Increasing Enrollment within the Black or African American Community in the TAPUR Study
The underrepresentation of Black or African Americans in clinical research trials within the United States is a problem that has an impact on healthcare equity and public health. Despite making up a sizeable proportion of the U.S. population, Black Americans have not been fairly represented in medical studies in the past, and this inequality continues to this day. The average enrollment of Black or African Americans within cancer clinical trials is approximately 3%. The effects of this lack of representation are far-reaching. Clinical trials serve as grounds for evidence-based medical practices and treatments. When a particular population, such as Black Americans, is not adequately represented, it can lead to disparities in healthcare outcomes and the effectiveness of treatments for that group. What works well for one population may not have the same efficacy to another.
The Targeted Agent Profiling Utilization Registry (TAPUR) Study is proud to share that the Black or African American participant enrollment in the study is higher than the national average. As of August 3rd, 2023, the TAPUR Study has registered 3,947 participants and enrolled 2,710 participants. Out of those participants, the TAPUR Study is proud to report that 459 (11.6%) of the 3,947 participants registered were reported to be Black or African American, and 313 (11.5%) participants enrolled were reported to be Black or African American. These efforts are a direct result of the TAPUR Team’s dedication to increasing enrollment within racial/ethnic minorities, including activating additional clinical research sites, and collaborating with patient advocate organizations.
The TAPUR Study is a multibasket study which means that the study looks at multiple diseases, multiple gene alterations, and multiple treatments rather than one. The study is also designed to be pragmatic, which means it is meant to be practical and focused on what works best in real-world settings. For example, the study has broad eligibility criteria and allows patients with advanced and metastatic disease, collects the minimum necessary data (no additional data is collected only for research purposes), allows for flexibility including flexibility in treatment decisions, and having the option for study drug to be mailed to the participant homes (if oral drug).
If you or a loved one is a person living with advanced breast cancer with a BRAF gene mutation that has not responded to standard treatment the TAPUR Study clinical trial has an open arm that may be a good resource. Talk to your oncologist about the Regorafenib (STIVARGA) study arm on the TAPUR Study. There are over 250 clinical sites across 28 states in the United States. For more information on the TAPUR Study, visit the TAPUR website at www.TAPUR.org. You can also visit the website to find a report of current treatment options on the TAPUR Study and/or locate a participating center near you https://www.tapur.org/map.
