TY  - JOUR
T1  - The case for randomized trials in cancer treatment: New is not always better
AU  - Grann A, Grann VR
Y1  - 2005/02/23
N1  - 10.1001/jama.293.8.1001
JO  - JAMA
SP  - 1001
EP  - 1003
VL  - 293
IS  - 8
N2  - 
Given a choice, most patients diagnosed with cancer would prefer the
most recently discovered treatments, prompting them to seek out the latest
innovation, even if it includes relatively untried medications that have not
been thoroughly evaluated.1- 2 In
the mid 1950s, pioneering cancer researchers, anticipating the need for clinical
trials, requested funds from the US Congress for the development of the first
clinical research cooperative groups.3 A small
network of institutions was formed to test new anticancer agents arising from
the National Cancer Institute’s Drug Development Program. Eleven of
the original groups remain and 3 are dedicated to specific areas of therapy
such as the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG), the American College
of Surgeons, and the American College of Radiology Imaging Network. Nineteen
hundred institutions are involved, with more than 60% of patients who participate
in publicly or privately funded clinical cancer trials enrolled through the
cooperative groups; more than 20 000 patients take part annually.3- 4

SN  - 0098-7484
M3  - doi: 10.1001/jama.293.8.1001
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.293.8.1001
ER  -