The purpose of WRAMC research is the investigation of multi modal treatment and cancer biology in adult patients with neoplastic diseases in collaboration with other member institutions in the CALGB. In the past five years protocol accrual had slowly drifted down from an average of 125/year in the prior five years to 109/year in the last five years with a nadir accrual of 77 in 1995. It became clear that reorganization and renewed commitment of WRAMC investigators was essential to our continued success. Multiple investigators were enlisted to spearhead the WRAMC effort in the different disease and modality arenas, based on their individual expertise. CALGB protocol activation rose dramatically from a nadir of 5 in 1995 to 18 in 1996 (260 percent increase). CALGB accrual concomitantly soared from 77 in 1995 to 146 in 1996 (90 percent increase). Attendance at group meetings rose 76 percent this last five years over the previous similar time period. Co-Investigators are taking increased leadership roles. Dr. Diehl is the Study Chair of the next phase III intergroup trial in stage I/II Hodgkin Disease. Dr. Byrd is chairing the next CALGB phase II/III trial in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Furthermore, calling on military alliances, WRAMC added its first two affiliates, the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland and the Naval Medical Center in Portsmouth, Virginia, two of the top three Navy Medical Centers. These affiliations will not only increase accrual to CALGB studies, but compliment WRAMC's expertise by adding cutting-edge cancer research in colon, lung and breast cancer, in particular, as well as providing the oncologic care for the Navy and the NCI, opens a tremendous potential avenue for extramural-intramural scientific collaboration. The commitment by the Molecular Pathology Branch of the AFIP to serve as a designated laboratory for the next CLL correlative science study further expands WRAMC's potential group contributions. As WRAMC expands its clinical research program, it is critical that it continues to emphasize quality data management, which in 1996 was labeled """"""""excellent"""""""". As accrual is expected to steadily increase, due to new affiliates and increased investigator involvement, enhanced support for additional clinical research associates becomes essential to success.
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