NCORP – What is It?
NCORP stands for NCI Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP), and it is a clinical trial network that is supported by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to bring clinical trials and cancer care delivery studies to people in the communities where they live. The national NCORP network was formed to bring cancer research to larger and more diverse patient populations. Each NCOR site is comprised of researchers, hospitals, physician practices, and other groups that provide healthcare services in their communities. They join forces with other NCORP sites to offer the latest cancer research to the patients they serve. Each NCORP site has a designated Community Responsible Investigator (physician), and Study Coordinator (nurse or research associate), responsible for clinical trial activity.
Upstate Carolina NCORP
The Upstate Carolina Consortium NCI Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP) integrates 3 affiliates who together have a well-established history of NCI research participation: Community Clinical Oncology Program (CCOP) 1983 to 2014 and NCORP 2014 to present.
Upstate Carolina Consortium NCORP has 48 experienced and engaged community investigators led by 3 qualified Principal Investigators, 1 medical oncologist and 2 radiation oncologists, with early, mid to senior levels of experience. The 3 affiliate research programs are located within community hospitals serving the upstate of South Carolina and adjacent areas of North Carolina and Georgia.
Spartanburg Medical Center is a 540-bed comprehensive tertiary care teaching hospital with a level-one trauma center having over 130,000 visits per year. SMC surgical program has over 28,000 procedures per year with an open-heart program. SMC is a non-profit political subdivision of the state of South Carolina. The hospital includes 500 physicians on staff and over 300 physicians in the Medical Group of the Carolinas (MGC) offices located throughout the 6-county service area.
The Cancer Center is a 4-story center located on the SMC campus that includes medical, radiation, surgical and gynecological oncology services as well as an integrated palliative care program. SMC’s cancer program is accredited by ACOS© COC® as a Comprehensive Community Cancer Program, ACR®, and QOPI®.
The 167,000 sq-ft Cancer Center opened in 1999 offers an array of services within a single location: medical, radiation, surgical and gynecologic oncology services, patient resource center, genetic counseling, patient navigation services, financial counseling, laboratory services, retail pharmacy, massage therapy, and Patient Boutique for one-stop service.
The SMC Cancer Center includes radiation oncology services located on the ground floor. The radiation floor includes offices, exam rooms, and radiation treatment planning space and radiation treatment machines/equipment. Additionally, the radiation department includes PET, CT and X-rays to support oncology patient care.
The second floor of the SMC Cancer Center includes a 30-oncology bed oncology inpatient unit with 6 palliative care beds. Medical oncology is located on the third floor of the SMC Cancer Center with 24 exam rooms and the required support services including, laboratory, infusion center, outpatient pharmacy, financial counseling, and genetic counseling. The infusion center includes 28 chairs, 4 infusion beds and the oncology infusion pharmacy. The SMC Cancer Center includes a laboratory for all required diagnostic testing including phlebotomy and processing for genetic and Next Generation Sequencing send outs.
The SMC Cancer Center fourth floor is comprised of surgical oncology, thoracic surgical oncology, and gynecological oncology clinics with physician offices and exam rooms.
The Cancer Tumor Registry is located within the SMC Cancer Center and provides data to the clinical research department for clinical trial feasibility and CCDR studies.
The Clinical Research Department is located within the SMC Cancer Center adjacent to all the oncology services. The research department includes a laboratory, phlebotomy station, refrigerated centrifuge, temperature monitored sample storage (-70˚ C freezer and 4˚ C refrigerator), and dry ice storage. Two exam rooms are dedicated for research patient enrollment and study procedures.
Adjacent to the cancer center, the Bearden Josey Breast Health Center is located on the SMC campus. This comprehensive center includes, digital and tomosynthesis screening and diagnostic mammograms, ultrasound, stereotactic, and MRI guided biopsy, and onsite 3 Tesla MRI. The breast center has an established high-risk breast clinic led by a breast medical oncologist, genetic counselor, registered dietician, and navigator. This center screens over 13,000 women on campus annually and another 21,000 through satellite imaging centers and a mobile mammography unit.
