Description:

The CCOP program was approved in 1983 to provide direct institutional funding to community based investigators. Each CCOP institution membership consists of a group of investigators operating in conjunction through one or more community hospitals (normally not universities or teaching hospitals). Each has identified a physician as Principal Investigator who oversees and coordinates activities by the institution in this program.

The CCOP program was initially developed to increase cancer control research investigations in the community setting (many cancer control research trials are performed on "well" patients [no cancer] which are not routinely available in the Member institutions). Cancer control research trials primarily focus on investigations for cancer prevention, early cancer detection, patient management, rehabilitation and continuing care. However, CCOP investigators are eligible to accrue patients on cancer research trials (chemotherapy, radiation therapy, etc.) which do not contain cancer control research aspects.

All CCOP institutions are funded by the Division of Cancer Prevention (DCP) and must retain that funding in order to remain a CCOP member. (CCOP institutions who are not approved or renewed for institutional funding by DCP are dropped as a CCOP member and must transfer to the Affiliate Program to remain in the Southwest Oncology Group.) Funded institutions submit annual continuation grant applications describing past and current activities, and must submit Competitive Renewal grant applications (at a schedule determined by DCP) to receive continued or new funding.