The EORTC-Breast Cancer Cooperative Group clinical research programme in early breast cancer. EORTC-BCCG

The aims of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) are to conduct, develop, coordinate, and stimulate research in Europe on the experimental and clinical bases of cancer treatment. Along these lines, the EORTC Breast Cancer Cooperative Group, which belongs to the EORTC treatment division, aims at improving the standard of early and advanced breast cancer treatment in Europe through the conduct of large, prospective, randomized, multicenter cancer clinical trials investigating innovative approaches as well as relevant questions regarding optimal surgery and radiotherapy or the optimal integration of these various treatment modalities. This paper reviews the current clinical research programme of this group in the field of "early" breast cancer and briefly alludes to the ongoing efforts of the group in areas such as quality control and translational research. Finally, the EORTC-BCCG has been instrumental in the foundation of the Breast International Group, "BIG", which is a large "intergroup" of existing European and Australian breast cancer research groups. It is hoped that BIG will accelerate the turnover of sufficiently large and well-designed breast cancer adjuvant clinical trials through increasing cooperation between its group members as well as collaboration, whenever indicated, with the American Breast Cancer Intergroup.