Definition

A group of researchers, cancer centers, and community doctors who are involved in studies that test new ways to screen, prevent, diagnose, and treat cancer. Clinical trials run by cooperative groups are funded and supported by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), and large numbers of patients take part in many locations. The current U.S. cooperative groups are the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology, ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group, NRG Oncology, SWOG, and Children’s Oncology Group (COG). The NCI clinical trials cooperative groups are part of the National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN).