The faculties at Indiana University Medical Center (IUMC) have continued to contribute scientifically and administrative to ECOG. Dr. Patrick Loehrer, Sr., has been the principal investigator in this past grant period during which time he has served on a Nominating Committee, Fiscal Oversight Committee, Audit Committee, Board of Advisors, and on the ECOG Research Foundation Board. In addition, he has served as the Database Co-chair for the Genitourinary Committee and Chairman of the Testis Cancer Subcommittee. Several other current and past faculty have served or serve in leadership roles in ECOG including current faculty and members of lUMC: George Sledge (Chair: Breast Committee); Melody Cobleigh (Chair: Breast Endocrine Subcommittee), Cheryl Rutledge (Chair: Nursing Committee); Chris Fausel (Chair: Pharmacy Committee); Richard Foster (Co-Chair: Testicular Cancer Subcommittee), and Philip Bonomi (Chair, Non-Small Cell Lung). IUMC faculty has also taken the lead as principal investigators or co-PIs in a number of important Phase II and III trials. A few examples of Phase III trials include: Leukemia (E3999), Breast (E2100, E2193), Gynecologic (GLAP-2, GO 179), Testis (E3894), Renal Cell (E2898), and Pancreas (E4201). Several principal investigators and disciplines other than Medical Oncology emphasize broader participation of our faculty. Dr. Richard Foster, an urologist, is PI of the Intergroup trial on clinical stage I testicular cancer (E8897) and Dr. Higinia Cardenes, a radiation oncologist from IUMC, is PI of two Intergroup trials (GALP-2, G0179) and co-PI on E4201. In the clinical research arena, increased competition for clinical trial accrual exists in the community. During the past grant period, several affiliate members have been added in an effort to promote accrual. This includes the Goshen Hospitals, which is located in Northwestern Indiana, which serves the unique population of the Amish. Accrual to socially disadvantaged population has been problematic for a variety of reasons, most of which are surrounded by multiple medical problems which make eligibility and compliance an issue. Recently Dr. Loehrer has assigned himself to staff the Oncology Clinic at Wishard Hospital, a county hospital with a large minority patient population. In addition, Dr. Kathy Miller has been assigned to run a Breast Cancer Clinic at the same hospital. The clinic is staffed with several African-American support staff (i.e., nurse, research nurse, and social worker) that clearly understands the importance of providing access to clinical research trials to this socially and economically disadvantaged population.
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