The Michigan State University Cancer Consortium (MSUCTC) consists of the community campuses of MSU along with community cancer programs across the state, with leadership and coordination at the main MSU campus. The MSUCTC is currently treating and following 1,105 patients on long-term NSABP protocols. Accrual to protocols will continue to increase by four mechanisms: 1) Increasing the scientific and logistic support for currently active community oncologists; and 2) Recruitment of additional oncologists and surgeons to the MSUCTC. Our administrative efforts will focus on: 1) Increasing the presence of the main campus NSABP staff in the activities of our widely dispersed communities (e.g., tumor boards, grand rounds, physicians and nursing seminars, etc.); 2) Clinical trials infrastructural support by increasing local audits in order to eliminate protocol violations and decrease delinquencies; 3) Development of a specific NSABP web site for MSU affiliates; 4) Participation in pilot research projects; 5) As in the past, our group will continue to participate extensively in the NSABP activities (PI member of the board, breast committee, colon committee, protocol design group, audit group, and nursing committee. The MSUCTC has been concerned about quality of life issues, therefore, our plans are to design a pilot study of the cognitive effects of adjuvant therapy which will serve as a model for a larger NSABP trial. In addition, we will be conducting a study of acceptance and compliance with NSABP protocols in Native American communities in Michigan which will help the group design a strategy for approach to accrual of this population. Our institution has a special program to foster and monitor accrual of ethnic minorities to NSABP trials supported by NIH supplemental grants. This experience will be conveyed to the NSABP. Having a well-developed laboratory, equipped with HPLC, GLC, and Mass Spectroscopy apparatuses, our institution will offer to the group additional studies related to drug and hormone metabolites. Recently, MSU has formed a strong group developing targeted therapy. We have detected substantial changes in MAP-kinases during chemotherapy (including use of surrogate tissues) which will serve as a basis for designing pilot studies during the execution of NSABP protocols. We are in the process of preparation of a pilot protocol with patients on protocol B-30 which will be submitted to the NSABP for approval. An interdisciplinary group at MSU is studying the interrelations and abberations of cell cycle regulatory genes and gene products and their effect on tumor progression from non-invasive (DCIS) to invasive and metastatic disease. This may help to predict biologic behavior as well as treatment response. These two areas of research complement each other and may help the group design protocols with pharmacogenomic elements.
