The Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh (CHP) is the pediatric arm of the Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (PCI). The pediatric cancer center for Western PA., Eastern Ohio, and Northern W.Va., and an active member of the Children's Cancer Study Group (CCSG) since 1961. Our multidisciplinary pediatric oncology team includes 7 oncologists, 5 surgeons (including neuro and orthopedic), radiation oncologists, diagnostic radiologists, tumor pathologists, a hematopathologist, a cytogeneticist, a neurologist, an epidemiologist, a cardiologist, a developing bone marrow transplant program plus psychology and psychiatric liaison and a complete support team (Nursing, data managers, social service. etc.). Our primary aim is to increase scientific contributions to CCSG through expansion of our laboratory and clinical research base, increased committee involvement, and maximum participation in CCSG studies with emphasis on increasing participation in biologic and epidemiologic studies as well as full participation in therapeutic studies. We presently enter 93 patients per year on CCSG studies with an increasing number of biologic specimens provided. Among the scientific contributions to CCSG during the current grant periods were: discovering a malignant brain tumor rate 226 times the expected for children """"""""cured"""""""" of ALL on CCG-141, osteogenic sarcoma survival is significantly improved if 50% or greater tumor cells are necrosed following preoperative chemotherapy; medulobastomas can be separated into prognostic groups to permit meaningful studies. The addition of Neurology, Epidemiology, Cytogenetics, and Bone Marrow Transplant to our oncology team en- ables us to increase our scientific contributions and leadership to benefit CCSG immediately. Non-CCSG laboratory and clinical cancer research now underway by members of our team will benefit CCSG in the future: The inter-action of hormonal growth factors with cancer cells; identification of histochemical and immunologic markers for a variety of solid tumors; flow cytometry and ALL-ANLL monoclonal antibodies; chromosome fragility (breakage) in leukemia bone marrow cells and their relationship to the oncogenic process; neurochemical approaches to the therapy of neuroblastoma; clinically, as apart of the PA. Pediatric Oncology Network, we surveyed long term cancer survivors to document the late effects of therapy on growth and development, and on neuropsychologic function. Planned are Phase I investigations with PCI of biologic modifiers (II-2) in the treatment of pediatric malignancies. The now open, new CHP physical plant with increased oncology research space will help to fulfil our primary aim.
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