EDMONTON — People living in less populated, rural or remote areas are missing out on potentially life-saving cancer clinical trials, according to a recent study by a University of Alberta oncologist that puts the onus on Canada’s health regulatory bodies to ensure equity.
Omar Abdelsalam, an associate professor in the Department of Oncology, undertook the study to evaluate geographic disparities in access to cancer clinical trials across Canada.
“Oncologists like to say the best treatment for cancer is being part of clinical trials,” says Abdelsalam. “Clinical trials give hope when you have exhausted all other standards of care.”
For the study, Abdelsalam looked at Canadian cancer clinical trial data recorded in clinicaltrials.gov between 2005 and 2023, and separated them out by province, main urban centres and cancer types.
The data revealed that the number of cancer clinical trials per 10,000 individuals in each province or territory varied between 6.79 in New Brunswick and zero in the three territories.
Abdelsalam notes many Indigenous patients live in the territories, and this geographic disparity might conceal a form of ethnic disparity in access to cancer clinical trials.
“Although I don’t have the data to support specifics about Indigenous representation, geographically speaking, I would not be surprised if their participation was the lowest.”
Even between Canada’s top 10 largest urban centres, disparities exist. His study showed Vancouverites have the best chance at a clinical trial — 14.66 trials per 10,000 individuals. Edmontonians have the fourth best chance with just over 10 clinical trials per 10,000 individuals, while Calgarians have access to fewer than six trials per 10,000 people, to sit seventh in Canada. Residents of Hamilton and Montreal had the second and third best chance of having a cancer clinical trial nearby, with Toronto having the fifth most. Ottawa (sixth), Winnipeg (eighth), Brampton (ninth) and Mississauga (10th) rounded out the list.
“Clinical trials represent an important approach to advancing our understanding of cancer and improving the quality and quantity of life among cancer patients,” he says. “We are driving in the dark if you are not including samples from everyone.”
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To speak with Omar Abdelsalam about his study, please contact:
Michael Brown, UofA media strategist
michael.brown@ualberta.ca | 780-977-1411