Gibbs Cancer Center- Gaffney, Sub-Affiliate SC095
Gaffney, South Carolina
Gibbs Cancer Center- Gaffney is in Gaffney, SC, 18 miles from the Affiliate. This facility has medical oncology, laboratory, and infusion center with 6 chairs. Navigators, registered dieticians, and research staff.
Gibbs Cancer Center- Pelham, Sub-Affiliate SC101
Greer, South Carolina
Gibbs Cancer Center- Pelham is in Greer, SC, 21 miles from the Affiliate site SMC. Pelham Medical Center is a hospital with 48 inpatient beds and full diagnostic and surgical services. Clinics offered at this location include gynecologic oncology, medical oncology, hematology, surgical oncology, reconstructive surgery, and radiation oncology. The Pelham facility offers high-output stereotactic radiation using a TrueBeam™ LINAC machine, delivering high-dose stereotactic, conventional therapy, and IMRT/IGRT. A Cyberknife® LINAC to treat stereotactically was added in 2014 and is a referral center for the region. The Gibbs Cancer Center at Pelham includes an infusion center and a laboratory. The Cancer Center is supported by registered dieticians, navigators, social workers, and research staff.
MGC Hematology Oncology- Union, Sub-Affiliate SC109
Union, South Carolina
MGC is located in Union, SC, 27 miles from the Affiliate. Union Medical Center is a 143-bed hospital with emergency services, and surgical and diagnostic services. This physician office has medical oncology and an infusion center with 3 chairs. The medical oncology practice is supported by registered dieticians, navigators, social workers, and research staff.
Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital is a 245-bed acute care hospital located in Greenville, SC. It has 29 designated oncology and palliative beds and a seven-day-a-week infusion center with 8 chairs. This site includes Bone Marrow Transplant Program with 9 dedicated stem cell beds, certified since 2010 by the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT©).
BSSF has an advanced research facility supporting a Bone Marrow Transplant Program and a Phase I clinical trial program. The research pharmacy with highly trained research pharmacists in the receipt, storage, handling, and documentation associated with the use of novel research therapeutics. Novel advanced therapies have included the use of blinatumomab for leukemia and lymphoma as well as a variety of Just-In-Time (JIT) targeted therapies based on genomic sequencing results.
BSSF provides medical, surgical and gynecologic oncology services, and integrated palliative care. The oncology program is supported by registered dieticians, disease site navigators, genetic counselors, social workers, interpreters, financial counselors and research staff. The oncology program includes a survivorship program, tobacco cessation, precision medicine, oncology rehabilitation, and the only dedicated AYA program and facility in South Carolina since 2012. The hospital has radiology, interventional radiology, pathology, and laboratory services available.
St. Francis Cancer Center, Sub-Affiliate SC108
Greenville, SC
St. Francis Cancer Center is located in Greenville, SC, 8 miles from the Affiliate. This comprehensive outpatient multi-story facility has full oncologic services that include: infusion center with 51 chairs and clinics that offer AYA, gynecologic oncology, medical oncology, hematology, radiation oncology, palliative care, patient navigation, nutritional support services, social work services, financial counseling, integrative health including yoga and massage, behavioral health, and clinical research.
The St. Francis Clinical Research Department is staffed with 8 Clinical Research Professionals. The Tumor Registry is located within St. Francis Cancer Center and provides data to the research department for clinical trial feasibility and for CCDR studies. Cancer patients requiring hospital admissions are admitted to Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital.
AnMed Health is a 538-bed hospital in Anderson, SC and includes 8 designated oncology inpatient beds and an infusion center with 59 chairs. The 143,000 sq-ft AnMed Health Cancer Center opened in 2005 and offers multiple services within a single location: medical, radiation, surgical and gynecologic oncology services, patient resource center, genetic counseling, patient navigation services, financial counseling, laboratory services, retail pharmacy, and Impressions Boutique for one-stop service. AnMed Health is a Magnet-recognized program by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Magnet Recognition Program® and is accredited by ACOS© COC® as a Comprehensive Community Cancer Program, ACR®, and QOPI®.