History
In December 2007, with funding from Cancer Australia, and under the auspices of Clinical Oncology Society of Australia, the Australasian Sarcoma Study Group (ASSG) established itself as a national Cooperative Cancer Clinical Trial Group and commenced operation in January 2008. From 2009, the University of Melbourne is the administering institution for the ASSG through Cancer Australia’s Support for Cancer Clinical Trials Program. The impetus for establishing the ASSG arose from the Australian Sarcoma Group, an unincorporated group of approximately 70 clinicians with shared interests in sarcoma. The ASSG reports to the Australian Sarcoma Group membership at the annual meeting each October.
The ASSG Secretariat was enabled with the appointment of an Executive Officer in March 2008 and Project Officer in September 2008 and since that time the Group has established a constitution, a Board with representation from the major states and disciplines relevant to sarcoma care and has activated a scientific advisory committee, a pathology committee and a working group to set up the clinical data base and biospecimen bank. In addition, a community and philanthropy advisory committee has been formed and within the first 8 months of the Group being funded, over $500 000 in philanthropic funds has been raised through linkages to community groups with a focus on sarcomas, such as the Rainbows for Kate foundation.
More importantly, these funds are based on community partnerships, in which there is a commitment to mutual support and cross-representation between the ASSG and the funding partners. In July 2008, the research programme was initiated with several studies now in various stages of development.
Updated: 12-Mar-2010 03:50 PM
