The University of Chicago Joint Section of Hematology/Oncology at Mitchell Hospital and Michael Reese Hospital, Chicago, Illinois became a member of the Cancer & Leukemia Group B (CALGB) in 2/85, entered it's first patient on CALGB protocols 3/1/85, received NIH/NCI funding on 9/30/86, and entered 187 patients on group protocols by 6/1/87. Our current rate of accrual is 75-80 patients/year. The Joint Section has excellent cancer research facilities with 26 full-time faculty, 6 research associates, 6 private practitioners in oncology, 11 nurse oncologists and 13 fellows in addition to multiple laboratory technicians and secretaries. There are three in-patient units; a 24 bed hematology unit at The University of Chicago Medical Center (UCMC), a 24 bed oncology unit at UCMC, and a 36 bed hematology/oncology unit at Michael Reese Medical Center (MRMC). In addition, a data management unit exists at each medical center. We bring a long tradition of excellent independent research to the CALGB. In the past 2 years of CALGB membership, the Joint Section has expended considerable resources on CALGB activities. Nineteen of our 26 physicians have entered patients on protocols. Over 400 hours have been spent by section members directly on CALGB group wide activities. Larger number of hours have been spent by fellows, research nurses, and data managers coordinating patient entry. Chicago faculty members sit on 14 CALGB committees, chair 4 CALGB protocols, and will chair 4 additional protocols this year. Our laboratories in cytogenetics, molecular biology and hematopathology have fully supported and lead group activities. Our plans for the coming years include increasing patient accrual within the Joint Section to 100 patients/year by 1990 and adding several new adjunct institutions whose accrual by 1990 should total 30-40 patients/year. New initiatives in cytogenetics and gene mapping, molecular biology, pharmacology, biological response modifiers and high dose chemotherapy with autologous bone marrow protection are planned or in several cases have already been initiated. We plan to provide clinical leadership to the CALGB by means of protocol chairmanships in present and future studies. Lastly, our participation on the Board of Directors (Drs. Golomb and Schilsky) as well as the Leukemia (Dr. Golomb), Respiratory (Dr. Vogelzang), Chemotherapy (Drs. Schilsky and Ratain), Radiation Therapy (Ms. Grimmer), and Transplantation (Dr. Bitran) Committees will be major. Administrative support will be provided in the Oncology Nursing (Ms. Grimmer) Data Management (Ms. Skosey), Cancer Control (Dr. Hoffman), Data Audit (Dr. Vogelzang), and Cytogenetics Review (Dr. Le Beau) Committees.
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