By Gregory A. Masters, MD

Voting Member, ECOG-ACRIN Principal Investigator Committee

As Principal Investigator of the Delaware/ChristianaCare NCORP since 2015, I’ve had the privilege of leading a program that consistently advances cancer research while delivering high-quality care directly to the communities we serve. Our mission is simple yet powerful: meet patients where they are and offer cutting-edge therapies in the comfort of their local setting.

The Delaware/ChristianaCare (DCC) NCORP has a long-standing legacy of excellence. Originally funded as a Community Clinical Oncology Program (CCOP) in 1984, it transitioned to an NCI Community Cancer Centers Program (NCCCP) from 1987 to 2007. In 2014, DCC became part of the NCI Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP). Throughout these transitions, our team has remained a top performer in cancer research—recognized for high numbers of patient accruals, exceptional data quality, and timely submissions of required research documentation. Each year, we enroll hundreds of patients across more than 80 clinical trials spanning cancer control, care delivery, screening, and treatment.

Our NCORP includes over 80 NCI-authorized investigators, including advanced practice providers (APPs), who play a vital role in enrolling patients on cancer control studies. We operate across northern and southern Delaware, northeastern Maryland, southern Pennsylvania, and extend into southern New Jersey. 

We anchor our research at two major sites:

• ChristianaCare Newark, Delaware Campus
  • Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute
  • Medical Oncology Hematology Consultants
• Beebe Medical Center in Lewes, Delaware
  • Tunnel Cancer Center
  • Southcoastal Health Campus

Our affiliate site, Beebe Medical Center, is led by local Principal Investigator Nisarg Desai, MD (pictured). Additional locations include ChristianaCare’s Cecil Campus (Maryland), Wilmington Campus, and Concord Campus (Pennsylvania).

Since 2020, DCC NCORP has served as a voting member of ECOG-ACRIN, earning full commendations in both 2022 and 2023 based on annual institutional evaluations. Our active participation extends to the Principal Investigator (PI) Committee, where I serve alongside four of our investigators who contribute as community representatives across several committees. These individuals include Caroline Attia, PharmD, on the Pharmacy Committee, Lydia Clements, MD, on the Head and Neck Committee, Dhaval R. Shah, MD, on the Genitourinary Committee, and Evan Lapinsky, MD, on the Gastrointestinal Committee.

Over our 11-year membership, we’ve made meaningful contributions to numerous trials. Our team-based approach ensures that we match the right patient to the right trial. Fifteen research nurse coordinators provide direct care to our patients participating in clinical trials. They also attend tumor boards and multidisciplinary clinics by disease site, assist in screening patients for clinical trials, and collaborate closely with investigators. This model has driven strong accruals and deep engagement from both physicians and APPs.

We’ve demonstrated particular strength in ECOG-ACRIN trials for breast and colorectal cancers, as well as basket trials like NCI-MATCH (EAY131). Our NCORP screened 53 patients for NCI-MATCH, with 12 advancing to enroll for treatment on substudy interventions.

Breast Cancer Trials
Our research and ancillary teams enrolled 829 patients in the TMIST (EA1151) mammography study, consistently ranking us in the top five US NCORP enrolling sites. We also achieved strong accruals in another screening study, known as EA1141 (53 patients), and in the CompassHER2 pCR (EA1181) treatment trial (29 patients).

Quality of Life and Colorectal Cancer Trials
We ranked among the top three sites for the COMET (EAQ152) quality-of-life study of communication and education in tumor profiling, enrolling 47 patients. Our performance in EAQ162CD, a cancer care delivery trial that assessed financial burden in patients with colorectal cancer undergoing treatment, reflects our commitment to improving all aspects of cancer care, not just treatment.

Looking Ahead
As cancer research evolves, we remain focused on expanding access to clinical trials across our NCORP sites. With the support of Thomas Schwaab, MD, PhD (pictured), the Bank of America Endowed Medical Director of the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute, and the continued partnership of our affiliates and research administration, we aim to stay at the forefront of innovation. Our commitment extends beyond treatment—we’re equally invested in advancing the science of cancer care delivery.