SARC (Sarcoma Alliance for Research through Collaboration) is a consortium of oncologists who collaborate on research endeavors and will be the sponsor of this symposium. SARC is registered in the state of Michigan as a 501.c.3 non-profit organization. It is organized as a directorship. The board of directors includes Laurence H. Baker, DO (University of Michigan Cancer Center) Executive Director, Robert Benjamin, MD (MD Anderson Cancer Center) Vice-President, Lee Helman, MD (NCI-Pediatric Branch) Secretary and Robert Maki, MD, PhD, (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center) Treasurer. SARC facilitates dialogue and collaboration among sarcoma researchers and clinicians, assists in the development and dissemination of protocols for clinical trials and information relating to sarcoma research and the results of clinical trials, administers research grants and funding for clinical trials, and acts as a primary resource for those treating sarcoma. Sponsoring of the planned scientific symposium fits well with the mission and goals of SARC. The symposium, Evaluating Clinical Benefit in Sarcomas, will be held November 11, 2004 as part of the international meeting of the Connective Tissue Oncology Society in Montreal, Quebec. The purpose of this symposium is to review imaging studies to evaluate patients with sarcoma, compare and contrast response to therapy as evaluated by RECIST criteria vs. newer approaches including functional imaging with CT and/or MRI and PET, and to determine if alternate criteria either functional or anatomic provide clinical advantage versus RECIST. While the focus of this conference is sarcomas, these discussions are appropriate to other solid tumors. Speakers will be radiologists and medical oncologists. The intended audience is the FDA, the NCI and oncologists. The ultimate goal is to publish the proceedings of this meeting.
