The faculty and staff of Scott & White, Olin E. Teague Veteran's Center and Texas A&M University College of Medicine are committed to clinical and basic oncology research as part of a program of excellence in cancer care. Participation in the Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG) is a critical part of our clinical research program. Our two hospitals and associated clinics are the main teaching facilities for the Texas A&M University College of Medicine and the clinical campus is co-located at Scott & White and the VA facilities. Scott & White Hospital has 309 active beds and, in the associated clinic, 750,000 outpatients are seen per year. The Olin E. Teague VA Hospital has 510 active beds. In both hospitals there are over 2,000 new cancer patients seen per year. Our group has participated as a member institution since the inception of SWOG. Since the last granting period our program has been expanded and enhanced. The number of medical, radiation, and surgical oncologists have increased since the last year granting period: e.g., there are five new members of the Medical Oncology Division, 2 new members of Radiation Oncology and there are now 50 members of SWOG. Multi-modality therapy and collaboration in clinical research are enhanced by joint clinics, and multidisciplinary patient care conferences. Since last granting period, there have been many new initiatives in clinical research including programs in developmental biologics, breast cancer, and head and neck cancer. Our institutions have concomitantly, with development of these programs, increased our scientific contributions to SWOG and our patient accrual (e.g., we have submitted over 10 proposed studies, have three active SWOG protocols authored by our physicians and have accrued 140 patients in the last calendar year--double the number of previous years). Data management and accrual have been greatly improved by streamlined administrative procedures, hiring of a nurse clinician and third data manager and continued use of our computer-patient management system, OPRA.
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