Partnership Gives Veterans Greater Access to Clinical Trials

Veterans in the U.S. face numerous healthcare challenges, including limited access to early-phase cancer clinical trials, a critical component of advancing cancer treatment. In response to this need, The University of Kansas Cancer Center and the Kansas City Veteran Medical Center (KCVA) have established a groundbreaking agreement designed to address this gap and expand access to clinical trials for veterans. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in improving care for a population that has historically been underserved for cancer research and treatment.

The Current Landscape for Veterans

Each year, about 50,000 new cancer cases are reported among veterans, who face higher risks due to unique factors like exposure to hazardous substances during service. Despite this higher cancer incidence, veterans often face barriers to the latest cancer treatments. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) primarily offers later-phase clinical trials (Phase II and III), but access to early-phase trials, which test new therapies, has remained scarce. Early-phase trials are crucial for patients with advanced or difficult-to-treat cancers, offering innovative treatments that are not yet widely available.

“Many veterans are left behind when it comes to accessing the most innovative cancer therapies,” says Joaquina Baranda, MD, director of the cancer center’s early-phase program, who led the initiative.

A New Collaboration

To bridge this gap, The University of Kansas Cancer Center and KCVA have formalized an agreement aimed at providing veterans with greater access to early-phase clinical trials. In addition to providing financial and logistical support, the cancer center will serve as a subsite for these trials.

Weijing Sun, MD, director of Medical Oncology and associate director for clinical research, and Chao Huang, MD, associate professor of Medical Oncology, helped spearhead the initiative alongside Dr. Baranda.

“While the VA provides excellent care, unfortunately, many veteran patients have been unable to access these vital treatment opportunities due to limited infrastructure and a lack of available trials,” Dr. Huang says. “Through this collaboration we can enhance access to these early-phase trials at VA facilities, ensuring that veterans benefit from the latest treatment options.”

“As a veteran, I know that the care I receive at the VA has been amazing, and I am excited and grateful that we will be able to offer these amazing innovative treatments for our most vulnerable veterans, who are battling the epidemic of cancer in this country,” adds Paul F. Hopkins, MBA, KCVA executive medical center director.

With the help of new funding mechanisms, including support from the National Cancer Institute, the collaboration has begun to build the infrastructure needed to expand trial access. The goal is to develop a template that can be replicated nationally, providing every veteran access to the same research opportunities as civilians.

"This partnership serves as a jumping-off point," Dr. Sun says, "not just for the KCVA, but as a model for other VA centers across the nation, as well as a new cooperation style between academic research institutions and government entities.”

Making a National Impact

Aligning with the National Cancer Plan's goal of eliminating inequities in cancer care, this partnership will provide critical access to breakthrough early-phase clinical trials for veterans, ensuring that this often-underserved population has the opportunity to receive the latest in cancer treatment. 

This agreement reflects a broader, national conversation on the need to improve cancer care for veterans. While this effort began as a local initiative, it has the potential to reshape cancer care for veterans across the country. 

"Our ultimate goal is to create a system where every veteran has access to early-phase cancer trials, regardless of where they live," Dr. Baranda emphasizes. "This is the start of something much bigger, a roadmap for how VA centers nationwide can collaborate with leading academic cancer centers."