Part I of a two-part series
According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), 1,735,350 people were newly diagnosed with cancer in 2018. Of those, 65% are expected to achieve remission from their cancer 1. While most physicians agree that clinical trials advance medical knowledge and improve treatment, estimates as low as 2 – 3% of cancer patients enter clinical trials annually 2, 3. Physician knowledge of available clinical trials at their site, training in communication skills and administering clinical trials, and time constraints during patient care time have all been identified as barriers to clinical trial enrollment 1. In addition, strict eligibility criteria and inadequate insurance coverage for required tests may also hinder enrollment.
