As a small, 300 bed community hospital we have a demonstrated potential for participating in clinical research. We already have most of the elements in place that are required in the RFA, for formation of a successful Community Clinical Oncology Program (CCOP). As a CCOP, we propose to use the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) and the University of Rochester Cancer Center (URCC) as our research base. We have existing working relationships with both multi-disease research bases, with a proven record of participation in clinical trials. In the past two years, 61 patients were entered in ECOG studies and 38 patients were entered in URCC studies. Based upon this experience, we feel confident of entering a total of 50 eligible and evaluable patients (35 in ECOG studies, and 15 in URCC studies) per year over the next three years. A method to avoid protocol overlap is in place. Briefly, all new protocols are reviewed in a monthly protocol meeting prior to submission to the IRB when discussion is made regarding competing or overlapping protocols. Factors considered in the decision are protocol priorities and feasibilities of carrying them out at our institution. Successful application as a CCOP will make us realize our long-term objectives of maintaining and upgrading our existing efforts of bringing clinical research to cancer patients in their community. We hope that our activities will reflect in reduced national mortality as newly developed cancer treatments are transferred to the wider community of patients treated both on and off protocols. Finally, we hope to evolve into a program that can serve as part of a broadly based nationwide resource for trials of experimental anticancer agents as well as cancer control and prevention research activities planned by the NCI.
| Wang, S K; Tsiatis, A A (1987) Approximately optimal one-parameter boundaries for group sequential trials. Biometrics 43:193-9 |
