The specific aims of the North Central Cancer Treatment Group (NCCTG) are: 1. to improve the duration and quality of life of cancer patients by performing high-quality multidisciplinary cancer treatment trials, 2. to improve the understanding of cancer biology and the biological consequences of treatment by conducting relevant correlative laboratory studies in conjunction with the clinical trials, 3. to improve methods for performing clinical trials by analysis of patient, tumor, and treatment variables in association with clinical outcomes, and 4. to provide an infrastructure for studies of cancer prevention and symptom management.
These aims are accomplished through the efforts of four Disease Committees (Breast Cancer, Gastrointestinal Cancer, Lung Cancer, and Neuro-oncology), three Discipline-oriented Scientific Committees (Novel Therapeutics, Quality of Life, and Cancer Control), three Modality Committees (Surgery, Radiation Oncology, and Pathology), Statistics, and five Core Function Committees (Audit, Oncology Nursing Board, Clinical Research Associate (CRA) Board, Cancer Health Disparities, and Patient Advocate). The Disease Committees are responsible for developing and implementing clinical and translational research studies for their respective disease entities in collaboration with Modality, Discipline-oriented Scientific, and Core Function Committees. Modality Committees provide scientific expertise to Disease and Discipline-oriented Scientific Committees, develop quality control standards and provide quality control for individual studies, promote member education and conduct research studies appropriate for their specialty. Discipline-oriented Scientific Committees provide scientific expertise to Disease and Modality Committees and conduct research studies appropriate for their respective disciplines. Core Function Committees assist in protocol development, conduct, and quality assurance appropriate to their areas of expertise. The Group Statistician designates a specific statistician to work with each committee on an ongoing basis to collaborate in letter of intent and concept development, study design, data collection, analysis, presentation and publication. Given the multidisciplinary nature of clinical and translational cancer research, productive communication and interactions among these committees is necessary in order to reach the scientific goals of the Group. The framework for these interactions within NCCTG is illustrated in Table 1, and is described in more detail within the research plans of individual committees. The overarching scientific priority for NCCTG is to conduct high-quality phase II and phase IIII clinical and translational studies appropriate for the community oncology setting. The Translational Research Coordinating Committee serves in an advisory capacity to Group leadership, including NCCTG Committee leaders. The purpose of the committee is to provide scientific and technical advice related to the development and implementation of translational research studies conducted by other committees. Members of the Translational Research Coordinating Concept review concept proposals and protocols in order to assess their scientific merit, recommend additional translational objectives that may be appropriate for a particular protocol, provide advice regarding appropriate laboratory methodology, and identify emerging themes among individual committees that will lead to collaborations among separate committees. Dr. Wilma Lingle, co-director of the NCCTG Biospecimen Resource, also serves on the Translational Research Coordinating Committee and reviews concepts and protocols with translational aims to provide advice concerning appropriate specimen collection, processing techniques, and transport.
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