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by Peter E. Petrucci, MD, FACS Welcome back, everyone! I hope you had an enjoyable summer, were able to take some time off, and took advantage of our beautiful weather. In my inaugural message, I mentioned my interest in trying to involve the chapter and its members in ongoing clinical trials. There are several opportunities at this time, and I wanted to inform you about them. The American College of Surgeons Oncology Group (ACOSOG) was launched recently and now has several protocols in progress. Two studies involve breast cancer patients and sentinel node biopsy. Others center on hyperthermic limb perfusion in melanoma, lung cancer, perioperative chemotherapy in colon cancer, and radical surgery versus kidney sparing surgery for low-stage renal cancer. The details of these studies can be found on the Web site (www.acosog.org) or by phoning the College headquarters in Chicago at (312) 202-5000. The program encompasses studies of interest to a broad range of surgeons. The NSABP also has two interesting studies in progress. The Study of Tamoxifen Against Reloxafene (STAR) Trial, or P2 Trial, is actively enlisting women who are at a high risk for breast cancer the second trial is looking at sentinel node biopsy in a long-term perspective, to include survival and quality of life endpoints. Our chapter has many individuals who can recommend their patients for study in these clinical trials, and I encourage you to get involved. Our patients consider the trials important to their care and, in most cases, are willing to participate in them. Finally, I would like to remind those of you who care for breast cancer patients and woman at high risk that two trials have been reopened in the past year that will change the way we care for our patients. NSABP PI trial of tamoxifen for chemoprophylaxis has documented a 49 percent reduction in the breast cancer rate in women at high risk, including those with atypical ductal hyperplasia and LCIS. NSABP trial B24 has shown that patients with DCIS treated with breast conservation, radiation therapy, and tamoxifen have a reduced risk of local recurrence and of second primary tumors. We now have a responsibility to discuss these issues with the appropriate patients. In other developments pertaining to care for breast cancer patients, an excellent tool for determining risk currently is available in a device similar to a hand-held pocket calculator floppy disk. It can be used in the office to counsel patients about their risk and the options for treatment. I hope this discussion has not been overly didactic, but I feel this subject is important and needs to be emphasized. Participation in these and other trials is a reaffirmation of our commitment to the art and science of surgery.
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