FLORIDA ASSOCIATION OF PEDIATRIC TUMORS PROGRAM INC

RESEARCH INITIATIVES:FLORIDA ASSOCIATION OF PEDIATRIC TUMORS PROGRAM, INC. (FAPTP) COLLECTS DATA FROM MEMBER INSTITUTIONS TO CONDUCT EPIDEMIOLOGIC STUDIES, CLINICAL TRIALS, AND CANCER-CONTROL PROTOCOLS. THE FLORIDA CANCER DATA SYSTEM (FCDS) CAPTURES DATA FROM PATIENTS TREATED OUTSIDE THE FAPTP SYSTEM AND CAN BE LINKED WITH THE SPIRS DATA TO STUDY A LARGER PATIENT BASE. WITH THE COMBINED DATA SET, FAPTP STAFF CAN BETTER IDENTIFY THE INCIDENCE OF PEDIATRIC CANCER IN FLORIDA. STUDIES AND PROJECTS CURRENTLY OPEN INCLUDE: CALCULATING THE INCIDENCE OF PEDIATRIC CANCER IN EACH OF FLORIDA'S 67 COUNTIES TO IDENTIFY TEMPORAL OR GEOGRAPHIC TRENDS THAT WARRANT FURTHER INVESTIGATION EXAMINING POSSIBLE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS AND POTENTIAL CANCER CLUSTERS. FAPTP SITES ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN CLINICAL TREATMENT TRIALS FROM THE CHILDREN'S ONCOLOGY RESEARCH BASE. FAPTP IS ALSO INVOLVED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW CANCER-CONTROL STUDIES; TWO CURRENT STUDIES HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY THE NCI FOR CANCER-CONTROL CREDIT AS INTERGROUP STUDIES WITH CHILDREN'S ONCOLOGY GROUP (COG).

REPORTING SYSTEM:THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE ESTABLISHED A HEMATOLOGY/ONCOLOGY PROGRAM IN CHILDREN MEDICAL SERVICES (CMS) AND FAPTP WAS GIVEN THE RESPONSIBILITY AND AUTHORITY TO MONITOR AND EVALUATE CHILDREN'S CANCER CARE IN FLORIDA AND TO PREPARE ANNUAL RECOMMENDATIONS TO CMS REGARDING PROGRAM PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT. THIS REPORTING SYSTEM PROVIDES THE STATE AND THE PUBLIC WITH DATA ON CANCER INCIDENCE, CLINICAL-TRIAL PARTICIPATION, AND SURVIVORSHIP. THIS INFORMATION AIDS INVESTIGATORS IN STUDIES CONDUCTED ON BOTH THE STATE AND NATIONAL LEVEL. HISTORICALLY, FAPTP ASSISTED THE STATE IN EVALUATING AND ADMINISTERING THE INFANT SCREENING PROGRAM FOR SICKLE CELL DISEASE.(CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)CURRENTLY, FAPTP MAINTAINS MEMBERSHIP ON THE GOVERNOR'S FLORIDA CANCER CONTROL AND RESEARCH ADVISORY COUNCIL (C-CRAB), ASSISTING THE COUNSEL IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FLORIDA STATE CANCER PLAN.