Children's Oncology Group
Encyclopedia
The Children’s Oncology Group (COG), a National Cancer Institute
(NCI) supported clinical trials group, is the world’s largest organization devoted exclusively to childhood and adolescent cancer
research. The COG unites more than 7,500 experts in childhood cancer at more than 200 leading children’s hospitals, universities, and cancer centers across North America, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe in the fight against childhood cancer.
Today, more than 90% of 13,500 children and adolescents diagnosed with cancer each year in the United States are cared for at Children’s Oncology Group member institutions. COG’s unparalleled collaborative efforts provide the information and support needed to answer important clinical questions in the fight against cancer.
The Children’s Oncology Group has nearly 100 active clinical trials open at any given time. These trials include front-line treatment for many types of childhood cancers, studies aimed at determining the underlying biology of these diseases, and trials involving new and emerging treatments, supportive care, and survivorship.
The Children’s Oncology Group research has turned children’s cancer from a virtually incurable disease 50 years ago to one with a combined 5-year survival rate of 80% today. Their goal is to cure all children and adolescents with cancer, reduce the short and long-term complications of cancer treatments, and determine the causes and find ways to prevent childhood cancer.
(CCG), Pediatric Oncology Group
(POG), Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Study Group
(IRS), and the National Wilms Tumor Study Group
(NWTS).
(QARC). As mandated by the National Cancer Institute
(NCI), every radiotherapy (RT) department participating in an COG study submits their data to QARC for review. QARC is located in Lincoln, Rhode Island
and reviews thousands of RT cases per year. The center was founded in 1977 as a not-for-profit health care organization designed to provide quality assurance for CALGB studies. Radiotherapy data from around one-thousand hospitals in both the United States
and abroad is reviewed and archived at QARC.
Another center for quality assurance is the Radiological Physics Center
(RPC) in Houston, Texas
. The primary responsibility of the RPC is to assure the National Cancer Institute
(NCI) and its cooperative groups like COG that all participating institutions are following the basic guidelines regarding the physics-related aspects of radiotherapy. Established in 1968, the RPC has consistently received funding from the NCI in order to perform the aforementioned mission.
National Cancer Institute
The National Cancer Institute is part of the National Institutes of Health , which is one of 11 agencies that are part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The NCI coordinates the U.S...
(NCI) supported clinical trials group, is the world’s largest organization devoted exclusively to childhood and adolescent cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
research. The COG unites more than 7,500 experts in childhood cancer at more than 200 leading children’s hospitals, universities, and cancer centers across North America, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe in the fight against childhood cancer.
Today, more than 90% of 13,500 children and adolescents diagnosed with cancer each year in the United States are cared for at Children’s Oncology Group member institutions. COG’s unparalleled collaborative efforts provide the information and support needed to answer important clinical questions in the fight against cancer.
The Children’s Oncology Group has nearly 100 active clinical trials open at any given time. These trials include front-line treatment for many types of childhood cancers, studies aimed at determining the underlying biology of these diseases, and trials involving new and emerging treatments, supportive care, and survivorship.
The Children’s Oncology Group research has turned children’s cancer from a virtually incurable disease 50 years ago to one with a combined 5-year survival rate of 80% today. Their goal is to cure all children and adolescents with cancer, reduce the short and long-term complications of cancer treatments, and determine the causes and find ways to prevent childhood cancer.
History
The Children's Oncology Group was formed in 2000 as a merger of four independent cooperative groups; the Children's Cancer Study GroupChildren's Cancer Study Group
The Children's Cancer Study Group was a U.S. and Canadian clinical trial cooperative group created with the mission of studying childhood cancers. The CCG was originally known as Cancer and Leukemia Group A when it was associated with CALGB. In 2000, the CCG merged with several other pediatric...
(CCG), Pediatric Oncology Group
Pediatric Oncology Group
The Pediatric Oncology Group was a U.S. and Canadian clinical trial cooperative group created with the mission of studying childhood cancers. It was formed by the merger of the pediatric divisions of two other cooperative groups, the Southwest Oncology Group and the CALGB...
(POG), Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Study Group
Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Study Group
The Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Study Group was a U.S. and Canadian clinical trial cooperative group created with the mission of studying childhood cancers. In 2000, IRS merged with several other pediatric cooperative groups to form the Children's Oncology Group...
(IRS), and the National Wilms Tumor Study Group
National Wilms Tumor Study Group
The National Wilms Tumor Study Group is a cancer research cooperative group in the United States formed to study a type of kidney tumor that affects children called Wilms' tumor. In 2001, NWTS merged with several other pediatric oncology cooperative groups to create the Children's Oncology Group...
(NWTS).
Quality Assurance
The Children's Oncology Group has all of its protocol-driven cases reviewed at the Quality Assurance Review CenterQuality Assurance Review Center
The Quality Assurance Review Center is a research program within the University of Massachusetts Medical School that provides radiotherapy quality assurance , diagnostic imaging data management, and clinical research support...
(QARC). As mandated by the National Cancer Institute
National Cancer Institute
The National Cancer Institute is part of the National Institutes of Health , which is one of 11 agencies that are part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The NCI coordinates the U.S...
(NCI), every radiotherapy (RT) department participating in an COG study submits their data to QARC for review. QARC is located in Lincoln, Rhode Island
Lincoln, Rhode Island
Lincoln is a town in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 21,105 at the 2010 census. Lincoln is located in northeastern Rhode Island, north of Providence....
and reviews thousands of RT cases per year. The center was founded in 1977 as a not-for-profit health care organization designed to provide quality assurance for CALGB studies. Radiotherapy data from around one-thousand hospitals in both the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and abroad is reviewed and archived at QARC.
Another center for quality assurance is the Radiological Physics Center
Radiological Physics Center
-Mission statement:The mission of the Radiological Physics Center is to assure NCI and the Cooperative Groups that institutions participating in clinical trials deliver prescribed radiation doses that are clinically comparable and consistent....
(RPC) in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
. The primary responsibility of the RPC is to assure the National Cancer Institute
National Cancer Institute
The National Cancer Institute is part of the National Institutes of Health , which is one of 11 agencies that are part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The NCI coordinates the U.S...
(NCI) and its cooperative groups like COG that all participating institutions are following the basic guidelines regarding the physics-related aspects of radiotherapy. Established in 1968, the RPC has consistently received funding from the NCI in order to perform the aforementioned mission.
External links
- Children's Oncology Group – website
- CureSearch – COG and National Childhood Cancer Foundation website with trial and educational information
- Quality Assurance Review Center
- Radiological Physics Center
- National Cancer Institute
- National Institutes of Health
- caBIG
- Stanford research on cancer related learning problems