Early Outcomes from the IMPACCT Project (Improving Participation in Cancer Clinical Trials): An Intervention to Improve Clinical Trial Participation Among Underrepresented Cancer Patients.
. Taylor M. 12/10/25; 4192137; 1065
Topic: Other
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Abstract
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Background: Despite advances in cancer screening and therapeutics, persistent barriers to equitable cancer care and clinical trial access remain for underrepresented populations, including racial and ethnic minorities, non-English speaking patients, Medicaid recipients, elderly patients, and younger patients. Clinical trial enrollment remains disproportionately low among these groups, and trial participants often do not reflect the current demographics of the United States. While artificial intelligence (AI) tools have improved clinical trial patient matching, multiple barriers continue to limit trial participation. Addressing these barriers is essential to improve clinical trial representation.
Methods: We developed a three-phase prospective pilot project at a large academic cancer center titled IMPACCT (Improving Participation in Cancer Clinical Trials) to improve clinical trial representation among breast and GI cancer patients. The project integrates community engagement, provider education, and evaluation of outcomes. Phase I - To build community trust, we established a multidisciplinary team of investigators, two community research fellows, and breast cancer survivors with prior trial experience. Outreach included collaborations with local businesses, event sponsorships, and support from the Yale Center for Community Engagement and Health Equity (CEHE) and the Community Research Fellow (CRF) program to sustain advisory boards and partnerships.Phase II - Providers on the breast and GI oncology teams completed “Just Ask,” an implicit bias training developed by ASCO and ACCC. This curriculum included six e-learning modules on diversity, equity, and strategies to improve inclusive trial recruitment. The training served as the primary intervention.Phase III - Post-training evaluation included provider and patient surveys. Providers completed surveys assessing perceived barriers to offering trials, while eligible patients completed surveys evaluating motivations and perceived barriers to trial participation. Additional metrics include trial offer rates, eligibility screening, and enrollment rates among underrepresented populations, categorized by care coordination, patient experience, and provider experience. We will also evaluate pre/post screening rates.
Results: The “Just Ask” training intervention was implemented in January 2025. In the six months prior to the intervention, the breast cancer program enrolled 41 patients in clinical trials. In the six months following the intervention, enrollment increased to 75 patients as of June 2025. A total of 31 providers participated in the training, including 20 from the breast medical oncology group (14 medical oncologists, 2 surgical oncologists, 1 radiation oncologist, and 3 radiologists) and 11 from the gastrointestinal oncology group (9 medical oncologists, 1 colorectal surgeon, and 1 radiologist). To date, 14 of the 31 participating providers have completed consent for Phase III of the study, and 7 have completed post-intervention surveys.
Conclusion: The IMPACCT project demonstrates early feasibility and promising signals of impact using the “Just Ask” intervention to improve clinical trial enrollment. The integration of community-based participatory research has proven both practical and effective, strengthening engagement between the cancer center and the community. These early findings suggest the intervention may be scalable across cancer types and clinical settings, with potential to inform broader equity-focused recruitment strategies in oncology trials.
Methods: We developed a three-phase prospective pilot project at a large academic cancer center titled IMPACCT (Improving Participation in Cancer Clinical Trials) to improve clinical trial representation among breast and GI cancer patients. The project integrates community engagement, provider education, and evaluation of outcomes. Phase I - To build community trust, we established a multidisciplinary team of investigators, two community research fellows, and breast cancer survivors with prior trial experience. Outreach included collaborations with local businesses, event sponsorships, and support from the Yale Center for Community Engagement and Health Equity (CEHE) and the Community Research Fellow (CRF) program to sustain advisory boards and partnerships.Phase II - Providers on the breast and GI oncology teams completed “Just Ask,” an implicit bias training developed by ASCO and ACCC. This curriculum included six e-learning modules on diversity, equity, and strategies to improve inclusive trial recruitment. The training served as the primary intervention.Phase III - Post-training evaluation included provider and patient surveys. Providers completed surveys assessing perceived barriers to offering trials, while eligible patients completed surveys evaluating motivations and perceived barriers to trial participation. Additional metrics include trial offer rates, eligibility screening, and enrollment rates among underrepresented populations, categorized by care coordination, patient experience, and provider experience. We will also evaluate pre/post screening rates.
Results: The “Just Ask” training intervention was implemented in January 2025. In the six months prior to the intervention, the breast cancer program enrolled 41 patients in clinical trials. In the six months following the intervention, enrollment increased to 75 patients as of June 2025. A total of 31 providers participated in the training, including 20 from the breast medical oncology group (14 medical oncologists, 2 surgical oncologists, 1 radiation oncologist, and 3 radiologists) and 11 from the gastrointestinal oncology group (9 medical oncologists, 1 colorectal surgeon, and 1 radiologist). To date, 14 of the 31 participating providers have completed consent for Phase III of the study, and 7 have completed post-intervention surveys.
Conclusion: The IMPACCT project demonstrates early feasibility and promising signals of impact using the “Just Ask” intervention to improve clinical trial enrollment. The integration of community-based participatory research has proven both practical and effective, strengthening engagement between the cancer center and the community. These early findings suggest the intervention may be scalable across cancer types and clinical settings, with potential to inform broader equity-focused recruitment strategies in oncology trials.
