Clinical trial participation of patients with glioblastoma at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Rebecca A Harrison; Mark D Anderson; David Cachia; Carlos Kamiya-Matsuoka; Shiao-Pei S Weathers; Barbara J O'Brien; Marta Penas-Prado; W K Alfred Yung; Jimin Wu; Ying Yuan; John F de Groot

doi:10.1016/j.ejca.2019.02.007

Clinical trial participation of patients with glioblastoma at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Eur J Cancer. 2019 May:112:83-93. doi: 10.1016/j.ejca.2019.02.007. Epub 2019 Apr 2.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neuro-Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Unit 0431, Houston, TX 77030, USA. Electronic address: RAHarrison@mdanderson.org.
² Department of Neurology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 N. State Street, Jackson, MS 39216, USA. Electronic address: MAnderson4@umc.edu.
³ Neuro-Oncology, Department of Neurosurgery, The Medical University of South Carolina, 96 Jonathan Lucas St, CSB 301/MSC 606, Charleston, SC 29425, USA. Electronic address: Cachia@musc.edu.
⁴ Department of Neuro-Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Unit 0431, Houston, TX 77030, USA. Electronic address: CKamiya@mdanderson.org.
⁵ Department of Neuro-Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Unit 0431, Houston, TX 77030, USA. Electronic address: SWeathers@mdanderson.org.
⁶ Department of Neuro-Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Unit 0431, Houston, TX 77030, USA. Electronic address: BJOBrien@mdanderson.org.
⁷ Neuro-Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Building 82, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. Electronic address: marta.penas-prado@nih.gov.
⁸ Department of Neuro-Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Unit 0431, Houston, TX 77030, USA. Electronic address: wyung@mdanderson.org.
⁹ Department of Biostatistics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1400 Pressler Street, Unit 1411, Houston, TX 77030, USA. Electronic address: JWu5@mdanderson.org.
¹⁰ Department of Biostatistics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1400 Pressler Street, Unit 1411, Houston, TX 77030, USA. Electronic address: yyuan@mdanderson.org.
¹¹ Department of Neuro-Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Unit 0431, Houston, TX 77030, USA. Electronic address: jdegroot@mdanderson.org.

PMID: 30951926
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2019.02.007

Abstract

Background: It is estimated only 8-11% of patients with glioblastoma (GBM) enrol in clinical trials, limiting treatment development. We analysed the clinical and demographic features of patients with GBM enroled in clinical trials at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC).

Methods: We reviewed the records of adult patients treated for primary GBM between 2007 and 2012 at the MDACC. A total of 755 patients were identified: 133 were deemed non-eligible, 111 were deemed trial eligible but received standard care and 511 participated in a clinical trial (311 for newly diagnosed glioblastoma [nGBM] and 200 for recurrent glioblastoma [rGBM]). Population characteristics were analysed using descriptive statistics, and survival end-points were evaluated with the Kaplan-Meier method.

Results: The median age of clinical trial participants and trial eligible patients was 53.2 years (standard deviation 12.1). Most patients (49.4%) were enroled in a clinical trial protocol for nGBM. The majority of nGBM trial participants were male patients (65.1%), white (86.3%), married (84.4%) and in state (59.9%). Employment status, education, symptoms, tumour location, performance status, extent of resection and treatment facility differed between nGBM trial participants and non-participants. Patients who were eligible but did not enrol tended to be older, have worse performance status and live farther away from the MDACC.

Conclusion: Numerous disease and demographic barriers exist in trial enrolment in patients with GBM. This study highlights some of these obstacles, which require attention to improve patient enrolment to clinical trials. Patient and physician engagement in novel therapeutic strategies is essential to improving outcomes in this disease.

Keywords: Clinical trial; Glioblastoma; Health disparities.

MeSH terms

Brain Neoplasms / drug therapy*
Clinical Trials as Topic
Female
Glioblastoma / drug therapy*
Humans
Kaplan-Meier Estimate
Male
Middle Aged
Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / drug therapy
Texas
Universities