Sparking Friendly Competition
One key aim we set in SWOG's last National Clinical Trials Network grant application was as follows:
To foster a diverse, inclusive, and collaborative research community including basic and translational scientists, clinical trialists from multiple modalities and practice types, and patient advocates, which leverages and enriches the NCTN.
As we prepare to apply for the next round of NCTN grants (coming this fall), we want to demonstrate progress on this and other goals, but doing so requires data. To paint a richer picture of our membership, we need more SWOG members to complete their member profile.
So, to stimulate member interest and encourage action, we’re injecting a bit of friendly competition into the process. We will pit SWOG committee against SWOG committee to see which can achieve the highest response rate among its members.
The fun will be more evident come our fall group meeting in Chicago. There, we’ll provide plenty of encouragement to members, reminders and opportunities to update their profiles, positive reinforcement for doing so, and a dose of healthy inter-committee rivalry.
We’ll post a leaderboard, updated each night, ranking our research and research support committees by the percentage of their members who have completed a profile.
Recognizing that small committees may have an advantage in encouraging member action, we’ll use two “weight classes” – one for larger committees, one for smaller.
Beyond bragging rights and selfie ops in front of the leaderboard, the winning committees will also enjoy a “hospitality spread” to nourish them at their committee session at next spring’s SWOG group meeting.
The great thing is, you can score one right now for your committee (or committees, if you’re on more than one). Just click here and complete your profile. No need to wait.
Committee chairs, there’s no time like now to start encouraging your members -- make a splash on that leaderboard from day one in Chicago. We’ll also send you a slide (QR code included) to display at the start and end of your group meeting sessions, with a few talking points to inspire your team.
What kind of profile data will inform our grants? Knowing more about our committee members’ professional roles and interests, veteran status, and racial/ethnic categories will be helpful, as will knowing, for example, how many of our members practice in urban versus rural settings, or in community practices.
Please don’t be concerned over wayward use or access. Sensitive data are stored securely, access is strictly limited, and results will be reported only in aggregate form. You can learn more in our member profile FAQs.
SWOG is a member organization – we are our members. The more we know about us, the better our grants are, and will be.
So, let the games begin!
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Trial of the Week
S2308: A Randomized Phase III Study of Mosunetuzumab vs. Rituximab for Low Tumor Burden Follicular Lymphoma
Clinical trial S2308, just activated (August 1st), will enroll adults with Stage II-IV follicular lymphoma with low tumor burden who have not had previous systemic therapy for the disease (radiation therapy for past early-stage follicular lymphoma is permitted).
The study aims to enroll 600 participants and will randomize them to either standard rituximab or mosunetuzumab, a bispecific antibody that has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treating patients with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma.
The trial asks if front-line treatment with finite-duration mosunetuzumab can improve long-term remission in these patients (and potentially cure them), with progression-free survival as the primary endpoint.
Both the mosunetuzumab and the rituximab are provided, and both are given subcutaneously rather than intravenously, with the goal of reducing the time commitment expected of both patients and infusion centers.
Dr. Nilanjan Ghosh, of Carolinas Medical Center Levine Cancer Institute, is our PI.
You can learn more about S2308 at an educational webinar on Wednesday, August 28, 2024, 11–12 PT / 2–3 ET.
The study team will review the trial design and components, and they’ll field your questions. Visit the CTSU S2308 page for a link to register for the webinar.
If you can’t make that time, a recording and the webinar slide set will be posted to CTSU’s CLASS website soon after the event. You can also learn more via the SWOG S2308 page.
A patient-friendly summary of the trial, useful when first presenting the study to a patient, will also be posted soon to both of the links above.
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