This proposal seeks to renew funding for the Boston AIDS Malignancy Consortium (BAMC) composed of three primary sites with active programs in clinical and basic research in AIDS-related malignancies and broadly based clinical care programs for HIV infected individuals. The three named sites each represent an amalgam of multiple geographically related care providers: the Massachusetts General Hospital including Brigham and Women's Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard/Pilgrim Health Plan; the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center including the former Beth Israel Hospital and New England Deaconess Hospital; Boston Medical Center including the former Boston City Hospital and University Hospital. The institutions and their affiliated community health centers provide care for a diverse array of patients from multiple communities in the greater Boston area. An extensive network of HIV care and research is represented by the sites and the estimated number of HIV infected individuals receiving care within the institutions exceeds 3300. The BAMC has been a productive participant in the national AIDS Malignancy Consortium (AMC) accounting for 28% of all enrolled patients, more than any other AMC site. It has played a leadership role in the development of AMC protocols and in development of the AMC itself. The BAMC has formalized an internal organizational structure that has been responsive to evolving needs of its membership and includes mechanisms for flexible, performance based resource allocation. The BAMC has provided an organization for coordinating efforts in the care of patients and an opportunity for clinical and laboratory investigators to interact for the rapid development of novel approaches to AIDS-related malignant disease. Furthering the efforts of the BAMC within the national consortium is the focus of this proposal.
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