Neuro-Oncology Committee
The Division of Neurosurgery at the University of Toronto has established a city-wide Neuro-Oncology Committee (NOC) which meets regularly to discuss issues primarily concerning the treatment of patients with malignant brain tumours. To this end, a weekly brain tumour board meeting is held at which patients with difficult brain tumour problems are presented for management considerations.
The NOC has been instrumental in organizing city-wide clinical trials for patients with brain tumours, including a recent randomized prospective trial using the HSV/tk/ganciclovir model for gene therapy for patients with glioblastoma multiforme. Other multi-center, institutional or hospital-based trials are made available for these patients.
Membership in the NOC is open to all clinicians and clinician investigators within the University of Toronto who have an interest in clinical neuro-oncology. At present, representatives on the NOC include neurosurgeons, neurologists, radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, neuropathologists, neuroradiologists, neuropsychologists, residents and research fellows. The NOC will play a pivotal role in interfacing with the BTRC as the vehicle to take novel treatment strategies derived in the laboratory from the bench to the bedside.
Mail comments, questions and suggestions to: labatt@sickkids.ca