E-Newsletter - November 2015

Alliance Convenes 2015 Fall Group Meeting November 5-8

The Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology will convene its 2015 Fall Group Meeting in Chicago November 5-8. Scientists, clinical research professionals, patient advocates and others interested in the latest developments in cancer research are expected to attend the four-day meeting at the Loews Chicago O’Hare Hotel. Meeting attendees will select from nearly 70 disease, modality, administrative and special sessions to attend led by distinguished oncology researchers and clinical trial specialists from across the country. This meeting will showcase novel and innovative cancer control, prevention, and treatment trials that are conducted by investigators through a multidisciplinary academic and community research network, which is part of the NCI National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN) and Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP).

MEETING HIGHLIGHTS
Plenary Session
Friday, November 6 | 10 am-12 pm

Monica M. Bertagnolli, MD, Group Chair of the Alliance, will provide opening remarks and introductions of session speakers who will discuss cancer drug development and details about three important Alliance and AFT trials.
-- This year’s Richard L. Schilsky CALGB Achievement Award recipient will be announced during this session and will present on the role of the Alliance in his/her research career and reflect on their involvement in the group.
-- Mark J. Ratain, MD, of University of Chicago, will present The Principles of Dose Selection: Oncology is No Longer Different.  He will discuss how drug development for anti-cancer agents has changed and explain how the changes in technology have allowed better dose selection in the study of oncology agents.
-- Walter R. Peters, MD, MBA, of Columbia Surgical Associates, will present A Phase III Prospective, Randomized Trial Comparing Laparoscopic-assisted Resection Versus Open Resection for Rectal Cancer. He will discuss the history of surgery in the treatment of the patient population, the goals and results of this trial that was originally initiated by the American College of Surgery Oncology Group and completed by the Alliance.
-- J. Kellogg Parsons, MD, of University of California, San Diego Moores Cancer Center, will present Men’s EAting and Living (MEAL) Study. He will discuss the results of the study and the role of diet in prostate cancer.
-- Erica L. Mayer, MD, MPH, of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, will present PALbociclib Collaborative Adjuvant Study: (PALLAS). She will discuss the recent clinical data for palbociclib and the study rationale and design.

American College of Surgeons Clinical Research Program (ACS CRP) Special Session
Friday, November 6 | 9 am-10 am
This special session will feature Heidi Nelson, MD, of Mayo Clinic, who will present The Future of Surgical Research Within the Changing Landscape of Research Funding. She will discuss emerging scientific fields, such as sequencing of human and microbial genomes, science of health care delivery, and regenerative medicine that offer new research and funding opportunities for surgeons.

Clinical Research Professionals (CRP) Information Session
Thursday, November 5 | 12:30 pm-2:30 pm
This session will provide information to CRPs, including data managers and nurses, regarding Alliance updates and resources. Presentations will include Alliance administrative, protocol, data and statistical center updates. Jeffrey Bogart, MD, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, will present Radiation Oncology: Treatment Planning, Dosimetry, Radiation Fields, and Why Collect Radiation Data on Chemo Studies.

Clinical Research Professionals (CRP) Information and Education Breakout Sessions
These breakout sessions will allow clinical research professionals and others to choose topics most closely related to their line of work. These sessions are only available for CE credits if they are attended in person. Unfortunately, sessions attended via webinar are not available for CE credit.

Thursday, November 5
3 pm-3:50 pm | Session
-- Data Management: Moving Towards a RAVE Future
-- A041202: A Randomized Phase III Study of Bendamustine Plus Rituximab Versus Ibrutinib Plus Rituximab Versus Ibrutinib Alone in Untreated Older Patients (> 65 years of age) with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)
-- Navigating Multi-Disciplinary Protocols at the Site Level
-- NCORPs Navigating Multiple Site Codes/ MD Registrations

4 pm-4:50 pm | Session
-- Data Management: Moving Towards a RAVE Future
-- A151216: Adjuvant Lung Cancer Enrichment Marker Identification and Sequencing Trial (ALCHEMIST) A screening trial for A081105 and E4512
-- Navigating Multi-Disciplinary Protocols at the Site LevelNCORPs Navigating Multiple Site Codes/ MD Registrations

Friday, November 6
8 am-8:50 am | Session
-- Making the Job Your Own: A Hands-On Workshop for Organization and Protocol Compliance with Your Examples
-- NCTN Funding Structure
-- It’s Grays to Me: Understanding Radiation Data
-- Regulatory

