North Carolina Prostate Cancer Comparative Effectiveness & Survivorship Study (NC ProCESS)

Localized prostate cancer treatment options is consistently a "highest priority" comparative effectiveness research (CER) topic according to the Institute of Medicine, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), and other summary reports. Patients urgently need information on the comparative outcomes of modern treatment options to guide decision-making for this disease that causes significant burden based on its high prevalence, mortality and treatment effects on quality of life. The status quo as it pertains to prostate cancer is significant overtreatment causing potential patient harm, rapid diffusion of new/expensive technologies without proven benefit and patients lacking high quality research evidence to balance direct-to-consumer advertising and guide individualized decision-making.

NC ProCESS is a population-based cohort designed specifically to address well-described knowledge gaps. It was designed in close collaboration with the unique AHRQ consortium stakeholder group, which included representatives from patients, clinicians and policymakers. Stakeholders helped define study design to emphasize "real-world" patients and select patient-centered and relevant outcomes, and have been involved throughout assembly of this patient cohort. The diverse cohort is well-represented by "hard to reach" patients; enrollment before treatment avoids biases with participation and recall. As clinical trials are not feasible to address the central questions in prostate cancer CER, this prospective study will yield the highest level of evidence to inform patients and other stakeholders. With an assembled cohort, this study is necessary to examine comparative outcomes.