The CR UK & UCL CTC was formed in 1997 following an amalgamation of 3 trials groups; the Cancer Research Campaign (CRC)
Lung Group/London Lung Cancer Group, the BNLI (British National Lymphoma Investigation)/CRC Lymphoma Group and one further
CRC trials group based at King College London.
CR UK & UCL CTC is a UKCRC Registered Clinical Trials Unit which manages all aspects of trial design, conduct and analysis
and has a dedicated group to manage the complex legal and regulatory procedures, pharmacovigilance and contractual requirements.
The CTC is a research department within UCL Cancer institute and is one of the four constituent Trials Units in the Institute
of Clinical Trials and Methodology (ICTM). The CTC has close links with the CR UK Centre at UCL
Trials at the CTC cover a range of tumour types, most of which are based on evaluating anticancer drugs, radiotherapy or surgery.
These studies arise through our experience, national and international contacts with clinical academics, the Clinical Studies
Groups of the NCRI, and local collaborations at UCL.
Studies within the scope of the CTC include both early and late phase trials (including advanced therapies)
in the following areas; brain, gynaecological, haematological, head & neck (including thyroid), lower
gastrointestinal, lung, prostate, sarcoma and upper gastrointestinal.
Who to contact at the CTC:
Contact is usually made via the relevant Trials Group Lead, Director or Deputy Director
▹ Brain cancer
▹ Haematological cancer
▹ Gynaecological cancer
▹ Lung cancer
▹ Head & neck Cancer (inc. thyroid)
▹ Lower gastro-intestinal cancer
▹ Prostate cancer
▹ Sarcoma/bone
▹ Upper gastro-intestinal cancer
▹ Lung cancer
▹ Thyroid cancer
▹ Epidemiological & medical statistics
▹ Medical screening
▹ Tobacco and health
As a Clinical Trials Unit based in a University, the CTC provides coordination, management and analyses of cancer clinical trials,
and works with established networks of hospital sites.
The CTC is not able to provide ‘out of hours’ cover and therefore would delegate necessary out of hours functions as follows:
All Trials:
Provision of access to 24hr medical care for trial patients
Investigators/trial sites (covered in site agreements & protocol. Sites also provide patients with trial specific
patient card on which site contact details are added)
For trials involving a product supplied for the trial:
Access to out of hours drug specific advice for hospital site staff
Manufacturer
Out of hours decision to recall product
Manufacturer
Out of hours notification of hospital sites/pharmacies in the event of decision to recall product
Manufacturer/supplier – or contracted third party undertaking distribution
(if latter, it will need to be clear who is responsible for payment)
Statement to Chief Investigators:
Please contact the CTC before funding is obtained, ideally at least 3 months ahead of
any grant application deadline. Referrals will then pass through the internal Trial Review
Group process (which occurs approximately twice per month), where the CTC determines whether
the study fits in with its portfolio and expertise, scientific interest, and whether resources would be available.
The CTC reserve the right not to consider any new outline application within 5 weeks of the deadline for submission,
or within 8 weeks for a full application. This is to ensure that (i) the application has been properly reviewed and
edited by all of the co-investigators, (ii) the CTC has time to estimate financial costs, and (iii) the final version
of the application produced has a higher chance of success.
If pharmaceutical industry support is being sought, please involve the CTC in negotiations as soon as possible especially
if trial drugs will be supplied and/or funding will be requested.
Laboratories carrying out analysis of biological samples for the purpose of determining eligibility or
the result of a primary or secondary endpoint, must have appropriate accreditation and/or standard operating procedures in place.
Near final grant applications must be available at least 48 hours before the application deadline, to allow
UCL finance approval to be obtained. The CR UK submission process, for example, will fail if host institution sign-off is not complete.