BRONX, N.Y., Jan. 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Montefiore, the
University Hospital of Albert Einstein
College of Medicine, has received a $5.9 million grant from the National Cancer
Institute (NCI) to build on its success recruiting minority and
underserved patients into cancer clinical trials and delivering the
highest quality cancer care. This new grant, part of the NCI
Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP), is a continuation of
funding first awarded in 2014.
![Albert Einstein College of Medicine logo Albert Einstein College of Medicine logo](https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1083620/Montefiore_Albert_Einstein_College_of_Medicine.jpg)
"The most innovative cancer treatments are evaluated in clinical
trials—often years before they are broadly available in clinical
practices—but minorities are underrepresented in these trials,"
said Joseph A. Sparano, M.D.,
professor of medicine at Einstein, associate director for clinical
research at the NCI-designated Albert Einstein Cancer Center, and
associate chairman for clinical research, oncology at Montefiore.
"Our continued funding from NCI is helping us correct this
disparity. This is particularly relevant for the diverse population
served by Montefiore and Einstein." Dr. Sparano is one of the
principal investigators on the grant, along with Balazs Halmos, M.D, M.S., director, the
Multidisciplinary Thoracic Oncology Program at Montefiore and
professor, clinical medicine at Einstein, and Bruce D. Rapkin, Ph.D., professor of
epidemiology & population health at Einstein and
Montefiore.
One of Montefiore and Einstein's most notable achievements
supported by NCORP funding was the landmark TAILORx clinical
trial. The study, which found that 70% of women with the most
common type of breast cancer could safely skip chemotherapy,
immediately changed clinical guidelines for women around the world.
Dr. Sparano, who also served as chair of the TAILORx study,
reported comparable findings for women of African-American and
Hispanic descent within the overall study population.
In addition, Haejin In, M.D., M.B.A., M.P.H., assistant
professor of surgery and of epidemiology and population health at
Einstein, and a cancer surgeon at Montefiore, is co-leading an
effort to develop a cost-effective model to detect stomach cancer
earlier, building on her prior research demonstrating most people
with stomach cancer are diagnosed in hospital emergency departments
when the disease is already too advanced to treat
effectively.
Together, Montefiore and Einstein are one of only 14 NCORP
Minority/Underserved Clinical Sites, which must have a patient
population of at least 30% racial/ethnic minorities or rural
residents. Approximately 80% of Montefiore and Einstein clinical
trial participants are minorities – compared to 8% nationwide.
NCORP trials now also include tissue collection, so researchers
can study biological mechanisms, including those that prevent
treatments from being effective across different racial and ethnic
groups. As Dr. Halmos explains: "Having our patients, who are
predominantly minorities, participate in cutting-edge clinical
trials helps researchers strengthen the scientific evidence for
various cancer therapies. We expect this to not only benefit our
patients but improve care at hospitals and clinics worldwide."
The goals of the Montefiore and Einstein NCORP grant are to
continue recruiting patients to the clinical trial network,
maintain leadership at national scientific organizations like
ECOG-ACRIN that design and conduct clinical cancer research, mentor
young investigators and contribute to knowledge that will address
cancer health disparities.
In addition to clinical trials focused on cancer diagnosis and
treatment, Dr. Rapkin is leading the charge in studying where, when
and how care is delivered, otherwise known as cancer care delivery
research (CCDR). Montefiore and Einstein are part of a NCORP
network of more than 900 hospitals, cancer centers and oncology
clinics across 39 states eligible to participate in CCDR
studies.
"Cancer disparities don't exist in a vacuum," said Dr. Rapkin.
"They span genetic, social, economic and cultural factors. By
participating in NCORP, we have access to more information about
what might be preventing people from getting the best care possible
and a real opportunity to improve cancer prevention, treatment and
survivorship care for all."
Albert Einstein Cancer Center, a leader in basic and clinical
cancer research and population-based studies, has been an
NCI-designated center for almost 50 years.
About Montefiore Health System
Montefiore Health System is one of New
York's premier academic health systems and is a recognized
leader in providing exceptional quality and personalized,
accountable care to approximately three million people in
communities across the Bronx,
Westchester and the Hudson Valley.
It is comprised of 11 hospitals, including the Children's Hospital
at Montefiore, Burke Rehabilitation Hospital and more than 200
outpatient ambulatory care sites. The advanced clinical and
translational research at its medical school, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, directly
informs patient care and improves outcomes. From the
Montefiore-Einstein Centers of Excellence in cancer, cardiology and
vascular care, pediatrics, and transplantation, to its preeminent
school-based health program, Montefiore is a fully integrated
healthcare delivery system providing coordinated, comprehensive
care to patients and their families. For more information please
visit www.montefiore.org. Follow us on Twitter and
view us on Facebook and YouTube.
About Albert Einstein College
of Medicine
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
is one of the nation's premier centers for research, medical
education and clinical investigation. During the 2019-20 academic
year, Einstein is home to 724 M.D. students, 158 Ph.D. students,
106 students in the combined M.D./Ph.D. program, and 265
postdoctoral research fellows. The College of Medicine has more
than 1,800 full-time faculty members located on the main campus and
at its clinical affiliates. In 2019, Einstein received more than
$178 million in awards from the
National Institutes of Health (NIH). This includes the funding of
major research centers at Einstein in aging, intellectual
development disorders, diabetes, cancer, clinical and translational
research, liver disease, and AIDS. Other areas where the College of
Medicine is concentrating its efforts include developmental brain
research, neuroscience, cardiac disease, and initiatives to reduce
and eliminate ethnic and racial health disparities. Its partnership
with Montefiore, the University Hospital and academic medical
center for Einstein, advances clinical and translational research
to accelerate the pace at which new discoveries become the
treatments and therapies that benefit patients. Einstein runs one
of the largest residency and fellowship training programs in the
medical and dental professions in the
United States through Montefiore and an affiliation network
involving hospitals and medical centers in the Bronx, Brooklyn and on Long
Island. For more information, please visit
www.einstein.yu.edu, read our blog, follow us on Twitter, like
us on Facebook, and view us on YouTube.
![Montefiore (PRNewsfoto/Montefiore/Albert Einstein Co...) Montefiore (PRNewsfoto/Montefiore/Albert Einstein Co...)](https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/675671/Montefiore_Logo.jpg)
View original content to download
multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/montefiore-and-albert-einstein-college-of-medicine-secure-5-9-million-nci-grant-to-improve-cancer-care-for-minority-and-underserved-communities-300995269.html
SOURCE Montefiore