National Cancer Institute Clinical Oncology Research Program
SCOR Facts
Over Twenty communities over a six-state area (FL, GA, NC, SC, TN, and VA) with 100 sites (institutions, medical centers, private practices, and clinics)
Each community has a designated Community Responsible Investigator (physician) and Study Coordinator (nurse or research associate) responsible for clinical trial activity among physicians in the community
Over 240 physician members
Over 100 clinical research associates/nurses
Over 150 clinical trials available for the majority of cancers
Participation in NCI NCORP research bases who provide clinical trials to each physician:
Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology (Alliance)
Cancer Trials Support Unit (CTSU)
NRG Oncology (NRG)
SWOG Cancer Research Network
University of Rochester Cancer Center NCORP Research Base (URCC)
Wake Forest NCORP Research Base (WF)
SCOR Operations Center Facts
Central administrative office located in Winston-Salem, NC
Oversight of day to day operation of the NCORP by a staff of seven employees
Educational programs provided to SCOR members (physicians, nurses, and research associates)
Management of fiscal responsibilities for NCI funding
Monitoring of website for community access to information
Planning of site visits to each community for Quality Assurance and education
Assisting SCOR members to resolve problems and issues
Training of new research staff in each community
Assisting SCOR members in preparation for research base Quality Assurance visits or audits
Providing electronic mailings twice a month for communities
Updating of a monthly Protocol Index by Disease Category (PIDC) booklet which contains a listing of all available NCI clinical trials
Attending research base meetings to keep current on clinical trials
History of Southeast Clinical Oncology Research Consortium
2013
April
The NCI announced a new funding opportunity beginning in 2014 for the participation in cancer clinical trials. The funding opportunity was called the NCI Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP) and provide participation for community hospitals in cancer research.
2014
January
Two Community Clinical Oncology Programs (CCOPs) submitted a joint application. The two CCOPs were Southeast Cancer Control Consortium, Inc. (SCCC) located in Winston-Salem, NC and Upstate Carolina CCOP (Upstate) located in Spartanburg, SC.
SCOR was determined to be the organizational name and was composed of 23 communities in a five-state area (GA, NC, SC, TN, and VA) with 90 treatment sites (hospitals, private practices, cancer center, etc.). The two Principal Investigators (PIs) designated as leading the NCORP were James N. Atkins, MD, a medical oncologist, in private practice (Southeastern Medical Oncology Center) in Goldsboro, NC and James D. Bearden, III, MD, FACP, a medical oncologist at a cancer center (Gibbs Cancer Center and Research Institute) in Spartanburg, SC.
2014
July
SCOR was funded along with 33 other NCORP Community Sites across the United States and funding began August 1, 2014. Twenty-three communities in a six-state area were involved with each having a designated Community Responsible Investigator (CRI).
The CRI is responsible for locally coordinating participation in NCORP activities and accrual to NCI clinical trials. Six Young Investigators (YIs) expressing interest in SCOR leadership were included in the leadership structure and is mentored by the PIs. A Leadership Council composed of the PIs, YIs, and CRIs was established to oversee administrative daily functions of SCOR. The PIs had monthly leadership conference calls to discuss administrative issues, accrual reports, and provide oversight.
2014
October
First organizational meeting of SCOR held at Myrtle Beach, SC.
2015
February
SCOR developed and held the first YI Mentoring Program to orient the medical oncologists and radiation oncologists to SCOR policies and procedures. The YI program would assure there would be future leaders to carry on the NCORP in the community setting.
Four YIs were chosen from Greenville, SC; Richmond, VA; Spartanburg, SC; and Winston-Salem, NC.
An external consultant was identified and engaged to assist SCOR with increasing access to the underserved populations and be a disparities Committee and Cancer Care Delivery Research (CCDR) advisor.
2015
November
SCOR began distribution of a newsletter at least quarterly highlighting community accrual to NCI clinical trials, as well as CCDR studies.
2016
May
CCDR was established with the first CCDR clinical trial opened. CCDR activity and enrollment was conducted in Spartanburg, SC and Winston-Salem, NC.
2016
August
The SCOR Disparities Committee was formed since there was significant disparate population in the SCOR catchment area. Additional external advisors were identified and engaged to assist in improving outcomes with the African American, LGBTQ, Hispanic, and underserved populations.
An Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Committee was established and led by Dr. Hal Crosswell, pediatric oncologist, from Greenville, SC. The goal of the committee is to facilitate AYA accrual, identify gaps and support AYA trials, support AYA enrollments onto NCORP trials, and monitor AYA accrual for SCOR.
2017
August
Three PIs were added to the leadership of the organization. They were Judith O. Hopkins, MD, a medical oncologist at Derrick L. Davis Cancer Center (Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center)
in Winston-Salem, NC; Amarinthia Curtis, MD, a radiation oncologist at a medical center (Gibbs Cancer Center) in Spartanburg, SC; and William J. Irvin, Jr., MD, a medical oncologist at a cancer center (Bon Secours Cancer Institute) in Richmond, VA.
2018
March
SCOR Newsletter publication changed to a monthly issue highlighting PI comments, CCDR Corner, Study Coordinator, NCI accrual and credit reports, and CCDR studies and enrollment.
2018
June
Plans to expand CCDR participation to ten additional SCOR communities: Asheville, NC; Cary, NC; Florence, SC; Greensboro, NC; Greenville, SC; Hendersonville, NC/Pardee; Hendersonville, NC/Adventist Health; Kingsport, TN; Martinsville, VA; Pinehurst, NC; and Richmond, VA.
