Read Time: 5 minutes
Takeaways:
- Glioblastoma patients living farther from Huntsman Cancer Institute were less likely to enroll in clinical trials and, in some cases, had poorer survival outcomes.
- Huntsman Cancer Institute researchers are developing solutions鈥攍ike telehealth, regional partnerships, and travel support鈥攖o make lifesaving trials and treatments more accessible for patients across the Mountain West.
Impact: Huntsman Cancer Institute鈥檚 data-driven research is shaping national efforts to remove geographic barriers to cancer care, ensuring that every patient鈥攏o matter where they live鈥攈as access to leading treatments and clinical trials.
Glioblastoma is one of the most aggressive and complex brain cancers. It grows quickly, resists standard treatments, and often leaves patients and their families searching for every possible option. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 yet know why it happens,鈥 says Rachna Malani, MD, Huntsman Cancer Institute investigator, assistant professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at the , and co-author of the study. 鈥淭he brain is a protected area, and this cancer constantly changes. That makes it especially
hard to treat.鈥
from Huntsman Cancer Institute researchers looked at how far patients live from a National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center鈥攁nd how that distance affects survival and access to clinical trials for glioblastoma patients.
Distance and Survival: What the Study Found
The study analyzed data from 167 patients diagnosed with glioblastoma between 2018 and 2022 who received treatment at Huntsman Cancer Institute. Patients were grouped by how far they lived from the center:
- Near: 0鈥25 miles
- Intermediate: 25鈥40 miles
- Far: more than 40 miles
When researchers adjusted for age, health, and other known factors, they found that patients living farther away were less likely to enroll in clinical trials鈥攁nd in some cases, had slightly poorer survival outcomes.
- Clinical trial enrollment: 43% for near patients, 35% for intermediate, and only 18% for those farthest away.
- Survival: Patients in the intermediate group had significantly worse overall survival compared to those living nearby.
鈥淭hese findings show that distance can directly affect outcomes,鈥 says Malani. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not just about the tumor鈥攊t鈥檚 about the barriers patients face when they live far from the care they need.鈥
"The brain is a protected area, and this cancer constantly changes. That makes it especially hard to treat.鈥
Rachna Malani, MD
Why Clinical Trials Matter for Glioblastoma
Clinical trials are often the most promising avenue for glioblastoma patients. 鈥淭his is a cancer that doesn鈥檛 have the best treatments yet,鈥 says Joe Mendez, MD, neuro-oncologist at Huntsman Cancer Institute and associate professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Utah, and co-author of the study. 鈥淐urrent standard therapies may only extend survival by a few months. Clinical trials are how we improve those outcomes.鈥
Trials also give patients access to the latest research-backed treatments and additional layers of support. 鈥淧articipating in a clinical trial doesn鈥檛 mean you鈥檙e a test subject鈥攊t means you鈥檙e receiving personalized care from a multi-disciplinary team working to help you treat your cancer and keep you safe, while advancing the field,鈥 Mendez adds.
鈥淥ur goal is to make comprehensive cancer care鈥攁nd the hope that comes with it鈥攁vailable to everyone.鈥
Joe Mendez, MD
Bringing Access Closer to Home
For patients across the Mountain West, Huntsman Cancer Institute is the only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center within hundreds of miles. That designation means Huntsman Cancer Institute meets the nation鈥檚 highest standards for research, treatment, and clinical trial availability.
鈥淲e serve people from Utah, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and Nevada,鈥 Mendez explains. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 a huge geographic area and understanding how distance affects care is critical. We need to make sure patients鈥攏o matter where they live鈥攃an access the same opportunities.鈥 To help close the gap, researchers and care teams are exploring new ways to make trials more accessible:
- Partnering with affiliate hospitals and referring providers
- Using telehealth when possible for follow-up visits
- Designing trials around oral medications rather than infusions that require frequent hospital visits
- Expanding support services like travel assistance and social work
鈥淭hese are real people with families and jobs,鈥 Malani says. 鈥淲e have to meet them where they are and make it as easy as possible to get life-saving care.鈥
鈥淲e found that patients from frontier Utah experience greater socioeconomic barriers without experiencing poorer overall survival, and patients of lower socioeconomic status experienced significantly lower access to adjuvant therapies after resection.鈥
Randy Jensen, MD, PhD
The Bigger Picture: Why This Research Matters
This study is one of the first to quantify how distance from a Comprehensive Cancer Center affects glioblastoma outcomes and trial participation. For patients, it underscores the importance of seeking care at specialized centers. For health systems, it highlights the need to expand clinical trial access beyond major cities.
In addition to this research, two medical students and Randy Jensen, MD, PhD, co-leader of the at Huntsman Cancer Institute, recently published that examined the effect of rurality and socioeconomic status on treatment and survival of patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma. 鈥淲e found that patients from frontier Utah experience greater socioeconomic barriers without experiencing poorer overall survival, and patients of lower socioeconomic status experienced significantly lower access to adjuvant therapies after resection,鈥 adds Jensen.
鈥淥ur goal is to make comprehensive cancer care鈥攁nd the hope that comes with it鈥攁vailable to everyone,鈥 says Mendez. 鈥淗untsman Cancer Institute has chosen to invest in specialists, research infrastructure, and multidisciplinary teams that all focus on one thing: giving patients the best possible chance.鈥