Introduction to ECOG

The Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) was established in 1955 as one of the first cooperative groups launched to perform multi-center cancer clinical trials. A cooperative group is a large network of researchers, physicians, and health care professionals at public and private institutions across the country who are members of the group. Funded primarily by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), ECOG has evolved from a five member consortium of institutions on the East Coast to one of the largest clinical cancer research organizations in the U.S. with almost 6000 physicians, nurses, pharmacists, statisticians, and clinical research associates (CRAs) from the U.S., Canada, and South Africa. Institutional members include universities, medical centers, Community Clinical Oncology Programs (CCOPs), and Cooperative Group Outreach Programs (CGOPs). These institutions work toward the common goal of controlling, effectively treating, and ultimately curing cancer. Research results are provided to the world-wide medical community through scientific publications and professional meetings.

Currently, ECOG has more than 90 active clinical trials in all types of adult malignancies. Annual accrual is 6,000 patients, with more than 20,000 patients in follow-up.

Examples of ECOG clinical trials that have changed or improved cancer treatment methods include:

• A study that establishes an effective chemotherapy regimen in acute promyelocytic leukemia.
• A study that demonstrated that a less-toxic regimen had similar results to the standard treatment of metastatic nonsmall cell lung cancer.
• A study that demonstrated that an intensive bone marrow transplant regimen for patients with metastatic breast cancer who responded to inital standard chemotherapy did not improve time to disease progression or lifetime survival.
• A study that establishes an effective treatment program involving chemotherapy and radiation therapy for early lung cancer.

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