Steering the next generation of NCI-sponsored clinical trials in gastroesophageal cancers

Gastrointestinal cancers, and gastroesophageal adenocarcinomas in particular, are experiencing a clinical renaissance with the approval of recent biomarker-directed therapies. With the clinical advances comes multiple new questions for the field, many of which the NCI-sponsored clinical trials infrastructure is optimally suited to address. As a leader in the NRG non-colorectal committee and recently elected chair of the NCI Esophagogastric Task Force I am optimally suited, and deeply committed to leveraging NCI-sponsored clinical trials to address open clinical and scientific questions in gastroesophageal cancers. I have demonstrated an altruistic dedication to clinical research and ability to evaluate and implement NCI-trials at my institution where I am PI and lead accruer to NRG-GI006 and NRG-GI007. I have multiple relevant institutional roles including program leadership, IRB core membership and broader satellite network liaison where I lead efforts to extend NCI-sponsored trials to our community sites to bring trials to patients where they live. A key feature of successful trial implementation and accrual is appropriate trial selection informed by patient demographics and appropriate feasibility. With the support of the R50 Research Specialist award I will expand a novel trial evaluation program to improve implementation of NCI-sponsored trials at my institution. Through my roles in the NRG and NCI I will pilot this same program in evaluating developing concepts at the national level. My ultimate goal is to develop and implement pragmatic trials that address key questions in the field of gastroesophageal cancers.