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Welcome to the NRG Oncology eNewsletter
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Study Highlight & New Protocols Under Development
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NRG-GU011, the “NRG-PROMETHEAN” Study Video Feature
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Over the next few NRG newsletters, we will be featuring some video interviews regarding a handful of currently active trials in the NRG portfolio. Below, Dr. Bridget Koontz, the Principal Investigator of NRG-GU011, the “NRG-PROMETHEAN” study, discusses the phase II, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial of prostate oligometastatic radiotherapy with or without androgen deprivation therapy in oligometastatic prostate cancer.
Go to www.YouTube.com/@NRGOnc for more NRG video content.
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New Protocols Under Development | |
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Julian Hong, M.D., M.S.: Steward of Cancer Care Delivery Research and Innovation
Cancer Care Delivery Research (CCDR) is a multidisciplinary science that seeks to improve clinical outcomes and patient well-being by intervening on the patient, provider, and organizational factors that influence care delivery. Many CCDR investigators develop and implement tools informed by experimental and/or clinical data, as well as computer modeling (i.e., “in silico”). The latter may particularly inform personalized medical tools and approaches optimizing care delivery. Responsive to CCDR innovation, NRG Oncology’s CCDR committee recruited Dr. Julian Hong to inform and expand the CCDR Committee’s research agenda.
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NRG NCORP Solicits PILOT Projects for Health Disparities Research Priorities
NRG Oncology NCORP solicits PILOT projects addressing NRG NCORP Health Disparities Research (HDR) priorities. PILOT projects should generate preliminary data and address feasibility issues to inform the development of a future NCORP concept. The current focus of HDC is to move past simply documenting outcome differences to the development and testing of interventions to remedy them. Applications for this award should address committee priorities including:
- Focus 1. Development of interventional studies to decrease health disparities among disparity populations, including racial and ethnic minorities, residents in rural geographic areas, and individuals from other medically underserved groups.
- Focus 2. Testing interventional studies for optimal care of at-risk elderly.
- Focus 3. Identify optimal access to cancer screening, treatment, symptom management and surveillance among diverse disparity populations.
Please see full details located on the NRG Health Disparities Committee webpage.
Applications are due by 5pm ET, Friday, February 17, 2023.
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NRG-CC005/FORTE Site Implementation Guide: Part 1
Now that you have activated the NRG-CC005 protocol at your site, what should you do next?
Is your site active across social media platforms? Reach out to your institution’s Public Relations Department and let them know about the FORTE trial. Talk to them about how important it is to get the word out about the trial and let them know about the social media efforts already in place for FORTE at the national level.
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Recently Activated NRG Patient Study Webpages
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NRG Launches Patient Webpages for NRG-BN011 and the INNOVATE Study (NRG-GU008)
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NRG-BN011 is a phase II trial will be testing if the addition of Lomustine (Gleostine) to the usual treatment of temozolomide and radiotherapy improves outcomes for patients with newly diagnosed MGMT methylated glioblastoma who have not received treatment other than surgery for their disease.
The patient webpage is available at:
https://www.nrgoncology.org/BN011
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The NRG-GU008 trial (the “INNOVATE” study) is a phase III study for patients with node-positive prostate cancer and need further treatment after their prostatectomy. This trial is testing if the addition of apalutamide to the usual hormone therapy with radiotherapy improves outcomes for patients.
The patient webpage is available at: https://www.nrgoncology.org/INNOVATE
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These webpages can act as a helpful resource that physicians can share with potentially eligible patients for more regarding the study and some quick Frequently Asked Questions. Patients are also able to navigate to these webpages to learn more about trials that may be of interest to them. Be sure to look for our posts on NRG Oncology’s social media channels and share the messages about all study patient webpages.
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Best Wishes to Yan Lin, PhD
After 3 years with the University of Pittsburgh’s NRG Oncology Statistics and Data Management Center (SDMC), Dr. Yan Lin has resigned her role supporting trials for the Breast and Colorectal committees, effective October 31st, 2022. During her time with the NRG SDMC, Dr. Lin made notable impacts within her primary areas of interest including the design, implementation, and analysis of cancer clinical trials, biomarker development, statistical genetics, and analysis of high-dimensional data. We send Dr. Lin our gratitude for her contributions to the NRG SDMC and wish her the best of luck with her future endeavors in the pharmaceutical industry.
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NRG Protocol Support Committee (PSC) Column
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NRG Meeting PSC Information
Written by the NRG Oncology PSC Education & Training Working Group
The NRG Oncology Winter meeting is fast approaching! The Protocol Support Committee (PSC) has been working hard to put together two days of programing specifically for our clinical trial nurse (CTN) and clinical research associate (CRA) members. We are excited to share a sneak peek of what to expect at the 2023 NRG Oncology Winter Meeting:
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Dr. Wolmark Receives Brinker Award
Congratulations to NRG Oncology Group Chair, Norman Wolmark, MD, on receiving the Brinker Award for Scientific Distinction in Clinical Research during the 2022 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS). Dr. Wolmark gave his Brinker Award lecture titled “The Contribution of NSABP Clinical Trials to the Management of Early Breast Cancer: Past as Prologue” during the award ceremony at SABCS. Susan G. Komen created the Brinker Award to honor leading scientists who have made the most significant advances in breast cancer research and medicine. Dr. Wolmark received the award due to his significant contributions to patient care and his instrumental involvement in establishing breast-conserving surgery as the standard of care for invasive and non-invasive breast cancer, on top of many decades of work dedicated to improving lives for patients with breast cancer. Read more
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Dr. Geyer named to leadership position at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center
Our congratulations to Charles E. Geyer, Jr., MD, on being named co-director of the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center’s NCI National Clinical Trials Network efforts. Dr. Geyer will work closely with Norman Wolmark, MD, director of the program, NRG Oncology Group Chair, and NSABP Foundation chairman, and with other UPMC breast cancer program leaders to develop and implement investigator-initiated clinical trials. In addition to Dr. Geyer’s role at UPMC, he is vice chair of the NRG Oncology Breast Cancer Committee, and chief scientific officer of the NSABP Foundation.
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NRG Oncology Announces Leadership of New Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, New Vice Chair for Ancillary Projects Committee
NRG Oncology, a National Cancer Institute (NCI) National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN) group focused on improving outcomes for adults with cancer through international clinical research, recently announced the appointed leadership of the organization’s new Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee. Additionally, the group announced a change in the leadership of their Ancillary Projects Committee.
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Social Media Ambassadors wanted for #NRG2023
Looking for a few good folks – in-person or virtual! Apply now to be a #NRG2023 Social Media Ambassador for the NRG Oncology Winter Meeting being held in January 26-28, 2023 in Orlando, FL! If interested, please send an e-mail (& please include your Twitter handle) to: shepardm@nrgoncology.org or send us a DM on Twitter by January 16.
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