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Transdisciplinary studies of surgical oncology trial accrual
Author(s) -
Albrecht Terrance L.,
Kuerer Henry,
Ruckdeschel John C.,
Mendez Jane,
Harper Felicity
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/cncr.21966
Subject(s) - multidisciplinary approach , accrual , medicine , clinical trial , medical education , engineering ethics , sociology , social science , engineering , business , accounting , earnings
BACKGROUND A key objective of the National Institutes of Health Roadmap Initiative during the past 2 years has been to address scientific problems and issues through innovative research collaborations that cut across disciplines, traditions, and agendas. METHODS Recognizing an opportunity to focus on the growing problem of low accrual to cancer surgical trials, the authors organized a multidisciplinary network of 21 clinical researchers and social/behavioral scientists to meet, review the issues, and organize working groups to study the problem. The authors, as representatives of the Karmanos Cancer Institute (Detroit, MI) and the American College of Surgeons Oncology Group, were awarded a Roadmap‐affiliated grant from the National Cancer Institute under the “Meetings and Networks for Methodological Development in Interdisciplinary Research” funding mechanism. RESULTS The overarching objective that guided the methodological developments of this network was to apply state‐of‐the‐science methodologies and analytical strategies to examine the biobehavioral and interpersonal factors that facilitate or impede patients' treatment decision‐making. CONCLUSIONS In this brief report, the authors describe the objectives of their multidisciplinary network and their progress to date. Cancer 2006. © 2006 American Cancer Society.