National Comprehensive Cancer Network and Society of Nuclear Medicine Join to Advance Oncology Imaging Research

FORT WASHINGTON, Pa. & RESTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The National Comprehensive Cancer Network^® (NCCN^®), and the Society of Nuclear Medicine (SNM) are pleased to announce a collaboration to advance research for cancer imaging and therapies. Specifically, NCCN will work with SNM to qualify imaging sites for upcoming research projects utilizing molecular imaging in clinical trials.

“SNM’s Clinical Trials Network helps to make this process easier, ensuring high-quality imaging and promoting fast, more cost-effective drug development.”

NCCN, through its Oncology Research Program (ORP), obtains funding to support scientifically meritorious clinical trials at the 21 NCCN Member Institutions. These studies evaluate innovative combinations and sequencing regimens of drugs, mechanisms of action of specific agents, or drug resistance or are directed toward exploring extended uses for specific agents.

As a new initiative of the ORP, the NCCN Specialized Imaging Research Consortium™ (SIRC) aims to advance the treatment of patients with cancer through the clinical application of specialized imaging technologies. This is achieved by performing high-quality clinical trials of emerging therapeutics integrated with evidence-based research to guide the use of advanced imaging in clinical cancer care.

To help facilitate the SIRC clinical trials, SNM’s Clinical Trials Network will qualify NCCN Member Institutions to ensure standardization across sites. The qualification process includes scanner validation as well as a review of site personnel, research experience, and infrastructure information. Education and training on specific clinical research, clinical trials methodology, and imaging topics will also be provided.

“We know that historically it has been difficult to use molecular imaging agents in multicenter clinical trials due to a number of factors, including lack of qualified imaging sites and a lack of standardization, among others,” said Dominique Delbeke, MD, SNM president. “SNM’s Clinical Trials Network helps to make this process easier, ensuring high-quality imaging and promoting fast, more cost-effective drug development.”

“As personalized medicine continues to emerge rapidly as a major force in health care, the research questions answered by studies conducted through the SIRC will be invaluable to patients,” said Diane Paul, MS, RN, vice president of the NCCN Oncology Research Program. “We are pleased to collaborate with SNM as we embrace our mission to improve the quality and effectiveness of care provided to patients with cancer.”

About the National Comprehensive Cancer Network

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), a not-for-profit alliance of 21 of the world’s leading cancer centers, is dedicated to improving the quality and effectiveness of care provided to patients with cancer. Through the leadership and expertise of clinical professionals at NCCN Member Institutions, NCCN develops resources that present valuable information to the numerous stakeholders in the health care delivery system. As the arbiter of high-quality cancer care, NCCN promotes the importance of continuous quality improvement and recognizes the significance of creating clinical practice guidelines appropriate for use by patients, clinicians, and other health care decision-makers. The primary goal of all NCCN initiatives is to improve the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of oncology practice so patients can live better lives. For more information, visit NCCN.org.

About SNM—Advancing Molecular Imaging and Therapy

SNM is an international scientific and medical organization dedicated to raising public awareness about what molecular imaging is and how it can help provide patients with the best health care possible. SNM members specialize in molecular imaging, a vital element of today’s medical practice that adds an additional dimension to diagnosis, changing the way common and devastating diseases are understood and treated. For more information, visit www.snm.org.

The goal of SNM’s Clinical Trials Network (CTN) is to facilitate the use of molecular imaging biomarkers in clinical trials. To realize this goal, the CTN ensures that quality imaging is conducted in drug development clinical trials, facilitates access to investigational molecular imaging biomarkers, provides education and training for molecular imaging professionals performing clinical research, and develops partnerships to enhance use of molecular imaging biomarkers. For more information, visit www.snm.org/clinicaltrials.