DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Meets 1 of the following criteria:

  • Enrolled in a Center for Cancer Research (CCR) nontreatment research study and requires standard of care therapy
  • Eligible for a CCR research study in the near future but requires cancer therapy prior to enrollment
  • Standard of care therapy is requested through the Medical Oncology Clinical Research Unit (MOCRU) consult service
  • Treatment of cancer or risk of cancer would add significant value to the Medical Oncology fellowship training program
  • Previously enrolled in National Cancer Institute (NCI) trials in which important scientific endpoints, including natural history of the disease and late toxicities, were collected
  • Medical welfare could be seriously compromised by referral back to the community, such as rare or complex disease where community treatment is inadequate or adequate community resources are unavailable
  • Received majority of prior specialized medical care on research protocols at CCR and approaching the end of the natural history of disease
  • Diagnosed with cancer or HIV, or at risk for cancer or HIV, and cancer treatment or management at the NCI is requested via the MOCRU
  • CCR investigator decides it is in the best interest of the patient and NCI for patient to be enrolled on protocol and continue to receive care and follow up within the MOCRU

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• Not specified

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• Not specified