ACRIN – Ten Excellent Years

ACRIN RA ACRIN RA Sessions-2009Sessions-2009

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ACRIN Past and Future

• Origins of ACRIN

• ACRIN’s initial organization– Structure– People

• Accomplishments

• The Future

ACRIN: The Beginning

• 1997 – Dr. Robert Wittes convenes two meetings to discuss the “feasibility” of multi-center trials of imaging

• Growing importance of imaging to cancer care• Imaging as a marker of treatment response• Imaging to describe cancer biology

ACRIN: The Beginning

• 1997 – Inception of NCI DIP (later BIP, now CIP)• Early 1998 – Issuance of RFA for a clinical trials “network” for imaging as it relates to cancer

– Linked HQ and BC grants– Avoid the bureaucracy of established groups – Non-member

ACRIN: The Beginning

• 1998 – ACR asked that I apply on behalf of ACR– Recruit C. Gatsonis– C. Olson as support staff– Organization of individuals and sites

• Sept. 1998 – RFA awarded to ACRIN• Sept. 1998-March 1999 –

Development of early infrastructure– Staff– Electronic communications– Bylaws and procedures

ACRIN’s Mission

Conduct clinical trials of imaging technologies to improve the length and quality of the lives of cancer patients.

ACRIN in the Beginning

ACRIN in the Beginning

Early ACRIN Needs

• What we had:– Passion about our mission – Good science– Growing interest from sites and researchers

• What we needed:– Quality management– Fiscal planning and direction– Improved reliability– Advocacy

If you try some time,

You might find

You get what you need. - The Rolling Stones

What We Needed

ACRIN Accomplishments

• 30 multi-center trials including signal trials that have changed cancer surveillance and care– High profile imaging screening trials – Trials of all applications of imaging

ScreeningScreeningScreeningScreeningDiagnosisDiagnosisStagingStaging

DiagnosisDiagnosisStagingStaging TreatmentTreatmentTreatmentTreatment

Response Response MarkerMarker

Response Response MarkerMarker

ACRIN Accomplishments

• A network of more than 200 qualified sites

• Hundreds of researchers– Radiologists and other clinicians– Site RAs– Statisticians and methodologists– Patient advocates– ACR staff

ACRIN Accomplishments

• Cadre of research associates to improve research in radiology departments– Active in all ACRIN activities– Education and training programs– Enhanced effectiveness for radiology

research in the future

Research Associates

ACRIN Accomplishments

• Patient Advocate Committee - advocacy participation and community outreach for imaging trials– Project IMPACT– Participation in all ACRIN trials and committees– Educate key decision makers of the importance

of imaging to research and care

Patient Advocates

Well-Trained Clinical Researchers

• “Laboratory” for research training and accomplishment– Further development of established

researchers– Exposure and training for new clinical

researchers

ACRIN Accomplishments

• All electronic network with infrastructure, policies, and procedures

• Data archive for secondary research and new product development

• Dissemination of standards for conducting imaging trials

• Improved awareness of the importance of imaging to cancer research and care

ACRIN Accomplishments

Patient AdvocatePatient AdvocateGroupsGroups

Treatment Cooperative GroupsTreatment Cooperative Groups

Industry/Industry/FoundationsFoundations

AcademiaAcademiaGovernmentGovernment

SPOREsSPOREs

Community Hospitals and ClinicsClinics

Cancer CentersCancer Centers

ACRINACRIN

The Future

• 1999-2003: Target of opportunity• 2004-2007: Objective-driven• 2008-2013: Greater sophistication

– Consistent with the progression toward molecular medicine and individualized cancer care

• Targeted surveillance of at-risk populations• Characterization of cancer to drive targeted therapies• Predictive and prognostic biomarkers of cancer treatment

ACRIN Diversification

• Achieve funding that allows for trials other than cancer – CV and CNS to start– ACRIN Fund for Innovative Imaging to

diversify outside of cancer• Springboard to other funding

– NHLBI– NINDS

– ACR Image Metrix profits– PA-CURE and foundations

When a blind beetle crawls over the surface of a curved branch, it doesn’t notice that the track it has covered is indeed curved.

- Albert Einstein