National Institute of Cancer Research

Taiwan Cooperative Oncology Group, TCOG

Introduction | Background | Accomplishments | Clinical Protocols | Future Direction | Structure | Cooperative Hospitals | Historical Events | Members

Structure

The disease committees have grown in number from the original 3 disease committees (Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, Gastric MALToma and Lymphoma) to 16 disease committees now (by addition of Gynecologic Oncology, Hepatocellular Carcinoma Postoperative Adjuvant Therapy, High Dose Chemotherapy, Head & Neck Cancer, Colorectal Cancer , Breast Cancer, Gastric Cancer, Lung Cancer, Prostate Cancer, Hepatocellular Carcinoma , Brain Tumor, Pancreatic Cancer and Esophageal Cancer). All individual committees are actively engaged in work such as the formulation of consensus statement on the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of specific cancer, writing-up the research protocols for clinical trials, and enrollment of patients into ongoing trials.

In order to enhance the function of Disease Committee in writing the research grant proposals, auditing and coordinating, the Academic Committee was dismissed and the Scientific Advisory Committee was established to review the research grant proposals that were submitted by the research committees. In order to elucidate and clarify the responsibilities of all forces, the Board Committee was set up by every member hospitals for their coordination and implementation of the clinical trials. The initial formation of the Executive Committee was also reduced so that its executive function will be more efficient in works such as implementation and coordination of various TCOG tasks.

There are four Quality Monitoring Committees (Audit, Data and Safety Monitoring, Imaging Interpretation and Pathology) for functions such as:

Besides these, the Modality Committees (Radiotherapy Modality, Chemotherapy and Photodynamic Therapy, Cancer Pain and Symptom Management) are also organized for the establishment of the consensus of the standard operation of radiotherapy and the evaluation criteria for chemotherapy toxicities.

TCOG Organization Chart

Cooperative Hospitals

The TCOG members have grown in number from the original 3 medical centers (Veterans General Hospital-Taipei, National Taiwan University Hospital and Tri-service General Hospital) up to 9 major medical centers by 1991 (adding National Cheng Kung University Hospital, KaoHsiung Medical University Hospital, Chang-Gung Memorial Hospital (Lin-Kou), Veterans General Hospital-TaiChung, Veterans General Hospital-KaoHsiung and Mackay Memorial Hospital). Up to now, TCOG has expanded to include a total of 24 teaching hospitals (adding Cathay General Hospital, Koo Foundation Sun Yat-Sen Cancer Center Hospital, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei Municipal Jen-Ai Hospital, Taipei Medical University Hospital, China Medical College Hospital, Chi-Mei Foundation Hospital, Chang-Gung Memorial Hospital (Kao-Hsiung), Chiang Hua Christian Hospital, Tzu Chi General Hospital, Kuang Tien Hospital, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Show Chwan Memorial Hospital, Cheng Ching Hospital and Chang-Gung Memorial Hospital (Chiayi)) which are located all over the island. The numbers of cancer patients served by these 24 teaching hospitals encompass nearly 90% of all cancer patients in Taiwan.

TCOG Cooperative Hospitals in Taiwan