The principal investigators and staff scientists of the Center for Cancer Research (CCR) are conducting outstanding, cutting-edge, basic and clinical research on cancer, and translating these discoveries into treatment and prevention that will reduce the burden of cancer in humans.
Here we highlight several of these clinical research teams, conducting research at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, Md.
Developmental Therapeutics Section
The overall mission of the Developmental Therapeutics Section is to evaluate promising novel anticancer drugs in early phase clinical trials, while providing outstanding clinical care for patients with different types of cancer. An important focus of the Section is first-in-man clinical trials, particularly those that incorporate pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic endpoints, with the goal of informing subsequent clinical development.
Experimental Transplantation and Immunology Clinical Program
The Experimental Transplantation and Immunology Clinical Program is dedicated to coordinated efforts in basic, preclinical, and clinical investigations in the areas of immunology, tumor angiogenesis, hematopoiesis, and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The goal is to generate information from basic and preclinical investigations leading to the development of curative hematopoietic stem cell transplant-based therapies. Information from treatment protocols (including novel endpoints generated in the course of basic/preclinical research) is used to generate new questions and studies in the basic and preclinical research efforts.
Imaging and Molecular Therapeutics Section
The mission of the Imaging and Molecular Therapeutics Section of the Radiation Oncology Branch includes the following components:
- Plan and conduct pre-clinical and clinical research on the biologic and therapeutic effects of radiation administrated alone or in combination with other modalities of treatment.
- Develop novel technology and imaging-based approaches for radiation oncology.
- Investigate the natural history of disease in order to understand and evaluate means of diagnostic assessment for the purpose of optimizing treatment selections.
- Provide radiation therapy as well as general oncology consultations for patients admitted to other clinical services, in a collaborative approach.
Lymphoma Therapeutics Section
The mission of the Lymphoma Therapeutics Section is to advance the treatment and the understanding of lymphoproliferative disorders. A primary goal is to investigate and develop innovative strategies involving novel targets, pharmacodyamics, pharmacogenomics and reversal of drug resistance. Another primary goal is to investigate the clinical and biological natural history of lymphoproliferative disorders in an effort to define pathobiology, novel therapeutic targets, and mechanisms of drug resistance. These efforts are integrated in a translational approach that involves close collaboration between the laboratory and clinic.
Medical Oncology Branch Clinical Protocols
The Medical Oncology Branch (MOB) has the following major functions: 1) clinical research; 2) clinical care; and 3) clinical training. The purpose of these functions is:
- To develop novel therapeutic research strategies for the treatment of cancer and to test those strategies by conducting clinical research in medical oncology across a spectrum of diseases and disease mechanisms;
- To provide clinical care to adult cancer patients enrolled in research protocols, including in-patient and out-patient care services, to support the clinical research effort emanating from principal investigators in laboratories and branches across the Center for Cancer Research (CCR); and,
- To train physician-scientists in a laboratory-to-clinic translational research setting to promote the development of their expertise in medical oncology research and to support their board certification by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM).
Neuro-Oncology Branch
The Neuro-Oncology Branch (NOB) develops an integrated clinical, translational and basic research program that engages the strengths and resources of both the NCI and NINDS for the purpose of developing novel experimental therapeutics for children and adults with tumors of the central nervous system.
Thoracic Oncology Program
The Thoracic Oncology Program incorporates the major functions of clinical research, clinical care, and clinical training in pursuit of treating patients with thoracic malignancies. The goals of the Thoracic Oncology Program are to:
- Develop and test therapeutic research strategies for the treatment of chest malignancies by conducting clinical research across multiple disciplines and combining treatment of standard and novel regimens.
- Provide clinical care to thoracic cancer patients enrolled in research protocols through assessment, staging, and treatment of patients including continuity of care by following patients in both the inpatient and outpatient settings.
- Provide trainees with a comprehensive clinical experience in the management of thoracic malignancies through in-depth multidisciplinary training in clinical and translational research.
Thoracic Oncology Section, Surgery Branch
The overall mission of the Thoracic Oncology Section is to provide outstanding clinical care for patients with thoracic malignancies, and to devote our research efforts to the development of innovative treatment regimens for patients with lung and esophageal cancers, and malignant pleural mesotheliomas (MPM) that collectively account for nearly 180,000 cancer-related deaths annually in the United States. Additional clinical activities are directed toward the development of effective multidisciplinary treatment regimens for chest wall sarcomas and pulmonary metastases.
Tumor Immunology Section
The Tumor Immunology Section of the Surgery Branch is dedicated to developing and conducting new cancer treatments based on stimulation of the immune system of the cancer patient. Current clinical trials are available for patients with melanoma and cancers of the breast, colon, lung, pancreas, ovary, kidney, and others.
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