UICC World Cancer Congress 2006

Objective: Describe the Community Clinical Oncology Program (CCOP) and its importance in supporting research to improve cancer care. The CCOP is a comprehensive clinical trials network for conducting the latest cancer prevention, treatment, and symptom management clinical trials at the community level. Created in 1983 by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the CCOP enables patients and physicians to participate in clinical trials at 61 major research centers in 34 states across the country, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Currently, NCI is supporting 44 clinical trials aimed at preventing or ameliorating disease and treatment related symptoms.

Methods: We reviewed the portfolio of currently active trials in the CCOP to determine the types and number of symptoms, types of interventions, and primary and secondary endpoints. Our review also included observational studies aimed at establishing incidence and prevalence rates of selected morbidities.

Results: Accomplishments of the CCOPs will be presented. Pain, including neuropathy, nausea and vomiting, distress, fatigue, and hot flashes are the most common symptoms under study. The most common interventions are pharmacological and complementary and alternative agents. Several studies are currently testing various agents and doses of bisphosphonates to prevent treatment related complications, i.e., osteoporosis, bone metastasis. Behavioral interventions are studied much less frequently, due in large part to the labor-intensive requirements of the interventions. The vast majority of endpoints are patient reported outcomes, such as pain, fatigue, and depression.