South Texas Pediatric Nci Community Oncology Research Program (Ncorp)

The South Texas Pediatric NCI Community Oncology Research Program (STP NCORP) for Minority and Underserved is composed of five independent Children's Oncology Group (COG) institutions. The catchment area (South Texas and most of Central Texas) serves a large population of patients spread over 90,000 square miles. The population is young and in majority Hispanic (> 50%) with a significant portion of patients under the age of 18 living in poverty, particularly in the Texas-Mexico border region. The purpose of this infrastructure grant is dual: 1) Provide the infrastructure to maintain an active NCI sponsored clinical trial program at the institution level; and 2) develop an infrastructure that will support cancer care delivery research. It will support the data management and other activities necessary to the enrollment and retention on study of pediatric cancer patients and Adolescents and Young Adults (AYAs) with pediatric-type cancer participating in NCl-sponsored cancer clinical trials (therapeutic and cancer control). In addition this grant will support the development and maintenance of the infrastructure necessary to collect crucial data (demographics, SES, healthcare coverage, etc.) that will help us understand and address the myriad of factors influencing the delivery of care to Hispanic children and AYAs with cancer. For cancer care delivery research, the definition of participants is broader and includes providers, institutions, and healthcare systems in addition to patients. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The South Texas Pediatric NCI Community Oncology Research Program (STP NCORP) for Minority and Underserved is attempting to reduce the incidence, morbidity and mortality of cancer affecting children, adolescents and young adults residing in a large catchment area that extends from the Texas-Mexico border region to Central Texas.