Patients diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer and non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) when treated at community oncology practices participating in the Flatiron Health Research Network had better or comparable survival compared with national benchmark survival estimates generated by the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. This finding was according to a new study commissioned by the Community Oncology Alliance (COA) and conducted by Flatiron Health.1 Findings of the study were presented at the COA 2026 Community Oncology Conference in Orlando.2 The research supports independent community oncologists’ ability to deliver high-quality outcomes for the majority of patients with cancer who receive care in U.S. community oncology settings.
Study Overview
The study showed that among patients with documented treatment, median overall survival was 8 months longer for metastatic breast cancer and 2 months longer for metastatic NSCLC compared with SEER benchmarks.
Survival rates after 1, 3, and 5 years were consistently higher for patients treated at community oncology practices within the study network relative to population-based estimates from the SEER database.
Amidst an uncertain business and regulatory environment, community oncology must remain a viable option for patients who depend on it every day in communities across the country.— Debra Patt, MD, PhD, MBA
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“Where people receive cancer treatment matters. Community oncologists deliver care associated with longer survival, which means more time spent with family and friends,” said Debra Patt, MD, PhD, MBA, President of COA and Executive Vice President of Policy and Strategy at Texas Oncology. “Amidst an uncertain business and regulatory environment, community oncology must remain a viable option for patients who depend on it every day in communities across the country,” she added.
High-Quality Outcomes
Community oncology refers to physician-owned and physician-led independent oncology practices that are not owned or operated by a hospital, health system, academic medical center, or health insurer.
“Survival is the gold standard of cancer care’s effectiveness, and this research underscores community oncology’s ability to deliver high-quality outcomes, with both convenience and personal care,” said Stephen Divers, MD, a Member of COA’s Board and a Medical Oncologist and Hematologist at Genesis Cancer and Blood Institute in Hot Springs, Arkansas. “Receiving a cancer diagnosis is never easy, so it can be reassuring for a patient to know they’re in good hands at a community oncology practice.”
Stephen Divers, MD
Researchers analyzed data from approximately 98,000 patients diagnosed with metastatic NSCLC and breast cancer between January 2013 and December 2022 who received care at community oncology practices within the Flatiron Health Research Network. Outcomes were compared with population-based estimates from the National Cancer Institute’s SEER database.
“Provider partnership is central to how we work at Flatiron, and this collaboration reflects our commitment to advancing care in the community oncology field,” said Quincy Weatherspoon, Vice President & General Manager, Point of Care Solutions at Flatiron Health. “By combining our research-ready data with COA’s advocacy voice and relationships, we’re helping bring greater clarity to the realities of care in community oncology—and turning those insights into actionable data and better patient outcomes.”
This analysis was commissioned and funded by COA as the first phase of a multiyear collaboration between COA and Flatiron Health. Potential future analyses conducted independently by Flatiron Health Research Network using its proprietary, rigorously curated real-world data will examine additional disease areas, average times to diagnosis and treatment, and community oncology’s patient-centered approach to care.
The study authors concluded “Across both [metastatic breast cancer] and NSCLC, we observed better or comparable overall survival among patients receiving care at community oncology practices in the [Flatiron Health Research Network] compared to the population-based SEER registry,” adding “The study adds to the body of evidence on quality of care delivered in the community oncology setting and demonstrates favorable patient outcomes in [Flatiron Health Research Network] community oncology practices relative to national population benchmarks.”
DISCLOSURE: Research was commissioned and funded by the Community Oncology Alliance, with study design and analysis conducted independently by Flatiron Health. Support for the research project was provided by BioNTech, Gilead, Johnson & Johnson, and Pfizer.
REFERENCES
1. Flatiron Health: COA quality of care study: Phase 1 report on overall survival. April 29, 2026. Available at https://mycoa.communityoncology.org/publications/studies-and-reports/quality-of-care. Accessed May 8, 2026.
2. The Quality of Community Oncology: Presenting the COA Quality and Value Study. COA 2026 Community Oncology Conference. Presented April 28, 2026.
