After four years and 2,524 enrolled patients, the COMPPARE team officially closed patient accrual to the study on October 31, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. EST.
“This is an important milestone and we appreciate the patients who have agreed to participate and all of the hard work on the part of our partner sites to make this happen,” said Dr. Nancy Mendenhall, MD, COMPPARE Principal Investigator. “A large trial like this cannot be successful without extraordinary efforts from individual sites and those patients who strive to make a difference for future cancer patients.”
The photon cohort closed with 1,024 total patients. The proton cohort is divided into two groups: Pragmatic and Randomized. The pragmatic group enrollment goal of 900 patients was reached on September 1, 2021. The randomized arm completed accrual on May 27, 2022 with 600 patients, two months ahead of schedule.
COMPPARE realized both a remarkable overall accrual rate and an exceptional accrual rate of minorities, despite the challenges presented by COVID-19. In fact, the study stands to become a model for patient-centric clinical research in the future: Black patient accrual in COMPPARE is estimated at 16.6%, far exceeding the study’s original goal of 10%.
Results from the study, funded by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), will offer a definitive comparison of the quality of life, side effects, and cure rates for prostate cancer patients treated with proton therapy or photon therapy.
COMPPARE was recognized by PCORI in 2021 when Dr. Mendenhall and Charles Griggs, Minority Engagement Group Coordinator, were invited to participate in a special panel discussion entitled “From Principles to Practice: Building Partnerships for Trust and Equity in Health Research” during the institute’s 7th annual meeting.
Introducing the panel, Denese Neu, PhD, MS, PCORI Engagement Officer, commented that the COMPPARE study was noteworthy for its “commitment to health equity to the involvement and enrollment of Black men, a population often excluded because of discrimination, or reluctant to participate in health research because of historical injustices.”
The COMPPARE team will now turn its efforts to patient retention and data collection, assisting external sites in the collection of primary and secondary endpoint data to ensure enrollment efforts are not wasted.