Experience with the use of generalized data base management systems in cooperative group clinical trials (a project...

Roswell Park Management Information System (RPMIS) is a formatted video-based system of programs for file creation, data entry, editing, updating, retrieval, and report generation. It has been utilized in more than 800 intrainstitutional research studies at Roswell Park. The Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) is a multiinstitutional, multidisciplinary cooperative group. Its clinical trials encompass the planning, initiation, execution, analysis, and presentation of results of management and treatment of patients with gynecologic cancer. The GOG Statistical Office, located at Roswell Park Memorial Institute, is responsible for data management and analysis of all patients entered into GOG protocols. Present annual accrual is approximately 2000 patients per year; 38 protocols are actively accruing patients while follow-up continues on 14 studies that are closed to patient entry. A previous paper (J Med Syst 7:235-242, 1983) described a time study comparing use of RPMIS and a paper batch processing system in GOG data management. The time study results and potential advantages of RPMIS warranted a gradual total conversion to this system. Presently GOG maintains 43 separate, self-contained applications of RPMIS and routinely develops a new system in conjunction with each new study initiated. This paper documents GOG experience with RPMIS during the past 4 years.