Clinical Nursing and Data Management Core

Division Of Basic Sciences - Nci

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

The heart of the Urologic Oncology Branch is our clinical program: we study the human model of kidney cancer, prostate cancer and bladder cancer. By enrolling / evaluating patients and families with urologic cancers, we have been able to describe new rare inherited diseases associated with kidney cancer, characterize the clinical manifestations of these disorders, and identify three dominantly inherited kidney cancer susceptibility genes. The opportunities provided through the NIH Clinical Center enabled us to make the progress we have made. The Urologic Oncology Branch Clinical Core partners with physicians and scientists at the NIH and elsewhere to achieve Branch objectives. It is through the concerted effort of the clinical team that allowed UOB to study patients and their families with sporadic or inherited urologic cancers, and greatly contributed to the successes of these efforts. The Clinical Core is comprised of genetic counselor/ protocol manager, clinical research nurses, patient care coordinators, a senior data manager and data managers. The overarching goal of the Clinical Core is to provide support to UOB physicians and scientists to achieve Branch goals within an ethical framework. Objectives toward achieving this goal include: identify and recruit patients with or at risk for kidney cancer, prostate cancer and bladder cancer; determine eligibility for protocol enrollment; identify clinical studies requisite to evaluate patients; collect accurate and timely data; assure data integrity; assure human subject protections are maintained; conduct clinical trials according to Guidelines for Good Clinical Practice; identify and capture protocol driven data; enroll patients assuring a thorough informed consent process is performed; treat patients with respect, humanity and appreciation; provide education / counseling to families with inherited susceptibility to urologic cancer. Integral to meeting Core objectives, staff members are expected to have a working knowledge / appreciation of the protocols they support, actively participate in Branch meetings, and conduct business in a professional manner. Professional staff are expected to practice according to their professional practice guidelines and participate in NCI Nursing continued educational offerings. Professional staff are expected to appreciate and have an understanding of the ethical framework about human subject protections.