Patient Advisory Board

The Coalition of Cancer Cooperative Groups (Coalition) works to improve the quality of life and survival of cancer patients by increasing participation in cancer clinical trials. Participants in cancer clinical research trials carried out by Coalition member cooperative groups are human research participant volunteers, including cancer patients, survivors and control participants. Each Coalition Cooperative Group member has a patient advocate committee to ensure that the patient perspective is integral to the design and implementation of Cooperative Group clinical trials, and to promote patient-centered advances in research and timely dissemination of research results.

In order to bring the patient perspective to the Coalition activities, representatives from the patient advocate committees from the Cooperative Groups form the Coalition’s Patient Advisory Board (PAB).

Mission of the Patient Advisory Board

To advise the Coalition of Cancer Cooperative Groups to ensure that the needs and views of patients and potential clinical trial participants are represented and that barriers to clinical trial participation are minimized.

Goals of the Patient Advisory Board

Platform for Communication

To provide an effective platform for patient advocates of the cooperative groups to discuss ideas, initiatives, problems and strategies to strengthen research advocacy.

Advocate Training

To provide resources to identify and to aid in the development of training and educational opportunities for research patient advocates.

Advocate Voice

To communicate patient advocate positions and concerns to the Coalition as a whole and to foster and support the voices of patient advocates within the cooperative group system.

Promotion of and Access to Clinical Trials

Enhance understanding of and improve access to cancer research trials and trial results for all patients, particularly underserved populations.

Cooperative Group Issues in Research

To provide a forum for the positions of patient advocates regarding patient issues and policy discussions within the Cooperative Group system.

Outreach

To broaden opportunities for patient advocacy roles within the cooperative group system and involve a broad cross-section of the community as patient advocates in the cooperative group clinical trials system.

Patient Advisory Board Members

• American College of Radiology (ACRIN)
  Barbara K. LeStage
  Peggy Anthony
  

• American College of Surgeons (ACOSOG)
  Bettye L. Green
  Peggy Devine
  

• Cancer & Leukemia Group B (CALGB)
  Deborah Collyar
  Laura Cleveland
  

• Children’s Oncology Group (COG)
  Marjorie (Missy) Layfield
  John Mussman, Esq.
  

• Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG)
  Michael S. Katz, Chair, Patient Advisory Board
  Mary Lou Smith
  

• Gynecology Oncology Group (GOG)
  Mary Jackson Scroggins
  

• National Surgical Adjuvant Breast & Bowel Project (NSABP)
  Pat Halpin-Murphy
  Kathleen Murphy
  

• North Central Cancer Treatment Group (NCCTG)
  Cynthia Chauhan
  Wayland Eppard
  

• Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG)
  Pamela McAllister
  Thomas G. Simon
  

• Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG)
  Anna Gottleib