The long-range objective of this research is to contribute to the cure of cancer in children. This will be pursued through participation in nationwide collaborative research study protocols developed and conducted by Investigators of the Childrens Cancer Study Group. The studies will focus on trials of new drugs, biologic mechanisms of cancer, comparisons of therapeutic agents singly or in combination. The pediatric oncology program of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) has three loci of clinical research and patient care which geographically virtually encompass the state of New Jersey. The University-wide structure of this program provides a patient population diverse in ethnic, cultural and socioeconomic characteristics, including large Black and Hispanic groups. The patient catchment region varies from rural farm land to highly industrialized and densely populated ones. This provides significant contributions to CCSG studies of demographic and epidemiologic factors in the etiology of childhood cancer. In 1987, 29 and 32 patients were entered on therapeutic (T) and non-therapeutic (NT) studies, respectively. With the current growth rate of the UMDNJ-CCSG program and an increased number of CCSG studies expected to be available in the near future, it is predicted that by 1993 entry on T and NT studies will be at least 65 and 72, respectively. An emerging relationship with the Center for Molecular Medicine and Immunology (CMMI) in Newark, New Jersey is expected to develop into pilot and Group-wide studies of tumor-specific monoclonal antibodies both for tumor imaging and therapy. CMMI has the expert staff and facilities to be an invaluable collaborative resource for such research, both clinical and basic, and UMDNJ-CCSG will act to facilitate the relationships for studies of childhood cancer, locally and on a Group level.
