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Journal of Clinical Oncology, Vol 23, No 30 (October 20), 2005: pp. 7752-a © 2005 American Society of Clinical Oncology. DOI: 10.1200/JCO.2005.02.6260
Central Role of the Research Nurse in Improving Accrual of Older Persons to Cancer Treatment TrialsThe University of Pennsylvania, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Philadelphia, PA To the Editor: As a registered nurse responsible for coordination of clinical trials at a major academic medical center, I was intrigued by the paper entitled Improving Accrual of Older Persons to Cancer Treatment Trials: A Randomized Trial Comparing an Educational Intervention With Standard Information: CALGB 360001.1 I applaud the authors' efforts to address the challenge of accruing older adults, as a vastly underrepresented study population, and ameliorate inadequate enrollment. A targeted educational intervention is thoughtful and creative. However, the intervention used in the trial would likely have been better targeted to include research support staff, most notably research nurses, in order to effect change in accrual rates. Unfortunately, Kimmick et al1 seem unaware of the role that research nurses play in enrolling participants in clinical trials and the opportunity to include them in the educational intervention. Identification of prospective study participants and their successful accrual to a trial is most effective when a collaborative effort is undertaken between investigators and research nurses along with other key personnel involved in enrollment.2,3 In fact, the centrality of the research nurse in improved accrual has been noted in the limited literature on the role for three decades.2,4,5 In my experience, the research nurse is likely to drive accrual in concert with investigators as the nurse has enrollment and other study related activities as a primary focus. Trocky6 insightfully concludes a discussion of expanding opportunities for the oncology research nurse to improve cancer clinical trials for participants and the research team by noting growing significance and need in an aging society. Ageist attitudes and limited knowledge of aging1 among study nurses may well then result in unproductive study recruitment and other problems in the trial itself. In closing, I concur with the contention of Kimmick et al1 for broader public efforts aimed at education around clinical trials and the particular benefits older adults can both gain and provide to society through their participation. They will perhaps accept this notion, reconsider the role of the research nurse, and develop further studies with the goal of enhanced accrual of older adults in cancer treatment and supportive care trials. Author's Disclosures of Potential Conflicts of Interest The author indicated no potential conflicts of interest. REFERENCES
1. Kimmick GG, Peterson BL, Kornblith AB, et al: Improving accrual of older persons to cancer treatment trials: A randomized trial comparing an educational intervention with standard information: CALGB 360001. J Clin Oncol 23:2201-2207, 2005 2. O'Halloran LJ, Curl VR, Hagen L, et al: A research nurse: Enhancing participation in clinical trials. Prog Clin Biol Res 293:355-360, 1989[Medline] 3. Isaacman DJ, Reynolds EA: Effect of a research nurse on patient enrollment in a clinical study. Pediatr Emerg Care 12:340-342, 1996[Medline] 4. Edwards JH: Haematology research nurse in the United States. Nursing Times 72:194-195, 1976[Medline] 5. Hubbard S, Devita V: Chemotherapy research nurse. Am J Nurs 76:560-565, 1976[Medline] 6. Trocky NM: The journey to becoming a research nurse. Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing 5:157-158, 2001[Medline] Related Reply
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Copyright © 2005 by the American Society of Clinical Oncology, Online ISSN: 1527-7755. Print ISSN: 0732-183X
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