Archive for 2006

Benchmarks articles from the selected year appear below. To view articles from previous years, use the links to the left, and select the year you wish to see.

Minority Participation in Clinical Trials

Map of NCIs Cancer Surveillance Sites

Clinical trials are crucial for the development of effective prevention, diagnostic and treatment methods for cancer and other diseases. While participation in cancer clinical trials is generally low overall (around three percent for adults), minorities and underserved communities, especially African Americans and those living in rural areas, are particularly under-represented. Because access to cutting edge advances and state-of-the art care that clinical trials provide is not always available to people in those communities, these inequities in participation contribute to ongoing health disparities.

Are There Genetic Underpinnings of Cancer Disparities?

Map of NCIs Cancer Surveillance Sites

Since sequencing of the human genome was completed in 2001, scientists have found that people are more alike than they are different. However, certain genetic factors, like susceptibility to disease, can vary from one population to another. This month, BenchMarks discusses how inherent genomic variations can provide new insight into the genetic underpinnings of cancer.

Cancer Diagnostics: Informing the Development of Tailored Cancer Therapy

Slide on Machine

Advances in genetic research are transforming cancer diagnosis, and treatments that are tailored to the specific molecular changes that drive tumor growth are now being developed. Because most cancers result from several genetic mutations, NCI is focusing on developing diagnostic tests that identify a number of genetic markers that can be used to predict a person’s response to specific therapies and inform treatment decisions for these diseases.