The Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) is a cooperative group of 50 principal member institutions and 125 affiliate institutions with the major goal to investigate, in a multidisciplinary setting, approaches to improve the management of patients with gynecologic cancer. Founded in 1970, the GOG is the only cooperative group which focuses exclusively on pelvic malignancies in women. The long term objectives of the GOG are: (1) Provide an appropriate vehicle to test innovative new idea. for the management of patient. with gynecologic cancer in trial. ranging from the simple pilot to the large phase III study. (2) Foster interdisciplinary collaboration as a part of this effort. (3) Improve patient care by developing studies of significant questions, expeditiously accruing sufficient patients to provide meaningful conclusions, and reporting the results in a timely fashion. (4) Set by example high standards for clinical research in gynecologic cancer and disseminate these standards to the GoG and the surrounding community. (5) Encourage intergroup collaborative efforts where appropriate to expedite completion of trials, particularly those in less common neoplasms. (6) Undertake new initiatives in the form of three special studies committees in developmental therapeutics, tumor biology and applied science, and quality of life assessment to enhance evolution of innovative concepts for clinical trials. (7) Pursue, in cooperation with the Human Tissue Network, the collection of tissue and serum specimens in order to provide investigators both within and outside the GOG access to large numbers of specimens for basic research. The GOG has greatly enhanced its ability to fulfill these objectives in the last five years through the adoption of a per capita reimbursement method for funding of institutions, the active recruitment of new institutions, and the improved development of exciting and/or innovative trials. Several examples illustrate this. During this period, principal member institutions have increased from 37 to 50. Accrual has increased from 1501 in 1988 to 2197 in 1992 as a direct reflection. More importantly, accrual to phase III studies has risen from 521 in 1988 to 1237 in 1992. Eight major phase III trials have been completed during the last four years, and thirteen phase III trials are currently active. Results of these studies have yielded improved approaches for advanced ovarian carcinoma, advanced endometrial carcinoma, and bulky stage IB cervix cancer. This application presents a more detailed case for continued funding support for the GOG.
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