National Cancer Institute - NCI Division of Cancer Treatment and ...

DCTD has six major programs that work
together to bring unique molecules
from the laboratory bench to the patient
bedside:
■ Biometrics Research Branch (BRB)—
provides state-of-the-art statistical and
biomathematical analyses for DCTD
and other NCI components and performs
research in the areas of statistical,
mathematical, and computational
sciences that is motivated and informed
by real and important problems in
current cancer research. Branch members
provide leadership for the DCTD
national research programs by formulating
biomathematical approaches for
analyzing genomic, proteomic, metabolomic,
and other data emanating from
the developmental therapeutics, diagnostics,
imaging, radiation research,
and clinical trials programs.
■ Cancer Diagnosis Program (CDP)—
strives to improve the diagnosis and
assessment of cancer by effectively
moving new scientific knowledge into
clinical practice. This program stimulates,
coordinates, and funds specimen
resources, databases related to those
specimens, and research on diagnostics
and improved technologies to better
characterize tumors, so that cancer
patients and their physicians can have
access to a broader range of diagnostic
information as they make clinical
decisions. The laboratory tools CDP
develops also help to maximize the
impact of cancer treatments.
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DCTD scientists support programs to pursue high-risk research
that may yield great benefits for patients with cancer but may be
too difficult or risky for industry or academia to undertake.
■ Cancer Imaging Program (CIP)—
unites researchers in a team approach
from disciplines as diverse as radiology,
bioengineering, biology, chemistry,
and physics. The program encourages
researchers to integrate new imaging
discoveries and developments into the
study of cancer biology and into the
clinical management of cancer and
cancer risk. This translational research
program is using new technologies to
expand the role of imaging in noninvasive
diagnosis, identification of disease
subsets in patients, disease staging, and
treatment monitoring. CIP supports
and advises innovative developers in
academia and private industry as they
create the next generation of imaging
technology, including molecular probes,
optical technology devices, and new
contrast agents.
■ Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program
(CTEP)—functions as NCI’s primary
clinical evaluator of new anticancer
agents. Program staff members play
a critical role in selecting promising
agents to enter human clinical trials.
In addition, the program evaluates
new radiation and surgical methods,
identifies biomolecular characteristics
of malignant tumors that investigators
may be able to exploit clinically, and
administers the 11 cooperative research
groups that unite researchers around
the nation and the world in the pursuit
of distinctive and effective new treatments
for cancer. CTEP accomplishes
its goals by administering, coordinating,
and funding clinical trials, as well
as sponsoring other research. The
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