NCI's Clinical Trials Cooperative Group Program
Key Points
- The Clinical Trials Cooperative Group Program is designed to promote and support clinical trials (research studies) of new cancer treatments, explore methods of cancer prevention and early detection, and study quality-of-life Cooperative Group Program is designed to promote and support clinical trials (research studies) of new cancer treatments, explore methods of cancer prevention and early detection, and study quality-of-life and rehabilitation issues.
- Cooperative groups include researchers, cancer centers, and community physicians throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe.
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The Clinical Trials Cooperative Group Program, which is sponsored by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), is designed to promote and support clinical trials (research studies) of new cancer treatments, explore methods of cancer prevention and early detection, and study quality-of-life issues and rehabilitation during and after treatment. Cooperative groups include researchers, cancer centers, and community physicians throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe. They work with NCI to identify important questions in cancer research and to design clinical trials to answer these questions.
The Cooperative Group Program involves more than 1,700 institutions that contribute patients to group-conducted clinical trials. Thousands of individual investigators also participate in NCI-supported cooperative group studies. Cooperative groups place more than 22,000 new patients into cancer treatment clinical trials each year.
The groups differ in structure and research focus. Some groups, such as the Children's Oncology Group, consist of investigators that have a particular medical specialty (e.g., pediatrics); some, such as the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group, study a specific type of cancer therapy; and others, such as the Gynecologic Oncology Group, focus on a group of related cancers. The groups share a common purpose—to develop and conduct large-scale trials in multi-institutional settings.
The Cooperative Group Program was established in 1955 following congressional approval to increase support for studies of chemotherapy for cancer. Congress initially appropriated $5 million for NCI to establish the Chemotherapy National Service Center. By 1958, 17 cooperative groups were part of the Center. At that time, the main focus of the program was to test new anticancer agents from NCI's drug development program. The emphasis on chemotherapy gradually shifted to studies of combined therapy approaches in cancer treatment.
People interested in taking part in a clinical trial should talk with their
doctor. Information about clinical trials is available from the Cancer
Information Service (CIS) at 18004CANCER and the NCI booklet
Taking Part in Cancer Treatment Research Studies. This booklet describes
how research studies are carried out and explains their possible benefits and
risks. In addition, the NCI's Web site provides general information about clinical
trials at http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials/
on the Internet. From this page, users can search PDQ®,
the NCI's comprehensive cancer information database, which contains detailed
information about specific ongoing clinical trials in the United States, Europe,
and elsewhere. The CIS also provides information from PDQ.
Clinical Trials Cooperative Groups
American College of Radiology Imaging Network
Bruce J. Hillman, M.D., Chair
Suite 1600
1818 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
http://www.acrin.org
American College of Surgeons Oncology Group
Heidi Nelson, M.D., Co-Chair
David M. Ota, M.D., Co-Chair
2400 Pratt Street
Durham, NC 27705
http://www.acosog.org
Cancer and Leukemia Group B
Richard L. Schilsky, M.D., Chair
Suite 2050
230 West Monroe Street
Chicago, IL 60606
http://www.calgb.org
Children's Oncology Group
Gregory H. Reaman, M.D., Chair
440 East Huntington Drive
Post Office Box 60012
Arcadia, CA 910666012
http://www.childrensoncologygroup.org
Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group
Robert L. Comis, M.D., Chair
Suite 1100
1818 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
http://www.ecog.org
European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer
Françoise Meunier, M.D., Director General
Avenue E. Mounier 83, BTE 11
B1200 Brussels
Belgium
http://www.eortc.be/default.htm
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Gynecologic Oncology Group
Philip J. DiSaia, M.D., Chair
Suite 1020
Four Penn Center
1600 John F. Kennedy Boulevard
Philadelphia, PA 19103
http://www.gog.org
National Cancer Institute of Canada, Clinical Trials Group
Joseph L. Pater, M.D., Director
Queen's University
10 Stuart Street
Kingston , Ontario K7L 3N6
Canada
http://www.ctg.queensu.ca
National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project
Norman Wolmark, M.D., Chair
Fifth Floor
East Commons Professional Building
Four Allegheny Center
Pittsburgh, PA 15212–5234
http://www.nsabp.pitt.edu
North Central Cancer Treatment Group
Jan C. Buckner, M.D., Chair
200 First Street, SW.
Rochester, MN 55905
http://ncctg.mayo.edu
Radiation Therapy Oncology Group
Walter J. Curran, Jr., M.D., Chair
Suite 1600
1818 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
http://www.rtog.org
Southwest Oncology Group
Laurence H. Baker, D.O., Chair
24 Frank Lloyd Wright Drive
Post Office Box 483
Ann Arbor, MI 48106
http://www.swog.org |
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Related NCI materials and Web pages:
For more help, contact:
- NCI's Cancer Information Service
Telephone
(toll-free): 18004CANCER (18004226237) TTY (toll-free):
18003328615 LiveHelp® online chat: https://cissecure.nci.nih.gov/livehelp/welcome.asp
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