Cancer Control Research
5U01CA093326-05
Sandler, Robert S.
NC COLORECTAL CANCER CARE OUTCOMES RESEARCH STUDY
AbstractDESCRIPTION (provided by applicant):
The burden of suffering from colorectal cancer is substantial. Although there
has been tremendous progress in understanding the biology of colorectal
cancer, and important advances in treatment, there is a lack of knowledge
about the effect of specific process measures on health and behavioral
outcomes. The long-term objective of the proposed study is to establish a
system to examine the relationship of processes of care to clinical and
patient care outcomes. The specific aims of this research are: 1) To assess
determinants of access to cancer care services according to patient, health
care delivery system and physician characteristics. 2) To describe variations
in cancer practice patterns in vulnerable populations. 3) To longitudinally
assess a range of clinical and patient-oriented health outcomes. 4) To
identify patient, provider, and health system factors influencing the
dissemination of effective interventions. 5) To assess the contribution of
lifestyle factors on prognosis and outcomes. 6) To examine comorbid illness,
diagnostic workup, surgical management and details of staging to investigate
racial disparity. The study will enroll a population-based cohort of 1000
newly diagnosed colorectal cancer patients from a 22-county area in central
and eastern North Carolina. To evaluate racial disparities, the study will
include equal numbers of blacks and whites. Cases will be identified using the
rapid ascertainment mechanisms of the North Carolina Central Cancer Registry
using methods from an ongoing population-based case-control study. Cases will
be interviewed by telephone and mailed surveys. Staff from Medical Review of
North Carolina, a non-profit quality improvement organization, will abstract
hospital records and physician office charts. Special research projects will
1) evaluate the effect of functional health literacy on treatment and
outcomes; 2) collect blood specimens and tumor blocks to create a
biorepository for future analyses.
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