Recruitment of African Americans into Cancer Clinical Research: Strategies and Outcomes.

This study utilized data from four cancer-focused research studies that recruited and retained African Americans. Strategies and outcomes across four cancer prevention and control studies were analyzed. Descriptive statistics were used to display participant characteristics. There were 712 African American (Black) participants of which 14.6% were males. Common strategies involved connecting with community stakeholders and identifying study champions. Study recruitment methods might not be generalizable to all populations of African Americans due to geographic locations, study protocols (e.g., risk reduction), target populations (i.e., eligibility criteria), and available resources. Many African Americans have a strong interest in cancer-related research as demonstrated by participation levels. Teams that connect with relevant stakeholders and include diverse teams may be useful to engage larger numbers of minorities in cancer control research to impact morbidity and mortality.

Association between aspects of social support and health-related quality of life domains among African American and White breast cancer survivors.

PURPOSE: Social support is associated with breast cancer survivors' health-related quality of life (HRQoL). More nuanced information is needed regarding aspects of social support associated with different HRQoL domains among diverse populations. We assessed the association between emotional/informational and tangible support and five HRQoL domains and evaluated race as an effect modifier. METHODS: African American and White women (n = 545) diagnosed with hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer completed a survey that assessed sociodemographic, clinical, and psychosocial factors. We assessed bivariate relationships between emotional/informational and tangible support along with overall HRQoL and each HRQoL domain.We tested interactions between race and emotional/informational and tangible social support using linear regression. RESULTS: The sample included African American (29%) and White (71%) breast cancer survivors. Emotional/informational social support had a statistically significant positive association with emotional well-being (ß = .08, p = 0.005), social well-being (ß = 0.36, p < 0.001), functional well-being (ß = .22, p < .001), breast cancer concerns (ß = .16, p = 0.002), and overall HRQoL (ß = .83, p < .001). Similarly, tangible social support had a statistically significant positive association with emotional well-being (ß = .14, p = 0.004), social well-being (ß = .51, p < .001), functional well-being (ß = .39, p < .001), and overall HRQoL (ß = 1.27, p < .001). The interactions between race and social support were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Results underscore the importance of the different social support types among breast cancer survivors, regardless of survivors' race. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Population-based interventions can be standardized and disseminated to provide guidance on how to increase emotional/information and tangible support for all breast cancer survivors by caregivers, health providers, and communities.

Hylan GF-20 Viscosupplementation in the Treatment of Symptomatic Osteoarthritis of the Knee: Clinical Effect Survivorship at 5 Years.

PURPOSE: Controversies remain surrounding the choice of hyaluronic acid products and patient selection. A study was conducted to report the long-term survivorship of intra-articular injection effect of high molecular weight hyaluronic preparation hylan GF-20 (Synvisc-One) for patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective observational analysis of a single therapeutic series was carried out. The analysis was conducted to determine therapeutic effect survivorship taking arthroplasty and any other surgical interventions as endpoint results. RESULTS: Seventy-seven consecutive patients (82 knees) were followed up for five years. At one-year follow-up, 71 knees (87%) responded to treatment and only 8 knees (10%) were offered arthroplasty due to persistence of symptoms. At five-year follow-up, 41 (50%) were still considered responders. During the study period, repeat injection was given in 9 knees (11%). Arthroplasty (either total or unicompartmental) was required in 26 (31%). Kaplan-Meier survivorship analysis of therapeutic effect demonstrated 67% survival at 5 years with arthroplasty as endpoint and 58% survival at 5 years with all secondary interventions as endpoint. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates a significantly longer duration of clinical benefit of hylan GF-20 injection. Present results may suggest a notion of an ideal delay therapeutic strategy for patients not ready to receive an arthroplasty. Further studies will be required to help characterise these subsets of patients.