Age Disparities Among Cancer Clinical Trial Participants

A 2019 study reported that cancer trial participants are a mean 6.5 years younger than the true cancer population treated in practice, especially in industry-funded trials and those testing a targeted therapy. The findings suggest the evidence base for cancer therapeutics is not applicable to the broader patient population. JAMA Oncology Editor Mary (Nora) Disis, MD, of the University of Washington in Seattle explains the significance of the findings to JAMA Medical News senior staff writer Jennifer Abbasi.