The Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis (DCTD), primarily through its Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program (CTEP), sponsors several unique mechanisms to carry out early anticancer therapy development. The mechanisms encompass many of the nation?s leading NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers, NCI?s Cooperative Group programs in adult and pediatric oncology with participating sites in every state, and specialized Oncology Consortia devoted to the study of brain and childhood cancers. The Accelerating Clinical Trials of Novel Oncologic PathWays (ACTNOW) program is focused on accelerating progress by speeding the development of approximately 30 new clinical treatment trials. The accelerated timeline is possible due to the resources provided by ARRA. ARRA funds will assist NCI staff in supporting the accelerated timeline for mounting these 30 clinical trials. Funds will be added to CTEP support contracts including the contract, """"""""Operation and Support of the Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program's (CTEP's) Protocol and Information Office (PIO)"""""""". The Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program's (CTEP) Protocol and Information Office (PIO) is the central hub for all protocol-related information management for CTEP sponsored trials. The mission of the PIO is to coordinate all administrative aspects related to clinical trial development to assure that quality protocols are developed in the most expeditious and efficient manner possible. Towards that end, PIO collects, processes, tracks and monitors all protocol related information between CTEP and its extramural collaborators (investigators, Cooperative Groups, Cancer Centers, FDA, pharmaceutical industry, other NCI programs, etc.). The purpose of the Protocol and Information office is to: o Facilitate the development of quality clinical trials in the most efficient and expeditious manner possible. o Minimize the administrative burden related to clinical trial development and management on CTEP staff and the extramural community. o Abstract protocol related keywords and milestones into CTEP's enterprise database to assist with Program decision making. o Promote, inform and educate all concerned parties regarding NCI programs, policies and objectives related to clinical trial development and management.
