Wayne State University (WSU) has been an active institutional member of the Southwest Oncology Group for over 30 years, enrolling over 4000 patients onto clinical trials. Over these years, our faculty have played an important role in support of SWOG, by providing leadership in the administrative and scientific functions of SWOG, and also by meeting and exceeding patient accrual goals in a continuous and consistent manner. Thus, WSU has remained in the first quartile of institution's performance evaluation conducted by SWOG in each of the last five years. The clinical research program in cancer at WSU has been organized along the lines of multidisciplinary disease oriented studies and in a manner that resembles the organ committee orientation of SWOG. Thus, our faculty's representation in scientific SWOG committees is constituted by individuals with expertise and commitment toward those areas of research. Accordingly, the translation of ideas into SWOG studies as well as the incorporation of SWOG studies and those of NCI designated high priority trials into WSU treatment priorities, are easily facilitated. In addition, the demographics of our region and the commitment of investigators to make clinical trials available to all patients, is clearly identified in our recruitment of minorities (27%) and women (61%) into SWQG clinical trials. The SWOG membership in WSU and the diversity of disciplinary involvement by our faculty has continued to grow over the years. To date over 100 WSU members are currently serving on over 40 committees. Similarly, 50 SWOG studies list a WSU member as a study primary coordinator or co-coordinator since the last competing application was submitted. Fifth three abstracts and 56 manuscripts have had WSU faculty as primary or co-authors. Six WSU physician faculty and 3 nurses hold 14 committee administrative roles. Since the last competitive renewal WSU has been awarded NCl supplemental grants for chemoprevention and minority recruitment. Dr. Lawrence Flaherty, a SWOG member since 1986 and Vice-Chairman of the SWOG Melanoma Committee, has been the Principal Investigator since 1996 and has maintained the prominence of WSU as a SWOG member institution.
Showing the most recent 10 out of 215 publications