Background: Despite advances in cancer screening and therapeutics, persistent barriers to equitable cancer care and clinical trial access remain for underrepresented populations, including racial and ethnic minorities, non-English speaking patients, Medicaid recipients, elderly patients, and younger patients. Clinical trial enrollment remains disproportionately low among these groups, and trial participants often do not reflect the current demographics of the United States. While artificial intelligence (AI) tools have improved clinical trial patient matching, multiple barriers continue to limit trial participation. Addressing these barriers is essential to improve clinical trial representation.
Methods: We developed a three-phase prospective pilot project at a large academic cancer center titled IMPACCT (Improving Participation in Cancer Clinical Trials) to improve clinical trial representation among breast and GI cancer patients. The project integrates community engagement, provider education, and evaluation of outcomes. Phase I - To build community trust, we established a multidisciplinary team of investigators, two community research fellows, and breast cancer survivors with prior trial experience. Outreach included collaborations with local businesses, event sponsorships, and support from the Yale Center for Community Engagement and Health Equity (CEHE) and the Community Research Fellow (CRF) program to sustain advisory boards and partnerships.Phase II - Providers on the breast and GI oncology teams completed “Just Ask,” an implicit bias training developed by ASCO and ACCC. This curriculum included six e-learning modules on diversity, equity, and strategies to improve inclusive trial recruitment. The training served as the primary intervention.Phase III - Post-training evaluation included provider and patient surveys. Providers completed surveys assessing perceived barriers to offering trials, while eligible patients completed surveys evaluating motivations and perceived barriers to trial participation. Additional metrics include trial offer rates, eligibility screening, and enrollment rates among underrepresented populations, categorized by care coordination, patient experience, and provider experience. We will also evaluate pre/post screening rates.
Results: The “Just Ask” training intervention was implemented in January 2025. In the six months prior to the intervention, the breast cancer program enrolled 41 patients in clinical trials. In the six months following the intervention, enrollment increased to 75 patients as of June 2025. A total of 31 providers participated in the training, including 20 from the breast medical oncology group (14 medical oncologists, 2 surgical oncologists, 1 radiation oncologist, and 3 radiologists) and 11 from the gastrointestinal oncology group (9 medical oncologists, 1 colorectal surgeon, and 1 radiologist). To date, 14 of the 31 participating providers have completed consent for Phase III of the study, and 7 have completed post-intervention surveys.
Conclusion: The IMPACCT project demonstrates early feasibility and promising signals of impact using the “Just Ask” intervention to improve clinical trial enrollment. The integration of community-based participatory research has proven both practical and effective, strengthening engagement between the cancer center and the community. These early findings suggest the intervention may be scalable across cancer types and clinical settings, with potential to inform broader equity-focused recruitment strategies in oncology trials.
Methods: We developed a three-phase prospective pilot project at a large academic cancer center titled IMPACCT (Improving Participation in Cancer Clinical Trials) to improve clinical trial representation among breast and GI cancer patients. The project integrates community engagement, provider education, and evaluation of outcomes. Phase I - To build community trust, we established a multidisciplinary team of investigators, two community research fellows, and breast cancer survivors with prior trial experience. Outreach included collaborations with local businesses, event sponsorships, and support from the Yale Center for Community Engagement and Health Equity (CEHE) and the Community Research Fellow (CRF) program to sustain advisory boards and partnerships.Phase II - Providers on the breast and GI oncology teams completed “Just Ask,” an implicit bias training developed by ASCO and ACCC. This curriculum included six e-learning modules on diversity, equity, and strategies to improve inclusive trial recruitment. The training served as the primary intervention.Phase III - Post-training evaluation included provider and patient surveys. Providers completed surveys assessing perceived barriers to offering trials, while eligible patients completed surveys evaluating motivations and perceived barriers to trial participation. Additional metrics include trial offer rates, eligibility screening, and enrollment rates among underrepresented populations, categorized by care coordination, patient experience, and provider experience. We will also evaluate pre/post screening rates.
Results: The “Just Ask” training intervention was implemented in January 2025. In the six months prior to the intervention, the breast cancer program enrolled 41 patients in clinical trials. In the six months following the intervention, enrollment increased to 75 patients as of June 2025. A total of 31 providers participated in the training, including 20 from the breast medical oncology group (14 medical oncologists, 2 surgical oncologists, 1 radiation oncologist, and 3 radiologists) and 11 from the gastrointestinal oncology group (9 medical oncologists, 1 colorectal surgeon, and 1 radiologist). To date, 14 of the 31 participating providers have completed consent for Phase III of the study, and 7 have completed post-intervention surveys.
Conclusion: The IMPACCT project demonstrates early feasibility and promising signals of impact using the “Just Ask” intervention to improve clinical trial enrollment. The integration of community-based participatory research has proven both practical and effective, strengthening engagement between the cancer center and the community. These early findings suggest the intervention may be scalable across cancer types and clinical settings, with potential to inform broader equity-focused recruitment strategies in oncology trials.
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