Frequently Asked Questions for potential participants
Thank you for considering participation in the COVID-19 & Cancer Consortium (CCC19). This short FAQ is intended to answer initial questions that you may have.
Q1: What are the potential benefits of joining CCC19?
First and foremost, the benefit is the opportunity to join with colleagues around the country and soon, around the world, towards the common cause of understanding better the unique effects of COVID-19 on patients with cancer, including a history of cancer. We are a rapidly growing community now more than 100 persons strong, united towards this common goal. As of March 31st, there are more than 50 institutions participating across 26 states; many of these sites are NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers. Through pooling of data, we anticipate a rapid accumulation of knowledge. Plans for data sharing within the consortium are still fluid but will include aggregated data generally, and granular data for more focused projects. Additional benefits include the possibility of distributed funding, and the opportunity to participate in the publication of results.
Q2: What are the expectations for CCC19 participating institutions?
The main expectation is that the participating institution will make an effort to identify and report ALL cases of COVID-19 in patients with a current or prior history of invasive malignancy – not just those in the critically ill. In order to fully understand this pandemic, we need to capture data on relatively asymptomatic outpatients as well as those heavily affected by the disease. Likewise, the participating institution will make an effort to avoid duplicated data entry; many institutions are operationalizing this by identifying a “point-person” such as a hematology/oncology fellow or a dedicated data team. Finally, we request data on 30-day and 90-day outcomes so there should be an institutional commitment to continue reporting data even after the acute phase of the pandemic. There is no cost to join this voluntary effort; all help is received gratefully!
Q3: How do we join?
All you need to do is indicate your interest to join and provide contact information for a site PI; we will then send further onboarding instructions. Eligibility is restricted to certain countries; please inquire first if you are located at a non-US-based institution.