Since 1972, when the NCI designated the Cancer Center of Wake Forest University (CCCWFU) a Specialized Clinical Cancer Research Center, the Center has recognized and embraced its responsibility to provide innovative research and service that not only meets to the needs of our Institution, but that meets the needs of the over 7 million people within our geographic service area. For example, the Piedmont Oncology Association (POA) was established in 1976 through the leadership efforts of Dr. Spurr and to this day remains one of the most active and effective community oncology research and education programs in the nation. In 1986 a subset of communities associated with the POA regrouped and successfully competed for a CCOP award through the NCI. This CCOP is known as the Southeastern Cancer Control Consortium (SCCC) and is now comprised of 15 communities in North and South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee and Georgia. Also in 1986 the Cancer Center competed for an NCI-research base designation in order to become a research base for the newly formed CCOP. The CCCWFU is one of the few single institutions in the country to successfully compete for this award, which allows us to develop cancer treatment and cancer control studies for use in the community. The Cancer Center received its Comprehensive status in 1990. Since August 1993, the CCCWFU has been under the leadership of Frank M. Torti, M.D., who has encouraged translational research focused on a set of defined cancer problems. The Center operates through a classic Programs structure, but has recently developed disease-oriented """"""""Affinity Groups"""""""", which encourage active participation of Cancer Center membership from Basic Science, Cancer Control, and Clinical Research in six major diseases: Leukemia, Breast, Lung, Prostate/GU, GI, and Oral/Head & Neck. Our Cancer Center has been the driving force in the rapid and sustained growth of cancer programs within the institution and region. A bone marrow transplant program was initiated in the fall of 1990 and is one of the seven programs nationwide that has been designated a center for research with unmatched donors. The CCCWFU has the largest accrual to the Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB) in the country and the highest accrual to the Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) nationally. In addition there is active participation in the NSABP, and our pediatric oncologists provide the largest number of accruals in the state of North Carolina to the Pediatric Oncology Group (POG). The Basic Science Division is composed of three Programs (Molecular Diagnosis/ Prevention/ Therapy, Oxidative Injury/DNA Repair/Drug Resistance, and Signaling Pathways) that organize the membership into scientifically interactive groups based on their cancer interests. A major emphasis has been placed on fostering translational research between the Basic Science Division and the Clinical Research and Cancer Control Divisions. Major current emphasis is placed on the development of a gene therapy group. This group is a multidepartmental effort so that this initiative will have the full range of expertise to bring basic science efforts to clinical usage. The goals of the Cancer Control Research division of the CCCWFU are to promote research focusing on reducing cancer incidence, mortality and morbidity, and improving quality of life. It is important to recognize that the success of the Cancer Control Programs is intimately tied to our excellent access to superb community outreach organizations and populations which our Center has defined, developed, and nurtured since 1972. The Cancer Center has played a major role in various successful state legislature lobbying efforts that have resulted in significant attention to cancer research including: (1) A legislative mandate to support cancer screening and treatment services for indigent North Carolinians and (2) the recent passage of legislation to establish a permanent committee advisory to the Governor on Cancer Coordination and Control.
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