The Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center (lUSCC) continues to play major leadership roles within ECOG and especially in the design and completion of pivotal research trials. Dr. Loehrer has served on several appointed and elected positions during this past grant cycle including the Nominating Committee, Fiscal Oversight Committee and the Research Foundation Board. Dr. Sledge is the current Chair of the Breast Committee;Dr. David Flockhart is the current Chair of Developmental Therapeutics, while several other faculty and staff have served as chairs, co-chairs or participated in a broad number of ECOG committees. Our faculty have been PIs on numerous Phase II and III prospective trials. Notable examples include E2100, lead by Dr. Kathy Miller, which ultimately lead to the approval of bevacizumab by the FDA for the treatment of advanced Breast Cancer. Drs. Loehrer and Cardenes were co-PIs on E4201 which demonstrated for the first time in modern era that radiation in addition to gemcitabine chemotherapy has a survival advantage over chemotherapy alone. Our faculty have been broadly involved in many committees including GU, Gl, Leukemia, Myeloma, Breast, Thoracic, Developmental Therapeutics, Pharmacy and Data Management Committees. Some of our affiliates have also had leadership positions in the Breast and Thoracic Committees. In the fall of 2008, the lUSCC opened a new 150,000 inpatient and outpatient facility and in April, 2009 the Joseph Walther Building was opened which virtually doubles the amount of basic research space on campus dedicated for cancer related activities. Despite numerous external pressures, our annual accrual has remained strong and efforts to increase accrual for women and minorities, especially at our county-affiliated hospital, have begun to take hold. lUSCC remains committed to the administrative and scientific growth of the ECOG as exemplified by our leadership, academic contributions, patient accrual and diverse participation at many levels in the organization. Our goal for the coming grant cycle is to increase the participation by our affiliate partners and to increase minority accrual to clinical trials at our parent institution.
The lUSCC is the only NCI-Designated Cancer Center that treats patients in Indiana. Our long standing commitment for clinical research has been illustrated by pilot trials conducted at lUSCC and taken to the cooperative oncology groups (ECOG) for verification. Standards of care adopted by national forums for the treatment of germ cell tumors, lung cancer, thymoma and breast cancer have emerged from investigator-initiated trials from lUSCC faculty. Our impact upon the public health is clear and well documented.
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