The NCI-Navy Medical Oncology Branch studies new methods of evaluating and treating patients with malignant disease and provides general medical oncology consultations for the Naval Hospital Bethesda. Clinical investigations are carried out in patients with small cell lung cancer and other types of lung cancer (epidermoid, large cell, and adenocarcinoma), mycosis fungoides and the Sezary syndrome, lymphomas, and breast and testicular cancer. New Phase I and Phase II agents, both chemotherapeutic and immunotherapeutic, are studied. Other interests involve general medical oncology and miscellaneous cancers. Within each disease category, investigations are centered in one or more of the following areas: 1) therapeutic trials and complications of treatment; 2) staging procedures, prognostic factors, and natural history; 3) clinical cell biologic correlations; 4) review articles. Some 30 general medical oncology consultations per month are seen in the NHBETH and outpatient care (200 visits/week) provided for patients requiring chemotherapy who are not eligible for any protocol studies.
