GYNECOLOGIC ONCOLOGY GROUP

The Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) is a multidisciplinary cooperative
cancer study group which seeks to improve survival while minimizing the
toxic effects of cancer treatment in women with gynecologic malignancies.
Phase II and Phase III clinical trials are conducted evaluating primary
surgery, irradiation chemotherapy and immunotherapy in virtually every
gynecologic tumor by site, stage and grade of disease. Protocols assessing
the extent of primary disease in cervical, endometrial and ovarian cancer
are well underway and are utilized in the development of new treatment
protocols. Standard chemotherapeutic agents and investigational drugs are
evaluated in the treatment of gynecologic cancer and more effective agents
and combinations are sought to improve remission rates. The group is
currently expanding its efforts to study such questions as the impact of
hormonal vs. barrier contraception in gestational trophoblastic disease.
Improving quality of life for women with advanced cancer is being addressed
in the study of more effective antiemetics for control of nausea and
vomiting induced by CIS-Platinum. Alabama has consistently ranked in the top four contributing institutions
in the GOG nationwide, entering over 650 cases to date. Specific aims in
the coming five years include maintaining our rate of accession at 60 cases
per year while increasing evaluability to at least 90%, given a patient
population relatively stable in number and composition.