Originality, benefits and difficulties of clinical research performed by cooperative groups: the experience of an Italian Lung Cancer Study Group.
In the past years, clinical research performed by cooperative groups achieved important results. The trials of adjuvant chemotherapy in breast and colorectal cancer or neoadjuvant treatment in osteosarcoma are cornerstones in the history of medical oncology and highlight the importance of research performed by cooperative groups. However, there are many difficulties for the functioning of cooperative groups: financial support, slow enrollment of patients in clinical trials, insurance related problems and quality control of clinical research. In the last few years, our group focused its interest on lung cancer, both small cell and non-small cell. The group is composed of experts from various disciplines in oncology. The clinical interest of the group has focused on two aspects of lung cancer: quality of life and treatment of elderly patients. Our group is giving significant contributions to the field of lung cancer. Today, large controlled clinical trials are ongoing.
Gridelli
C
C
Divisione di Oncologia Medica B, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, via M. Semmola 3, 80131, Naples, Italy. cgridelli@sirio-oncology.it
Daniele
B
B
D000368:Aged; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008495:Medical Oncology / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards*; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012106:Research / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards