Background
Historically, recruitment for neuro-oncology clinical trials has been limited by low incidence of disease, as Central Nervous System (CNS) tumors account for 1% of new cancer diagnoses each year. We aimed to examine racial data reporting in clinical trials investigating CNS tumors from 1995 to 2020.
Methods
Study level data was extracted from publicly available reports on neuro-oncology ClinicalTrials.gov. The prevalence of each demographic subgroup (White, Black, Hispanic/Latino) was quantified among all U.S. neuro-oncology clinical trials reporting demographic information, and trends over time examined.
Results
44.85% of glioblastoma multiforme studies reported racial data where 85.63% were White, 5.55% Black and 0.16% Hispanic. 41.52% of astrocytoma studies reported racial data, where 84.77% were White, 5.94% Black, and 0.17% Hispanic. 35.90% of oligodendroglioma studies reported racial data where 88.54% were White and 4.43% Black. 70% of CNS Lymphoma studies reported racial data where 88.08% were White, 3.81% Black.
Conclusions
Racial data has been underreported in CNS tumor clinical trials between 1995 and 2020. Fewer than 50% of reports included racial data for most subtypes of CNS tumors, except for CNS Lymphoma, and minority groups are vastly underrepresented in these studies. Our findings stress the need to enroll more racial and ethnic minorities in experimental studies so trial outcomes can be more broadly applicable to the neuro-oncology population. Equally important is the need to improve recruiting tactics to include a true representation of racial and ethnic minorities to ensure equitable access to adequate clinical management.