Population-Based Data Linkage Describing Patterns of Cancer Clinical Trial Enrollment Among Children and Adolescents

Siegel DA, Durbin EB, Pollock BH, Grimes A, Ji L, Alonzo TA, Vargas SL, Huang B, McDowell JR, Lycan E, Ransdell P, Tai E, Roth ME, Freyer DR. Population-Based Data Linkage Describing Patterns of Cancer Clinical Trial Enrollment Among Children and Adolescents. JCO Oncol Pract. 2024 May;20(5):631-642. doi: 10.1200/OP.23.00325. Epub 2024 Jan 9. PubMed PMID: 38194612; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC11090697.

Database linkage between cancer registries and clinical trial consortia has the potential to elucidate referral patterns of children and adolescents with newly diagnosed cancer, including enrollment into cancer clinical trials. This study’s primary objective was to assess the feasibility of this linkage approach. Patients younger than 20 years diagnosed with incident cancer during 2012-2017 in the Kentucky Cancer Registry (KCR) were linked with patients enrolled in a Children’s Oncology Group (COG) study. Matched patients between databases were described by sex, age, race and ethnicity, geographical location when diagnosed, and cancer type. Logistic regression modeling identified factors associated with COG study enrollment. Timeliness of patient identification by KCR was reported through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Early Case Capture (ECC) program.