Community Practice Core

The Community Practice Core (CPC) offers DF/HCC investigators access to a clinical laboratory of over ten million patients within Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, and the HMO Cancer Research Network.  These large, diverse populations are ideal for studies in basic, clinical and population sciences; addressing topics in cancer screening, prevention, treatment and quality of care; as well as dissemination. The CPC provides DF/HCC investigators access to comprehensive computerized patient and provider data including medical records, pathology and radiology reports, tumor registry data, and offers support to members developing research proposals within these community practice settings.

Karen Emmons, PhD, was recently awarded an R01 grant from the NCI for a project entitled, "Multiple Risk Behavior Intervention in Health Care Settings."  The CPC assisted Emmons in the submission process by providing preliminary data, identifying collaborators at Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates, completing the required administrative protocols, and preparing the budget.  This study is the next step to a very successful RO1 led by Emmons (also facilitated by the CPC) that randomized over 2,200 patients within Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates to examine the effect of an intervention on cancer prevention in a working class, multi-ethnic population.  The current RO1 will involve 10 sites of Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates and will focus on disseminating the intervention developed in the earlier study.

Another NCI-funded study made possible by the CPC is examining the “Predictors of recurrence after ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS).”  This study involves data collection from medical records and review of histopathology, including slides and tumor markers on over 3,000 patients from Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care. The pathology review is being conducted by study co-investigator Stuart Schnitt, MD.  Cancer registries and electronic medical records from each of the sites were used to identify a cohort of patients diagnosed with DCIS.  A standardized histopathology review and testing for tumor markers is underway.  Gene expression analyses will begin soon.  The study has the potential to add important information about the natural history of DCIS, predictors of recurrence, and follow up after treatment.