8 am-10 am | Clinical Research Professionals (CRP) Surgery Session
-- Alliance A011104: Effect of Preoperative Breast MRI on Surgical Outcomes, Costs and Quality of Life of Women with Breast Cancer
-- Alliance A211401: Reducing Surgical Complications in Newly Diagnosed Lung Cancer Patients Who Smoke Cigarettes

9 am-9:50 am | Session
-- Making the Job Your Own: A Hands-On Workshop for Organization and Protocol Compliance with Your Examples
-- NCTN Funding Structure
-- It’s Grays to Me: Understanding Radiation Data
-- Regulatory

15th Annual Jimmie Holland Lecture
Friday, November 6 | 12 pm-1 pm
The recipient of this year’s lectureship is William H. Redd, PhD. Dr. Redd is Professor and Co-Director, Program for Cancer Prevention and Control, Department of Oncological Sciences, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, NY, NY. He has been a leader in psycho-oncology for more than 30 years, and is credited with introducing behavioral psychology and behavioral medicine to oncology. Dr. Redd recently received the 2015 Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Psycho-Oncology Society. He is currently investigating interventions to treat cancer-related fatigue.

Health Disparities Forum | Over Testing: Pros and Cons from the Patient Perspective
Friday, November 6 | 1 pm-3 pm
The Alliance Health Disparities Committee will host a lively session that will look at the pros and cons of over testing in cancer screening, initial staging and in follow-up surveillance. Each speaker will address disparities, access and the patient financial and emotional burden of over testing.
-- Amy Curtis, MD, Gibbs Cancer Center and Research Institute, will address the current status of cancer screening, which in some cases has resulted in over testing.
-- Jon C. Tilburt, MD, Mayo Clinic, will review testing in the initial staging of cancer and how this may lead to over or under treatment.
-- Jessica Schumacher, PhD, MS, University of Wisconsin, will present preliminary results of a Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) project addressing cancer surveillance including engagement of patients and the lack of guidelines on testing used to monitor patients after cancer treatment.
-- Wanda Burdette, RN, OCN, Gibbs Cancer Center and Research Institute, will present her unique patient and caregiver perspective addressing fear and anxiety related to over testing in all three areas: screening, staging and surveillance. The panel will consist of all four speakers and Alliance patient advocates:
-- Jo-Ellen De Luca, Phyllis Nassi, MSW and Ivis Sampayo. The session will end with a panel discussion and questions and answers from the audience.

Clinical Research Professionals (CRP) Education Session
Friday, November 6 | 3:30 pm- 5:30 pm
This session will offer presentations on IROC - Providing Imaging and Radiation Oncology Quality Assurance for the NCTN, NCI MATCH Trial, and Building Relationships with Your Investigators. Presenters will include Fran Laurie, IROC Director of Operations and James N. Atkins, MD, Principal Investigator at Southeast Cancer Consortium - Upstate NCORP.

The Alliance Oncology Nursing Committee will host an education session and open forum addressing issues relevant to investigators and other clinical research professionals: Oncology Nursing Education Session, Friday, November 6 | 1 pm-3 pm and Nursing Open Forum, Friday, November 6 | 5 pm-6 pm

Poster Session
Friday, November 6 | 5 pm-10 pm
Alliance researchers and clinical research professionals from across the country will present their latest findings relating to the prevention and treatment of cancer in a cooperative group setting. These scientific poster presentations will be an integral part of the attendee experience.

Exhibitors’ Room
Representatives from pharmaceutical companies and national organizations will provide information about their roles in cancer research and answer questions from meeting attendees during the meeting in an exhibition space. Exhibitors will include Amgen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, the Cancer Trials Support Unit (CTSU), Esai Oncology, Incyte, Novartis, Pfizer, National Cancer Institute Central Institutional Review Board (NCI CIRB) and Genomic Health.

New This Meeting | Charging Stations and Lunch Room
The Alliance will provide charging stations for phones and laptops to accommodate attendees at the meeting. These stations will be situated throughout the Group meeting space. The Alliance will also provide a dedicated room where meeting attendees can purchase box lunches and other snacks during times when meals are not usually provided each day of the meeting.  Visit the Meeting Registration Desk for a list of charging station locations as well as more information about the lunchroom.

 

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For other articles in the November issue of the Alliance E-News newsletter, see below.