NCI NCTN- Network Lead Academic Participating Site: USC

描述(申请人提供)：南加州大学诺里斯综合癌症中心于1987年首次参与SWOG的研究活动，并于1992年首次获得资助。这一为期五年的资助周期增加了行政和学术参与，保持了与SWOG可用资金和南加州大学增加的资源相称的高临床和相关试验项目。南加州大学团队的主要重点是：(A)领导整个NTCN设计并有效开展临床试验，评估新方案或修改现有方案的安全性和有效性；(B)领导生物标记物的开发以及将新技术纳入NCTN试验，利用一种系统的方法收集、处理和存储血液、正常组织、新鲜或冷冻的肿瘤组织及其他相关生物样本，用于分子和药理学研究；(C)评估针对特殊患者群体的癌症治疗方案，如罕见癌症、老年人和少数民族。南加州大学的调查人员不仅对SWOG的审判做出了广泛的贡献，而且还展示了行政/学术领导力，促进了将特定的调查主题转化为SWOG。最近的SWOG试验评估了ERCC1表达在转移性胃癌患者预后中的预测作用，以及CTC计数和端粒酶活性在前列腺癌中的作用，突显了南加州大学研究人员在NCI合作小组系统中提供的科学领导的一个方面。他们还在NCI特别工作组和指导委员会中发挥了积极作用。作为致力于癌症临床研究的一部分，南加州大学通过SWOG青年研究人员奖(10)成功地指导了年轻的研究人员，并扩大了其机构培训能力。最后，作为网络领先的学术参与网站，南加州大学将继续为NCI国家临床试验带来独特的优势 由于其在招募少数族裔参加临床试验、易患罕见癌症(如胆道癌和膀胱癌)以及完善的临床研究基础设施方面的优势，该中心建立了一个网络。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center first participated in the research activities of SWOG in 1987 and was initially funded in 1992. This five-year grant cycle has had increased administrative and academic participation, with maintenance of high clinical and correlative trial entry, commensurate with available SWOG funding and added resources from USC. The major emphases of the USC team are (a) to provide leadership across the NTCN to design and efficiently perform clinical trials evaluating the safety and efficacy of novel regimens or modifications of existing regimens; (b) to provide leadership in biomarker development and in integration of new technologies into NCTN trials, taking advantage of a systematic approach to collection, processing, and storage of blood, normal tissue, fresh or frozen tumor tissue, and other relevant biologic samples for molecular and pharmacologic studies; and (c) to evaluate cancer treatment regimens in special patient populations, such as rare cancers, the elderly and ethnic minorities. USC investigators have not only contributed extensively to SWOG trials but have demonstrated administrative/academic leadership, facilitating the translation of specific themes of investigation to SWOG. Recent SWOG trials evaluating the predictive role of ERCC1 expression in the outcome of patients with metastatic gastric cancer and the role of CTC enumeration and telomerase activity in prostate cancer highlight one aspect of the scientific leadership that USC investigators have provided in the NCI cooperative group system. They have also played an active role in NCI task forces and steering committees. As part of its dedication to cancer clinical research, USC has been successful in mentoring young investigators through the SWOG Young Investigator Awards (10) and has expanded its institutional training capabilities. Lastly, as a Network Lead Academic Participating Site, USC will continue to bring unique strengths to the NCI National Clinical Trials Network thanks to its strength in recruitment of minorities to clinical trials, accrual to rare cancers such as biliary and bladder cancers, and a well-developed clinical research infrastructure.