Population-based Research to Optimize the Screening Process (PROSPR)

Background

What is PROSPR?

PROSPR, or Population-based Research to Optimize the Screening Process, is an NCI-funded research network which includes 10 diverse healthcare delivery systems across the United States.

The goal of PROSPR is to better understand how to improve the cancer screening process (recruitment, screening, diagnosis, referral for treatment) in community healthcare settings in the United States. PROSPR is conducting multilevel observational research to evaluate factors that affect the quality and outcomes of the screening processes for cervical, colorectal, and lung cancer. Each PROSPR Research Center (PRC) conducts organ-specific research, and also participates with other PRCs to conduct trans-PROSPR research projects.

The PROSPR Coordinating Center (PCC) leads the conceptualization and development of measures of health system-level factors that impact the screening processes, as well as measures of screening process quality. These measures are being used in trans-PROSPR research projects.

When was PROSPR established?

PROSPR began in 2011 and is on-going, with current funding planned through 2024.

There have been 2 PROSPR funding cycles: PROSPR 1 (2011-2018), studied breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer, and PROSPR 2 (actively funded since 2018), studying cervical, colorectal, and lung cancer.

• PROSPR 1 – RFA-CA-11-003, RFA-CA-11-004, RFA-14-001
  The first PROSPR funding cycle, which started in 2011, included 1 Coordinating Center, 3 breast cancer research centers, 3 colorectal cancer research centers, and 4 cervical cancer research centers.
• PROSPR 2 – RFA-CA-16-016 and RFA-CA-16-017

The second PROSPR funding cycle, which started in 2018, includes 1 Coordinating Center and 3 Research Centers (one each focused on cervical, colorectal, and lung cancer). Each Research Center includes a minimum of 3 heterogeneous healthcare delivery systems with diverse patient populations.

Learn more about PROSPR 2:

• PROSPR 2 Coordinating and Research Centers
• PROSPR 2 Teams
• PROSPR 2 Individual Research Center Projects
• PROSPR 2 Publications

Collaborating with PROSPR

The NCI is committed to having PROSPR serve as a research resource that can be accessed by the extramural community, to expand the depth and breadth of research that can be conducted. We have created PROSPR DataShare, a web-based system through which non-PROSPR researchers can request PROSPR data and explore ways to collaborate with PROSPR researchers. To learn more about PROSPR DataShare, including available functions and expected dates of availability of other functions, visit the PROSPR DataShare webpage.

For additional information about PROSPR, please contact the NCI PROSPR team.