancer, their entire world changes. Fear and anxiety immediately set in because so much is unknown. They worry about their treatment options, their quality of life and how long they have left to live. Their friends and family are affected.  Fortunately, however, research is bringing new treatment options to patients every day.

The main difference between oncology research and every other therapeutic research area is that for a cancer patient, a clinical trial is the only option left after standard of care options are exhausted. The unfortunate fact is that most cancer patients still do not have access to clinical trials as further hope for treatment because of where they live.