Georgia CaRes

Augusta University has been home to Georgia's only NCI Community Oncology Research Program Minority/Underserved Community Site (NCORP M/U Community Site) since 2014. In partnership with DeKalb Medical Center, Morehouse School of Medicine, University Blood and Cancer Center in Athens, Phoebe Putney Medical Center in Albany, Augusta Oncology Associates in Augusta, and St. Dominic-Jackson Memorial Hospital in Jackson, Mississippi, the Georgia CaRes NCORP M/U Site has enrolled 408 patients to NCI clinical trials, 47% of which are African American and other minorities. The main goals of this application are to sustain and grow our NCORP Community Site, focusing on improving patient outcomes and reducing health disparities in M/U populations throughout the State of Georgia and beyond. Georgia has some of the nation's worst cancer disparities. The cancer experience for African Americans in Georgia varies widely from that of Caucasians and is especially evident in the disproportionate and astounding mortality rates from several common cancers (e.g., colorectal and breast cancers). Our original program was aptly named Georgia CaRes (Georgia Cancer Research) and represents our shared commitment to cancer research, including studies in cancer control, cancer prevention, and cancer care delivery, as well as clinical trials from NCI's National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN). The renewal of Georgia CaRes will allow us to continue to serve large regions of the state with high concentrations of minority and medically underserved populations. We will accomplish this through the following Specific Aims: 1) Georgia CaRes will facilitate participation and enrollment of patients and healthcare providers into cancer control, prevention, and cancer care delivery research (CCDR) studies developed by NCI's Research Bases and in human research trials of the National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN); 2) Georgia CaRes will support and strengthen NCORP goals by improving the scope of our activities as an NCORP M/U Community Site; and 3) Georgia CaRes will increase collaboration across our NCORP M/U Community network and with the Research Bases. Renewal of Georgia CaRes will have a significant and far-reaching impact on the health of minority and underserved populations within the State of Georgia and beyond.