Participation in the Pediatric Oncology Group

Dubowy, Ronald

Abstract

This proposal requests funding for support of the Pediatric program in the institutional participation of the Upstate Medical Center, State University of New York, Syracuse, New York, in the Pediatric Oncology Group (P.O.G.). The pediatric program in Oncology at our institution, in conjunction with P.O.G., is an interdisciplinary program involving the active participation of the sections of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Radiation Therapy, Pediatric Surgery, Anatomical and Clinical Pathology, Immunology, Neurosurgery and Neurology. Institutional participation in P.O.G. dates back to March, 1980, with affiliation with its predecessor, the Pediatric Division of the Southwest Oncology Group, following a three year membership in the Cancer and Leukemia Group B. The particular strengths of the Upstate program at this time include 1) a steadily increasing number of evaluable patient entries on therapeutic P.O.G. protocols, 2) active participation in the P.O.G. New Agents and Pharmacology Committee, with Dr. Dubowy coordinating a Phase I study of sequential Hydroxyurea and Cytosine arabinoside and 3) formation of a multidisciplinary Pediatric Brain Tumor Clinic, which serves as a nidus for patient accrual on group protocols and active participation in protocol design. As funded members of P.O.G., this institution will be able to provide optimal educational opportunities for nursing staff, medical students, house officers, fellows and practicing physicians, as well as bring the most recent advances in medical care to the population of Central New York State.