2018
July
SCOR expanded to sixth state with Fort Myers in Florida joining SCOR. Three other communities also joined SCOR. The communities were Cookeville, TN; Rocky Mount, NC; and Wilmington, NC.
The Young Investigator Mentoring Program expanded from the initial four YIs to include six more YIs from Asheville, NC; Fort Myers, FL; Greensboro, NC; and Winston-Salem, NC.
2018
August
Dr. Judith O. Hopkins with Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center in Winston-Salem, NC took on the lead role for SCOR as the Contact PI, replacing Dr. James N. Atkins. Dr. Atkins will continue to serve as a PI.
2018
October
SCOR established a committee of patient advocates from SCOR membership. The committee is called Cancer Advocacy Advisory Board (CAAB). The CAAB is composed of eight members from Cary, Kernersville, Pinehurst, Raleigh, and Wilmington, NC. The mission is to include the voice of cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, and community into SCOR activities.
Medical degree from Bowman Gray School of Medicine
Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine with Wake Forest University School of Medicine
Board certified in medical oncology and internal medicine
Staff physician with Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center in Kernersville, NC
Who’s Who of American Women
Who’s Who in America
Received the American Society of Clinical Oncology Community Research Award
Serves on numerous NCI, research base, and local committees and boards plus actively involved in local church
Cancer Care Delivery Research PI
Principal Investigator
William J. Irvin, Jr., MD
10 years of experience in medical oncology
Medical degree from Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine
Medical Director for Virginia Bon Secours Cancer Institute
Adjunct Assistant Professor with University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Board certified in medical oncology, hematology, and internal medicine
Bon Secours Sister Elizabeth Durney Award
Serves on numerous research base and local committees and boards
SCOR Operations Center Staff
Administrator
Susan S. Tuttle, RN, CCRP
40+ years of medical oncology research experience
15+ years of administrative experience
Nursing degree from North Carolina Baptist Hospital School of Nursing
Oversees administrative, financial and Human Resources for SCOR Operations Center
Oversees clinical trial implementation and quality assurance within the 24 communities for the following research base:
Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology (Alliance)
Grants Management and Membership Coordinator
Kim Fulton
20+ years of research and 10+ years of research management experience
Maintains financial management of the NCORP grant award
Monitors new community and physician SCOR membership
Oversees SCOR Annual Conference and marketing aspects of SCOR
Coordinates NCI required audits
Assists with Human Resources matters
Protocol Systems Specialist
Belenda Slate, BAS, CCRP
25+ years of experience in research management
Computer Science and Business Administration degree from Guilford College
Manages all research base protocols
Serves as reference person for access to research base websites
Provides annual accrual reports to NCI
Regulatory Coordinator and Analyst
Ashley Beal, BS
Business Administration master’s degree from Southern New Hampshire University
Assists with research base protocol management, mailings to SCOR communities, and coordination of SCOR Annual Conference
Coordinates distribution of SCOR mailings to communities
Cancer Care Delivery Research (CCDR) Coordinator
Blake Loman, MS
Kinesiology and Clinical Exercise Physiology master’s degree from University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Manages the education of community research staff and coordinates CCDR activities
Monitors CCDR enrollments from all research bases by SCOR communities
Oversees clinical trial implementation and coordination of quality assurance within the 24 communities for the following research base:
University of Rochester Cancer Center NCORP Research Base (called URCC)
Coordinates activities involving the SCOR Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Committee
Research Coordinator
Jessica Hynes, BS
Clinical Research degree from Campbell University
Oversees clinical trial implementation and coordination of quality assurance within the 24 communities for the following research base:
SWOG Cancer Research Network
Wake Forest (WF) NCORP Research Base
Coordinates activities involving the SCOR Health Equity Committee
Young Investigators
Young Investigator
Bianca Ferarri, MD
Medical oncologist working at Lee Memorial Hospital in Fort Myers, FL.
Medical degree from Holy House of Mercy School of Medicine
Board certified in medical oncology, hematology, and internal medicine
Focus is breast cancer and cancer in the older adults.
Young Investigator
Demetria Ileana Strauch Jacks, MD
Medical oncologist working at Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center in Winston-Salem, NC.
Medical degree from Medical University of South Carolina School of Medicine
Board certified in medical oncology and internal medicine
Sub-specialty is head and neck cancer. Her focus is minorities, underserved, and health disparities.
Young Investigator
Kimberly S. Strickland, MD
Medical oncologist working at Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center in Winston-Salem, NC.
Medical degree from East Carolina University Brody School of Medicine
Board certified in medical oncology, hematology, and internal medicine
Focus is breast cancer and has a passion for cancer care delivery research.
Young Investigator
Zachary K. Vaslow, MD
Neuro-oncologist working at Cone Health Cancer Center in Greensboro, NC.
Medical Director of Neuro-Oncology at Cone Health Cancer Center
Medical degree from Temple University School of Medicine
Focus is on the care for adolescent and young adults with cancer.
Young Investigator
Sean M. Warsch, MD
Medical oncologist working at Cancer Care of Western North Carolina in Asheville, NC.
Medical degree from University of Miami School of Medicine
Affiliated with Mission Health.
Focus is cancer in older adults, disparities, minorities, and underserved populations.
Young Investigator
Joseph Daniel Pennington, MD
Radiation oncologist located at Bon Secours Cancer Institute at St. Mary’s Hospital in Richmond, VA
Medical degree from Vanderbilt School of Medicine in Nashville, TN
Residency at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, CA
Board certified in radiation oncology
Focus is on prostate cancer and minorities and underserved populations
