Advancing research to prevent cancer and improve the cancer experience
The Alliance Cancer Control Program (CCP) serves as the Alliance’s National Cancer Institute Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP) Research Base, conducting innovative interventional, methodological, and health policy research to reduce the incidence, morbidity, and mortality of cancer across broad populations.
The program focuses on understanding the factors that influence cancer risk and outcomes, identifying opportunities to prevent cancer and reduce the impact of cancer and its treatment, and improving quality of life for patients and survivors. Research spans the full cancer continuum—from prevention and early detection through treatment, symptom management, survivorship, and end-of-life care—and is conducted across academic, community, and resource-limited settings.
Integrating cancer control into clinical research
Cancer control research is an essential component of comprehensive cancer clinical trials. CCP researchers collaborate closely with other Alliance programs and disease committees to integrate cancer control endpoints into clinical trials when appropriate. These may include quality of life, patient-reported outcomes, symptom burden, treatment toxicity, economic impact, and other factors that reflect the patient’s experience.
The Alliance’s broad network of academic and community sites provides unique opportunities to study a broad range of populations and address barriers to cancer prevention, treatment, and clinical trial participation. By embedding cancer control research within large-scale clinical trials, the program helps ensure that advances in cancer treatment translate into meaningful improvements in patients’ lives.
Addressing critical challenges
The program’s research addresses critical challenges in cancer control, including:
- Identifying biological, genetic, psychosocial, lifestyle, and community factors that influence cancer risk, symptoms, treatment response, and outcomes
- Developing and evaluating pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic approaches to prevent cancer and reduce treatment-related symptoms and toxicity
- Improving quality of life and patient-centered outcomes throughout the cancer continuum
- Expanding the reach and relevance of clinical trials to communities facing barriers to care and with unmet healthcare needs
- Understanding and addressing social and structural factors that affect cancer care and outcomes
- Improving cancer care delivery in academic, community, and other real-world settings
The CCP includes six scientific committees and one supportive committee:
- Cancer care delivery research: Studies how cancer care is delivered and develops strategies to improve quality, access, coordination, and outcomes.
- Cancer in the older adult: Addresses the unique needs and treatment considerations of older adults with cancer.
- Community oncology: Advances cancer research and clinical trial participation in community-based settings.
- Populations, education, access, and research (PEAR): Examines factors that influence cancer risk, research participation, access to care, and outcomes across populations.
- Health outcomes: Focuses on quality of life, patient-reported outcomes, and other measures that capture the patient experience.
- Prevention: Advances research to reduce cancer risk and prevent cancer across populations.
- Symptom intervention: Develops and evaluates strategies to prevent and manage cancer- and treatment-related symptoms and side effects.
Together, these committees bring diverse expertise to Alliance clinical research and help ensure that clinical trials address not only whether a treatment works, but also how it affects patients, families, and communities.
Principal Investigator and Director
Alliance Cancer Control Program
Electra Paskett, PhD
Marion N. Rowley Professor of Cancer Research
The Ohio State University College of Public Health