The Southwest Oncology Group, first organized as a pediatric oncology group in 1956, has evolved into an adult multi-disease, multi-modality clinical research organization. This organization has grown to include 34 Full Member Institutions, 26 Community Clinical Oncology Program (CCOP) institutions, including 7 Minority-Based CCOPs, 23 Urologic Cancer Outreach Program (UCOP) members, 25 High Priority program members and a network of approximately 1,008 Cooperative Group Outreach Program (CGOP) investigators at 291 affiliate hospitals. In addition, 20 Group institutions also participate in the CTEP Minority Initiative Program, which serves to enhance minority accrual in cancer clinical trials. Approximately 3,542 oncologists, representing all research modalities, are members of the Group and actively participate in the registration of patients to oncology protocols. This Competitive Renewal Application is submitted to fund the Southwest Oncology Group to continue its unparalleled successes in accrual contributions in excess of 8,000 patients per year and timely completion of innovative, high quality cancer clinical trials. The scientific thrust of this Group is through the multidisciplinary disease-oriented committees, which collaborate in the design and development of the Group's therapeutic and ancillary trials. Significant components of this application include a major emphasis of this cooperative group to increase minority participation in clinical trials through the addition of seven Minority-based CCOPS, participation of 20 Group institutions in the CTEP Minority Initiative Program and the formation of a Minorities Subcommittee in the Cancer Control Research Committee. Accrual of women to Group clinical trials has also been highlighted as a significant priority of the Group; the formation of a Women's Task Force has been formed to specifically address women's clinical cancer research issues and serve as the liaison for the Group and NCI's Women's Health Initiative. The Southwest Oncology Group also continues to promote and strengthen its internationally-known expertise in cancer control and prevention research through the efforts of the Cancer Control Research Committee, particularly in the areas of quality of life and chemoprevention. The Southwest Oncology Group has also developed a series of new scientific initiatives to target tumor biology studies and clinical correlates. Tumor Biology Subcommittees of specific Disease Committees have been formed and have developed supplemental applications to this Renewal for funding of new projects. Proposals by these and other Group committees are submitted for the following programs: sarcoma biology, central myeloma immunophenotyping laboratory, solid tumor repository, solid tumor cytogenetics, thoracic surgical clinical trials, breast prognostic factors and breast flow cytometry. An Initiative on Women's Health application is also submitted to request funding support for the development and implementation of research initiatives to address women's issues in the Group with respect to cancer clinical trials.
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