The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) has formed a collaborative group with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) called the Cancer Biomarkers Collaborative (CBC). The purpose of the CBC is to champion the use of validated biomarkers in clinical trials.  Its mission is to develop a set of guidelines for effectively integrating predictive biomarkers into oncology trials.

"Major advances in cancer biology over the last quarter century have provided us with a better fundamental understanding of cancer in all of its forms, yet the translation of this knowledge into medical practice remains painstakingly slow," said William Hait, M.D.,Ph.D, president of the AACR.

The group will meet this summer to begin discussions on how to develop specific guidelines.