Duke Medical Center is currently completing its third 5-year grant cycle as a member of Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB). Throughout Duke's involvement with CALGB this institution has consistently been one of the top institutions in overall patient accrual and was recognized in 2000 and 2001 as being the leading institution both in terms of patient accrual from the main member institution as well as from a growing affiliate network. Data quality for this large number of patients both at Duke and across the affiliate network has been excellent. This high level of commitment of patient resources to cooperative group activities both intramurally and extramurally is matched by a high level of scientific participation by Duke faculty across the disease and modality committees of CALGB. Particular areas of strength include Breast Cancer and Correlative Studies, Cancer in the Elderly and Health Outcome, Leukemia/Lymphoma and Transplant, and Respiratory Cancer, Thoracic Surgery, and Correlative Studies. Pilot work in these areas has led to group wide protocols within CALGB during the current grant cycle with several concepts and proposals already developed for the next study period. Additional faculty recruitment will further expand the scientific impact of Duke within CALGB. Furthermore, the Duke Oncology Network of rural oncology clinics staffed by Duke faculty and research personnel will enhance enrollment of a more diverse population of patients on clinical trials. The success that Duke has had within CALGB in terms of scientific participation, patient accrual, and data quality stem from a longstanding commitment for the Cancer Center to clinical research and cooperative group activities. Both intramural and extramural clinical trial participation is coordinated through centralized clinical trials offices, housed within the Duke Cancer Center. The organizational structure has been developed and refined over the last 15 years under the direction of Dr. Jeffrey Crawford, who serves both as the Principal Investigator for CALGB activities, as well as Director for clinical research for the Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center. This organizational structure is further strengthened by close interaction with the CALGB Biostatistics and Data Management Center, which is headquartered at Duke under the direction of Dr. Stephen George, who is also the Director of Biostatistics for the Duke Cancer Center. As a leading institution within CALGB activities over the last 15 years, Duke is looking forward to funding support appropriate to our current and growing level of patient accrual and scientific involvement in CALGB trials during the next grant cycle.
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