(Statesville, NC – August 26, 2014) –Iredell Health System has been chosen by the National Cancer Institute
(NCI) to be one of the sites to conduct cancer clinical trials and cancer
care delivery research studies for the next five years in our community.
The grants are awarded under the NCI Community Oncology Research Program
(NCORP), a national network of investigators, cancer care providers, academic
institutions, and other organizations that provide care to diverse populations
in community-based healthcare practices across the United States.
Iredell Health system is participating in the cancer clinical research
through the Southeast Clinical Oncology Research Consortium, Inc. (SCOR)
based in Winston-Salem, NC. Iredell Health System has participated in
cancer clinical research through membership in the Southeast Cancer Control
Consortium, Inc. (SCCC) since 1999. The SCCC was a Community Clinical
Oncology Program (CCOP) funded by NCI since 1987 providing access to cancer
clinical trials to 18 community hospitals/institutions over a 5 state
area (GA, NC, SC, TN, and VA). The SCCC merged with Upstate Carolina CCOP
located in Spartanburg, SC to apply for the NCORP grant award. A new organization
was funded and will operate under the name of Southeast Clinical Oncology
Research Consortium, Inc (SCOR) NCORP. The SCOR received an award of approximately
$14.8 million over 5 years and will provide access to cancer clinical
research to 23 community hospitals/institutions.
NCORP will design and conduct clinical trials to improve cancer prevention,
cancer control, screening, and post-treatment management. The new program
will have an expanded portfolio of clinical trials and other studies,
including an emphasis on cancer care delivery research. Cancer care delivery
research focuses on numerous factors that affect access to medical care
such as social, financial, technological, and others.
The NCORP involves 53 grants being awarded. The award falls into three
categories: 7 research bases, 34 community sites, and 12 minority/underserved
community sites. SCOR is one of the 34 community sites. NCORP replaces
two previous NCI community-based clinical research programs: the Community
Clinical Oncology Program (CCOP) and the NCI Community Cancer Centers
Program (NCCCP).
Iredell Health System participating physicians include Ruby Grimm, serving
as principle investigator and Naga Jyothi Gavini, Gayla Lowery and Pam
Westmoreland Sholar as co-investigators. For more information, contact
Beth Deuel, RN Clinical Trial Coordinator at Iredell Health System.