GASTROINTESTINAL-TRACT CANCER LIAISON OFFICE - AN ATTEMPT TO ORGANIZECLINICAL RESEARCH IN EUROPE

The Gastrointestinal Tract Cancer Liaison Office (GITCLO) was develope d in an attempt to organise the increasing body of clinical research i n gastrointestinal tumours in Europe. This paper represents an analysi s, by tumour localisation, of the trials collected for the second edit ion of the GITCLO booklet. The list of co-operative groups, chairmen a nd study co-ordinators is given with their respective telephone and te lefax numbers. A total of 84 trials were collected, conducted by 46 co -operative groups in 14 countries. For each organ and stage of disease , a summary of concepts investigated is given with the references of t he study co-ordinator. Obviously, too many questions are raised at the same time. In colorectal cancer, for example, a total of 41 trials ex ploring 22 concepts are currently open for patients' registration. We hope that the present attempt to clarify the situation of clinical res earch in the field of gastrointestinal cancers in Europe will speed up therapeutic progress in the best interest of the patients. (C) 1997 E lsevier Science Ltd.