Originally published as JCO Early Release 10.1200/JCO.2009.22.5771 on August 31 2009

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Improving Cancer Outcomes Through International Collaboration in Academic Cancer Treatment Trials

From the National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD; University of Massachusetts, Worcester, MA; National Cancer Institute of Canada Clinical Trials Group, Kingston, Ontario, Canada; Institut National du Cancer, Paris, France; Latin American and Caribbean Society of Medical Oncology, Buenos Aires, Argentina; European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer, Brussels; GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, Rixensart, Belgium; Medical Research Council Clinical Trials Unit, London; National Cancer Research Network, Leeds, United Kingdom; University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; and Saitama Medical University, Hidaka City, Saitama, Japan.

Corresponding author: Edward L. Trimble, MD, MPH, 6130 Executive Blvd, Suite 7025, Bethesda, MD 20892-7436; e-mail: tt6m{at}nih.gov.

Purpose The need for international collaboration in cancer clinical trials has grown stronger as we have made progress both in cancer treatment and screening. We sought to identify those efforts already underway which facilitate such collaboration, as well as barriers to greater collaboration.

Methods We reviewed the collective experiences of many cooperative groups, governmental organizations, nongovernmental organizations, and academic investigators in their work to build international collaboration in cancer clinical trials across multiple disease sites.

Results More than a decade of work has led to effective global harmonization for many of the elements critical to cancer clinical trials. Many barriers remain, but effective international collaboration in academic cancer treatment trials should become the norm, rather than the exception.

Conclusion Our ability to strengthen international collaborations will result in maximization of our resources and patients, permitting us to change practice by establishing more effective therapeutic strategies. Regulatory, logistical, and financial hurdles, however, often hamper the conduct of joint trials. We must work together as a global community to overcome these barriers so that we may continue to improve cancer treatment for patients around the world.

Written on behalf of the Writing Committee for International Collaboration in Academic Cancer Treatment Trials.

Authors' disclosures of potential conflicts of interest and author contributions are found at the end of this article.

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