• SPOTLIGHT: SWOG grant renewed
• Administrata: Speeding protocol & contract development
• S0941: TKIs with biliary cancers
• SELECT Biorepository symposium
• RFAs: Correlative studies
• Thompson named CTRC director
• CRA Committee openings
• Handling pharmaceuticals
• SWOG abstracts
• New SWOG sites
• Protocol cards for sites
• SWOG slide template
• Biospecimens chill
• CALGB Specimen Tracking System
• AYA cancer resources
• Help wanted
• In next month's Update
• Did you know . . .?

We've had informal word for months that it would happen, but official notice from NCI's CTEP of SWOG's six-year treatment grant renewal arrived with the start of spring. [more]
     

ADMINISTRATA: Speeding protocol and contract development
In the first installment of an occasional column, SWOG Chief of Administration Nathan Eriksen lays out some of the steps SWOG is taking to go the Operational Efficiency Working Group's recommendations one better. [more]

SELECT Biorepository Symposium, May 4
The SELECT and PCPT trials have collected a valuable set of biospecimens and associated data. A May 4th session in Dallas will give the research community input on how decisions are made as to which researchers will be able to use the materials. [more]

Funding opportunities: Correlative studies from multi-site trials
The NCI has two funding programs targeted at supporting correlative science that uses materials from multi-site trials. [more]

Ian Thompson named director of CTRC
After half a year as interim director, SWOG's GU Committee chair has been named director of the Cancer Treatment Research Center at UT San Antonio. [more]

CRA Committee openings, spring 2010
The CRA Executive Committee is looking for CRAs interested in leadership roles within the CRA Committee. [more]

Handling pharmaceuticals: Training video available
All CRAs are encouraged to complete this online training module. [more]

SWOG abstracts at national meetings
Recent SWOG abstracts accepted for presentation at national meetings include 11 to be presented at ASCO 2010. [more]

SWOG welcomes new sites
SWOG's newest sites include new network components linked to the University of Utah and the Kansas City CCOP. [more]

Protocol cards help keep up awareness of trials
They're designed to fit in a lab coat pocket to provide a handy reference when screening potential participants in a trial. [more]

New SWOG slide template available
A new design for SWOG slides is available for member download. [more]

Shipped biospecimens need to keep their cool
As we move into warm(er) weather, it's more important than ever that biospecimens be well cooled before shipment. Especially when they're headed to Arizona. [more]

CALGB's new Specimen Tracking System (STS) takes off
Our sister cooperative group has a new tool for speeding the recording and tracking of biospecimens. [more]

Resource for adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancers on NCI site
Presentations from a summer 2009 workshop sponsored by the NCI are now available. [more]

The $120+ million total treatment grant package expected over the next six years to support SWOG clinical trials includes U10 grants to twelve SWOG institutions: City of Hope Hospital, Duarte, CA Loyola University, Chicago, IL MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX Puget Sound Oncology Consortium, Seattle, WA University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC University of California - Davis, Davis, CA University of Colorado, Aurora, CO University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI University of Rochester, Rochester, NY University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA Wayne State University, Detroit, MI

In next month's issue:

• Update on the Spring 2010 Group Meeting
• Chair's letter to members on the IOM report on cooperative groups