The Childrens Cancer Group (CCG) is a research organization of more than 2000 clinical and laboratory specialists in the cancers of Children, located at 112 pediatric medical centers in the United States, Canada, and Australia. Its purpose is to ultimately eliminate cancer as a major problem among children, by cooperative conduct of research, including: 1) Clinical trials of new multimodality treatment strategies; 2) Clinical and laboratory studies of new anticancer agents; 3) Research on the biology of childhood cancers, their causes, their prevention, and the avoidance of adverse late effects in children who are cured of cancer. The CCG conducts studies of all major childhood cancer types and requires the skills of all relevant clinical and basic science disciplines. At each of the 34 full member and 78 affiliate member institutions there is a team of investigators representing the diagnostic, therapeutic, laboratory, and supportive care disciplines required for state-of-the-art investigation of the cancers of children. The Group is directed by the Group Chairman, located at the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, and is assisted by an experienced staff with diverse skills at the Group Operations Center in Arcadia, California. A staff of biostatisticians, database administrators, research data managers, systems analysts, communications specialists, and administrative personnel, assists the Group Chairman and the Director of Group-wide Operations in meeting the operational and administrative support needs of the Group's research activities. This application is for continuing support of all activities for which the Group Chairman is responsible. It includes the research plans and budget needs of the Group Chairman's Office, the Group Administration Offices, and the Statistics and Data Center. The application requests administrative and travel support for the major standing committees with Group-wide responsibilities. These include nine Disease Strategy Groups, which recommend strategic issues for study for each major type of childhood cancer; seven Scientific Committees, which provide expertise in specific areas of science; eight Modality or Discipline Committees, which provide expertise in specific clinical disciplines; eight Centralized Reference and Resource Laboratories, which provide technical laboratory work and biology research in support of specific Group studies, and three Review Centers, which review specimens, films, and data to assure Group- wide quality control. Funds are requested to continue the Cooperative Group Outreach Program (CGOP). which is the major source of support for selected affiliate member institutions and to continue the Group's on-site Audit and quality assurance activities. Developmental Funds are requested to enable the Group Chairman to respond to unanticipated needs and to new initiatives of scientific merit.
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