The overall goal of the proposed research is to continue to work towards determining the optimum care for children with all types of cancer. The research mechanism involves participation by pediatric investigators at the Bowman Gray School of Medicine in collaborative multidisciplinary clinical oncology protocols of the Pediatric Oncology Group as well as continued collaboration with other centers in North and South Carolina. The proposed research grant will allow for the continued participation of the Bowman Gray School of Medicine as a full member of the Pediatric Oncology Group and will provide support for our affiliate institution in Greenville, South Carolina. As a natural outgrowth of our expanding program and activities, this grant will provide for direct independent funding of the Bowman Gray School of Medicine (formerly funded as an affiliate of Duke University). Our accomplishments in the past years are described in detail in the grant proposal. Our institutional goals for the five year period of this grant include: (1) continuing our record of increasing accrual and our excellent clinical contribution to the POG, including our record of 100% patient evaluability and protocol compliance; (2) expanding our institutional involvement in the design and development of POG leukemia studies; (3) further institutional development of our interest in brain tumors and our neuro-oncology clinic, leading to increasing patient enrollment on brain tumor protocols and to investigator roles in the POG Brain Tumor Committee; (4) continuation of our strong involvement in POG Hodgkin's disease activities; (5) increasing development of late effects studies and active participation with the POG Late Effects Committee; (6) significant expansion of our role in the POG Cytogenetics Committee and the development of a second POG Cytogenetics Reference Laboratory at Bowman Gray; (7) continued major contributions to the administrative aspects of the POG, as presently exemplified by our roles on the Executive and Institutional Performance Review Committees. Finally, we plan to continue our very close working relationship with our affiliate institution in Greenville, SC with the goal of assuring optimal clinical care for all children with cancer in our referral area.
