NCI's Cancer Disparities Research Partnership Program: A unique funding model 20 Years Later.

The burden of cancer and access to effective treatment is not experienced equally by all in the United States. For underserved populations who often access the healthcare system when their cancers are in advanced disease stages, radiation oncology services are essential. In 2001, the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Radiation Research Program (RRP) created and implemented the Cancer Disparities Research Partnership (CDRP) program. CDRP was a pioneering funding model with a goal to increase participation of medically-underserved populations on NCI clinical trials. CDRP's Cooperative Agreement funding supported for awardees the planning, development, and conduct of radiation oncology clinical research in institutions not traditionally involved in NCI-sponsored research and cared for a disproportionate number of medically underserved, health disparities populations. The awardee secured and provided support for mentorship from one of two NCI comprehensive cancer centers named in their application. Six CDRP awards were made over two five-year funding periods ending in 2013, with the end-of-program accomplishments previously reported. With the current focus on addressing Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI), the six principal investigators (PIs) were surveyed of which five responded on the impact of CDRP on their institutions, communities, and personal career paths. The survey was emailed and included ten questions on a five-point Likert scale. It was not possible to collect patient data this long after completion of the program. This report provides a 20-year retrospective narrative of the experiences and observations from the PIs that can inform those now planning, building, and implementing EDI programs.