Newswise — FORT WASHINGTON, PA — The National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®) Oncology Research Program (ORP) has established the NCCN Affiliate Research Consortium (ARC). The NCCN ARC’s primary goal is to maximize collaboration between NCCN Member Institutions and their affiliate research investigators to foster innovative research.

“The formation of the NCCN Affiliate Research Consortium is a monumental step in establishing a bridge between academic and community research centers,” said Diane E. Paul, MS, RN, Vice President, NCCN ORP. “The diverse expertise of researchers from academic institutions and community affiliates will result in faster completion of clinical trials and improved outcomes for patients with cancer.”

Previously known as the NCCN Affiliate Research Project (ARP), the pilot program was established in 2010 by NCCN’s Affiliate Forum to provide affiliates of the 23 NCCN Member Institutions access to cutting-edge research opportunities. Since that time, the program identified and approved a select group of qualified community sites and has evolved into a consortium that addresses the growing need for community research.

Current NCCN ARC objectives include identifying funding sources that support and promote the mission of the Consortium, including the utilization of resources available for collaborative and efficient undertaking of research efforts. Additionally, ARC encourages the development of new investigators and inter-institutional infrastructures to support the research agenda. The NCCN ORP provides the operational infrastructure for the Consortium.

Affiliates within the NCCN ARC include Northside Hospital Cancer Institute and Medical Center of Central Georgia, affiliates of University of Alabama at Birmingham Comprehensive Cancer Center; AtlantiCare Cancer Care Institute, Inspira Health Network (formerly South Jersey Healthcare), and Virtua, affiliates of Fox Chase Cancer Center; Bozeman Deaconess Hospital, MultiCare Health System, and Wenatchee Valley Medical Center, affiliates of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center/Seattle Cancer Care Alliance; and Lehigh Valley Health Network and Norton Cancer Institute, affiliates of Moffitt Cancer Center.

For more information about the NCCN ARC, visit NCCN.org.

About the National Comprehensive Cancer NetworkThe National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®), a not-for-profit alliance of 23 of the world’s leading cancer centers devoted to patient care, research, and education, is dedicated to improving the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of cancer care so that patients can live better lives. Through the leadership and expertise of clinical professionals at NCCN Member Institutions, NCCN develops resources that present valuable information to the numerous stakeholders in the health care delivery system. As the arbiter of high-quality cancer care, NCCN promotes the importance of continuous quality improvement and recognizes the significance of creating clinical practice guidelines appropriate for use by patients, clinicians, and other health care decision-makers.

The NCCN Member Institutions are: Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center at The Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE; City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, CA; Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center | Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, MA; Duke Cancer Institute, Durham, NC; Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA; Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT; Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center/Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, Seattle, WA; The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, MD; Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, Chicago, IL; Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY; Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL; The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute, Columbus, OH; Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY; Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO; St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital/The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN; Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford, CA; University of Alabama at Birmingham Comprehensive Cancer Center, Birmingham, AL; UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center, La Jolla, CA; UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, San Francisco, CA; University of Colorado Cancer Center, Aurora, CO; University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, MI; The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX; and Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Nashville, TN.

Clinicians, visit NCCN.org. Patients and caregivers, visit NCCN.org/patients.

Other Link: NCCN Affiliate Research Consortium