The Pacific Cancer Research Consortium (PCRC), an NCORP Community Site

In 2013, the Pacific Cancer Research Consortium (PCRC) was created to bring clinical trials and cancer care delivery research to community cancer treatment centers in the Western United States as an NCI Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP) Community Site. Under a multiple PI/PD structure, the 3 primary component sites—Swedish Cancer Institute in Seattle, Providence Portland Medical Center in Portland, and Mountain States Tumor Institute in Boise—have facilitated the conduct of NCORP-sponsored trials at more than 40 affiliate sites in Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and California. Over the past 5 years, the PCRC built on its collective experience in clinical research, its shared organizational structure, and its diverse community demographics to achieve the research and accrual goals of the initial round of funding. As an established NCORP Community Site, for the next round of funding, the PCRC will continue to “bring cancer clinical research studies to individuals in their own communities” by (1) developing clinically important trials and achieving robust accruals that focus on underrepresented populations, (2) participating in cancer treatment, cancer control and prevention, cancer care delivery research, screening, and imaging trials proposed by the NCORP Research Bases, (3) optimizing and streamlining procedures to ensure timely and accurate data submission and specimen collection, (4) enhancing the participation of minorities and underserved populations by involving patient advocates, and (5) mentoring the next generation of community-based cancer clinical trialists.