This is a continuation application from the Atlanta Regional Community Clinical Oncology Program (ARCCOP), which was first funded in 1987. The ARCCOP has grown to a consortium of eight hospitals (one component and seven affiliate institutions) that completely surround the Atlanta metropolitan area. Over the past five years, 472 patients have been enrolled in treatment trials and 253 in cancer control studies. The ARCCOP has primarily been successful in accomplishing the specific aims developed for the last proposal: coordinate and expand existing hospital resources; continue operational excellence and active participation among all ARCCOP institutions; meet/surpass clinical treatment protocol accrual; meet/surpass cancer control protocol accrual; collaborate with research bases (SWOG, NSABP, MDACC, RTOG, URCC); refine the data management system; maintain and expand the quality assurance program; maintain investigator standards; increase involvement of primary care physicians; maintain/support strong community cancer programs; disseminate information from NCI and the research bases; and assist the NCI in reducing cancer incidence, morbidity and mortality. Plans for the next funding cycle include continuation of these goals as well as seeking active leadership roles within the ARCCOP research bases and the Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC) to facilitate excellence in the clinical trials process and to serve as an active resource for the NCI Clinical Trials Implementation Committee. The ARCCOP was designated as a clinical site for both the Breast Cancer Prevention Trial (BCPT)I and the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial (PCPT). Over 100 participants were enrolled in each trial by the ARCCOP during the years of accrual. Plans for the immediate future of the ARCCOP include application to be a clinical site for the Study of Raloxifene and Tamoxifen (STAR) trial from NSABP and the next Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial from SWOG. Successful research base audits have proven the ARCCOP quality assurance mechanisms effective and attest to the experience of the investigators and the leadership and organizational skill of the key personnel. Renewed funding will allow this outstanding research program to continue to assist the NCI in reducing cancer incidence, morbidity and mortality by assisting the transfer of new technologies to widespread community application.
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