The transformational advances in cancer biology and technologies to characterize cancers at a molecular level, combined with the rapid expansion of novel drugs and cellular therapies, mandates a fundamental re- evaluation of clinical trial design and delivery to ensure maximal patient and societal benefits. The Canadian Cancer Trials Group (CCTG) has strong partnerships with US investigators and groups within the NCTN, which emphasize international collaboration to conduct definitive practice-changing trials, trials in rare cancers settings, and trials testing precision-medicine strategies. As the Canadian Collaborating Clinical Trials Network (CCCTN) of the NCTN, CCTG expands NCTN's scientific expertise by: 1) Involving the best and brightest within its network in NCTN leadership roles; 2) Increasing clinical trial capacity through its national network, which includes all centres in Canada; and, 3) Facilitates access to Canadian patients, which is particularly important for trials testing interventions in rare populations. CCTG contributes to scientific concept development, accrual, biospecimen collection, and network leadership, and has expertise in instrumental components of trial conduct (including information technology and regulations). CCTG develops and participates in NCTN adult cancer trial portfolios in breast, lung, urological, and gastrointestinal malignancies, in uncommon/rare settings of unmet need such as hematological, skin, brain and head and neck cancers, and includes adolescents and young adults on AYA trials. In addition, CCTG capitalizes on opportunities to extend its scope of trial activity to include surgical and lifestyle interventions and imaging and digital health endpoints. Research incorporates translational science and other correlative endpoints to enrich information derived from NCTN trials and methods and technology development to improve clinical trial designs, endpoints, and execution. Finally, CCTG contributes trial datasets from NCTN trials as part of its data sharing policy. As the CCCTN, CCTG, Canada's largest and most experienced clinical trials unit, creates and delivers innovative strategies that arise from the NCTN accelerating the translation of scientific advances into improvements in cancer treatments improving the lives of children, adolescents, and adults diagnosed with cancer.
As the Canadian Collaborating Clinical Trial Network, the Canadian Cancer Trials Group (CCTG) enhances NCTN's capacity to conduct innovative and potentially practice-changing trials. CCTG's scientific and regulatory expertise and national network of Canadian researchers contributes strategic and operational expertise, leverages Canadian infrastructure and resources to develop new trial proposals, increases the pool of potential trial participants for precision medicine, rare cancer and large definitive trials, and ensures efficient and effective oversight of NCTN trial conduct in Canada. The single most important benefit to public health realized is the improvement in the quantity and quality of survival of patients with cancer. By facilitating the conduct of trials that examine questions developed and driven by clinicians and that take advantage of emerging science and new cancer therapies, patients will have earlier access to new treatments, and results will be translated into practice, policy and improved cancer outcomes.
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