The Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) has committed itself as a Research Base for the Community Clinical Oncology Program (CCOP). This application documents the current RTOG cancer control organization within which the CCOP members participate in the areas of cancer treatment studies and cancer prevention and control scientific proposals. The RTOG, with its experience and expertise in local-regional cancer treatment and control, will continue to utilize the CCOP network as one of the major components of its cancer control research program, which focuses on intervention studies in the cured and potentially curable cancer patient. This application documents the Cancer Prevention and Control (CPC) activity within the RTOG over the past two years, including completed and current intervention studies for head and neck, and skin, as well as studies addressing symptom control and chemoprevention. In addition, this proposal documents she participation of CCOP members in RTOG treatment and Cancer Control studies, as well as the involvement of RTOG members in Cancer Control studies. This proposal divides the proposed cancer control activities into four sections -intervention, late effect normal tissue (LENT), chemoprevention and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). The interventional studies will continue to dominate the CPC activities; the LENT program will study the role of cytokine dysfunction in predicting late effects; the chemoprevention program will address the potential of surrogate markers in evaluating chemopreventive agents; and the complementary alternative medicine program will provide studies to validate whether current agents can be utilized as interventional agents. The growth of each program will provide additional opportunities for CCOP members to participate in RTOG research activities and present the RTOG member with an experienced and enthusiastic group of community radiation oncologists. The administrative functions will include the Vice-Chair for Cancer Control, as well as the Chairs for each section. A Steering committee composed of Chairs of the QOL, Economic Impact, Special Population, and CCOP representation of the disease site committees will evaluate and set priorities. The Membership committee evaluates each CCOP to assure adherence to all NCI requirements. The Administrative, Protocol, Quality Assurance and Data Management Units of RTOG are utilized in initiating these cancer control trials, and the quality assurance procedures, including on-site audits, are applied to the community network. The goal is for the continued integration of the CCOPs into the RTOG to insure all members the opportunity to participate in all facets of RTOG activities in order to facilitate the transference of the latest scientific information into the community.
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