History
The group that was to become known as the CALGB got its roots when James F. Holland initiated a clinical trial for acute leukemia in 1953 while at the National Cancer Institute. In 1954, before the trial was complete, Holland moved to Roswell Park Memorial Institute, but the new chief of oncology Gordon Zubrod at the NCI agreed to continue the trial, and a multicenter trial was thus born. In 1955, Congress granted $5 million for the study of chemotherapy and began the Chemotherapy National Service Center which was headquartered at the NCI. An interinstitutional protocol for the treatment of leukemia was started by Tom Frei at the NCI, involving 3 groups: NCI, RPMI, and Children's Hospital in Buffalo.
In 1956, this group was designated the Acute Leukemia Group B by the Chemotherapy National Service Center, and Frei became its chairman. (There was also an Acute Leukemia Group A, which later became the Children's Cancer Study Group.) During this time, the group expanded to a national level. Holland became the new chairman in 1962 after Frei resigned. The group changed its name to Cancer and Leukemia Group B in 1976 to reflect its role with solid tumors as well as leukemia.
In March 2011, CALGB merged with two other cooperative groups - the American College of Surgeons Oncology Group (ACOSOG)and North Central Cancer Treatment Group (NCCTG) to form The Alliance for Clinical Trails in Oncology. This wad due to the call in April 2010 from the Institute of Medicine to strengthen and streamline operations among NCI clinical trials cooperative group programs. In June 2010, ACOSOG, CALGB and NCCTG integrated their statistical, data management and information technology functions. Having already merged some functions, the three groups began evaluating the possibility of full integration to further streamline operations, expand their scientific research opportunities, and apply for funding as a new, larger cooperative group.
In June 2011, governing boards of ACOSOG, CALGB and NCCTG endorsed a proposed Alliance constitution, bylaws and transition plan. The Transition Alliance Board of Directors then ratified the constitution and elected a new Group Chair (Monica M. Bertagnolli, MD), along with board members to serve on the Executive Committee. The first Alliance Group Meeting was held in November 2011 in Chicago, IL. The merger is anticipated to be completed by 2014.
Read more about this topic: Cancer And Leukemia Group B
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