The Cedar Rapids Oncology Project (CROP) aims to build on the more than 20 year history of providing access to NCI sponsored cancer treatment and prevention clinical trials to the people in Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois. Cancer remains one of the leading causes of death in the United States. The statistics from the American Cancer Society show a very slight trend in lower incidence and mortality this year. Controlled scientific clinical trials are necessary to sustain and improve this trend. CROP epitomizes the CCOP program with its location in a community oncology practice and its ability to provide the latest cancer treatment to patients without the need to travel to a major cancer center. This allows patients to receive the most current treatments close to home and community physicians to use and stay current with the latest cancer treatments. CROP was funded as a CCOP in 1990 and serves an eleven county area of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois with a population base of approximately 500,000. The CCOP is a consortium that includes a community based oncology practice and two community hospitals in Cedar Rapids, and Trinity Medical Center in Moline IL, where three oncology practices are located. About 60% of the cancer care in this region is provided by the CCOP components. The CCOP's primary research base membership is the NCCTG and it is an affiliate member of ECOG. The treating locations also access clinical trials through the CTSU. The CCOP has been a site for all the national cancer prevention studies and continues to follow STAR and SELECT participants. The CCOP has an established structure for governance, financial management and IRB oversight. Eighteen years of CCOP experience and over 20 years of clinical trial experience has produced a cohesive and knowledgeable team of investigators and a stable and highly experienced research staff who consistently submit high quality data on time. Over the past five years, the CCOP has met its accrual targets with 261 treatment credits and 261 cancer control credits. The CCOP's successful performance is documented by the accompanying research base evaluations and detailed research plan.
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