Cancer and Leukemia Group B

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.

This was 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 2011, governing boards of ACOSOG, CALGB and NCCTG endorsed a proposed Alliance constitution, bylaws and transition plan.

Continuing with progressively more sophisticated studies, interest has expanded to include the application of molecular-genetic techniques to characterize leukemias, lymphomas, and solid tumors at the gene level.

The Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics Committee has increasingly focused on pharmacogenetics, the study of how genetic variation may impact on the toxicity or efficacy of drug therapy.

A Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) periodically reviews interim reports prepared by the Statistical Center for all Phase III studies.

QARC was organized to monitor radiotherapy quality assurance programs for several cooperative groups and is supported independently of the CALGB.

Today QARC provides radiotherapy quality assurance and diagnostic imaging data management to all of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) sponsored cooperative groups.

Although QARC is largely supported by grants from the NCI and NIH (National Institutes of Health), the center also contracts privately with the pharmaceutical industry so as to offer its services in clinical trials for anti-cancer drugs.

Particular attention is directed toward developing protocols that focus on diseases that exact a heavy toll on minority populations.