Wayne State University (WSU) - Karmanos Cancer Institute (KCI) has been an active institutional member office cooperative group system since 1972, an NCI designated Comprehensive Cancer Center since 1978, a parent institution Phase I (U01) since 1993, and a member of a Phase 1 consortium (N01) since 2000. We have an active membership in the Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG), Radiation Oncology Group (RTOG), and Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) with participation in ACRIN, ACOSOG, NSABP, and Intergroup trials through the CTSU network. We have enrolled over 5,500 patients onto cooperative group clinical trials over the past forty years and over 600 patients have been enrolled onto therapeutic and non-therapeutic trials since 2007, meeting and exceeding accrual goals in a consistent manner. Our Cancer Center is a unique urban based center of research, patient care and education which is reflected in our recruitment of minorities (24%) and women (52%) onto therapeutic cooperative group trials. All adult cooperative group qualifying Phase II and 1 protocol have been submitted through the CIRB for activation since 2009. Over the years, our faculty members have played an important role in both the administrative and scientific functions of the cooperative groups. Presently, six faculty members hold ten key leadership positions. Since 2007, 25 faculty members have been investigators or co-investigators of 121 cooperative group abstracts or manuscripts, and 18 faculty members have been PI or Co-PIs of 43 cooperative group studies. Since our inception, the cancer programs of WSU/KCI have been organized as multidisciplinary disease programs built on the premise that multidisciplinary clinical research and care provides the best treatment option for patients with cancer Accordingly, the translation of ideas into cooperative group proposals and studies and the incorporation of NCI designated high-priority trials into the WSU/KCI treatment priorities have been easily facilitated. NCI funded trials have the highest priority for activation within our institution. Dr. Lawrence Flaherty, a SWOG member since 1988 and the SWOG U-10 PI since 1996 will serve as the PI of this submission. He was the SWOG Melanoma vice Chair from 1990 until 2011 and has been Chair of the SWOG Data Safety and Monitoring Committee since 2011.
Cancer is the second leading cause of mortality in the United States and disproportionately affects minorities. Clinical research designed and conducted within a consortium of multiple institutions enables faster evaluation of novel therapies, in a variety of malignancies, across different populations nationwide. It also facilitates assessment of scientific correlates that may help assess the effects and individualize cancer therapies.
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