EASTERN COOPERATIVE ONCOLOGY GROUP

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This application is being submitted to continue the University of Pennsylvania's role as a main institution in the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group beyond its 37 years of continuous particpation. The overarching objectives are to continue to serve as a scientific and administrative resource for the Group, to enter patients onto ECOG protocols, and to coordinate and support a large affiliate network. In the latter role, this application will support the diffusion of knowledge of clinical trials, assist in the proper conduct of clinical trials, and make these trials accessible to the broadest possible population of patients with cancer. Although the University of Pennsylvania has had an outstanding track record in all aspects of cooperative group activities, including accrual, administrative and scientific input and data quality, the specific aims of the proposal for the next six years are to: 1. continue to enhance accrual in all disease site and modalities, beyong our current particpation, particularly in breast and lung cancers. 2. increase physician, nurse, and data management participation in Group activities, including protocol development. 3. attract new affilaites through the Abramson Cancer Center network, allowing for enhanced availability for clinical trials participation in the larger community The relevance of this project to the ultimate cure of cancer is self-evident. Cooperative groups are the main force outside of the pharmaceutical industry dedicated to the definitve tesing of new treatments, studying not just new drug development but also non-drug treatment, such as radiation therapy and surgery, for which there would be nooter funding. These cooperative group activities, and the specific involvement of the University of Pennsylvania, represent the chief way in which the ultimate model of multimodal, collaborative patient care can be performed. The main ECOG grant describes in detail the very specific way in which clinical trials have led to RELEVANCE: Malignancies remain an enormous burden for individuals in the United States and for society as a whole. Without public support of clinical trials, both by financial support as well as participation in clinical trials, progress will not be made. If left in private hands, large areas of cancer treatment will go unexplored, denying patients the possibility of progress.