NCCCP

The National Cancer Institute named Spartanburg Regional as one of only 16 participants in the NCI Community Cancer Centers Program. The NCI Community Cancer Centers Program (NCCCP) is a three-year pilot program to test the concept of a national network of community cancer centers to expand cancer research and deliver the most advanced cancer care to Americans in the communities in which they live.

The pilot program is designed to encourage the collaboration of private-practice medical, surgical, and radiation oncologists, with close links to NCI research and to the network of 63 NCI-designated Cancer Centers principally based at large research universities. For more information, please visit the NCCCP program website.

The NCCCP seeks to:
• Bring more Americans into a system of high-quality cancer care
• Increase participation in clinical trials
• Reduce cancer healthcare disparities
• Improve information sharing among community cancer centers

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is NCI conducting the NCI Community Cancer Centers Program pilot?
Evidence from a wide range of studies suggests that cancer patients diagnosed and treated in a setting of multi-specialty care and clinical research may live longer and have a better quality of life. The NCCCP pilot will offer more Americans access to research-based cancer care by affiliating with the hospitals and clinics where most cancer patients already receive care. The pilot will make it easier to receive high-quality cancer screening, prevention, treatment, and palliative care services. This is expected to improve treatment outcomes for more Americans.

Why is NCI expanding its programs into the community?
NCI estimates that 85 percent of cancer patients in the United States are diagnosed at hospitals in or near the communities in which they live. The other 15 percent are diagnosed at NCI-designated Cancer Centers, a network of 63 academic research institutions located in largely urban areas across the country. Many patients are not treated at the major cancer centers because of the distance from their homes, or for other personal or economic reasons. The NCCCP pilot will extend NCI programs into local communities, giving patients easier access to clinical research and advanced care.

What are the expected benefits to patients?
The sites will provide patients with comprehensive cancer screening, prevention, treatment, and palliative care. Patients diagnosed with cancer will receive medical, surgical, and radiation oncology services and will have access to NCI-sponsored clinical trials. In addition, NCI-trained patient navigators will assist patients in arranging financial support, scheduling transportation services, coordinating records transfers, and facilitating access to other services.

What are the expected benefits to participating hospitals and communities?
The pilot is expected to improve quality of care at the sites by enhancing clinical research expertise. In addition, the pilot sites will benefit from staff training in cancer management, stronger links to NCI-designated Cancer Centers, genetic and molecular testing capabilities, and outreach support to develop closer ties to underserved populations.