An Overview of the Competence Network's Projects

Author: Dr. med. Ralf Herold, Last modification: 2004/06/15

The Competence Network's eleven projects aim on bringing together specialized residents and research centers for a specific investigation of cancer and diseases of the blood-forming system in children and young adults on an interdisciplinary basis. Four of these projects are concerned with general aspects of coordination und cross linking (A, B/1, B/2 and C), another four projects are devoted to basic research (D, E, F and G) and three to clinical research (H, I and K). The responding addresses of the project leaders can be found on the respective project's page.

Coordination and Cross Linking

• Coordination and Management Group (Project A): Research and study assistants, study support, evaluation, information server.

• Computer Based Applications (Project B/1): Promotion and improvement of DOSPO, therapy and documentation modules, user training, hospital specific access deliverance.

• Data Protection, IT Security, and Knowledge Server (Project B/2): Secure and signed email communication for participating hospitals and others, information deliverance.

• Telemedicine in Pediatric Oncology (Project C): Development, standardization, and subsequent promotion of telemedical procedures for patients with solid tumors and Morbus Hodgkin.

Basic Research

• Molecular Parameters of Drug Resistance (Project D): Prospective studies of molecular biological markers of apoptosis and phenotypical resistance against cytostatics, basic testing of all patients with acute lymphatic leukemia, specific testing of selected patients.

• Preleukemic Diseases of the Bone Marrow (Project E): Study center and additional reference examinations for study patients EWOG-MDS 98, SAA 94 (planed), FA and SCINR for different genetical and phenotypical alterations.

• Prognostic Relevance of Minimal Residual Diseases (MRD, Project F): Centralization and validation of MRD diagnostics for all patients with leukemia/NH-lymphoma.

• Embryonal Tumors (Project G): Biocase, new ways of tumor material and blood asservation for (almost) all patients, material coordination, risk factor examination.

Therapeutic Research

• Immuno- and Gene Therapy (Project H): Development of individual experimental therapies for patients with poor prognosis.

• Late Effects, Quality of Life and a Vertical Network (Project I): Assessment of health-related quality of life, interlink with resident doctors.

• Second Malignant Neoplasms After Childhood Cancer (Project K): Obeservation of the patients progressive courses after the age of 15 and analysis of effects of the respective primary therapy.