2004 Tour of Hope™ Team Members Announced
On June 1, Bristol-Myers Squibb announced the names of the 20 cyclists selected by cancer community leaders to join cancer survivor and 5-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong in the Bristol-Myers Squibb 2004 Tour of Hope. Almost 1,200 people applied to participate in the 3,500 mile journey October 1-8 from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., to emphasize the importance of cancer clinical trials. In addition to being expert cyclists, all team members have been touched by cancer and have a strong commitment to support cancer research and bring the Tour of Hope's message to communities across the country. More information is available online at http://www.tourofhope.org.

Team members include Kristen Adelman, Elkridge, Md.; Colleen Chapleau, North Liberty, Iowa; John Fee, Delran, N.J.; Andrea Glassberg, San Francisco, Calif.; Brandon Hayes-Lattin, Portland, Ore.; Brian Highhouse, Meriden, N.H.; Sheila McGuirk, Madison, Wis.; Darren Mullen, Wichita, Kan.; Jim Owens, Edina, Minn.; Kathy Parker, Athens, Ga.; Rod Quiros, Suffern, N.Y.; Erika Rosettie, Corning, N.Y.; Neil Shah, Woodland Hills, Calif.; Bernie Sher, Cocoa Beach, Fla.; Michael Siegel, Wilmette, Ill.; Joseph Steele, Englewood, Colo.; Elizabeth Sterling, Millmont, Penn.; Robert Stuart, Charleston, S.C.; Stephen Verbanic, Virginia Beach, Va.; and Ted Yang, Houston, Texas.

Cancer.gov Site Redesigned
On May 26, NCI launched its redesigned Web site, http://www.cancer.gov. The site's redesign was based on extensive user research, including user interviews, ways in which users look for information on the site, and Web-usage log analysis.

The new site combines a warm, visually appealing design with an improved navigation function, enabling users to easily find the information they want most. The new home page presents information by cancer type, and the basic clinical trial search form is just one click away. Additionally, information about NCI research programs and funding has been centralized into one content area. NCI plans to continue refining its Web site to meet the needs of all members of the NCI community.

NCI at ASCO
The annual meeting of the American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) will take place at the Morial Convention Center in New Orleans June 5-8. Researchers from NCI and its funded programs will be represented throughout the meeting. In addition to scientific presentations of NCI-funded research, attendees can learn about training and funding opportunities at NCI. Among the featured NCI speakers are Director Dr. Andrew C. von Eschenbach, Dr. Anna Barker, and Dr. Harold Freeman. More information about NCI's activities at ASCO is available online at http://www.cancer.gov/asco2004.

Symptom Management Trials Get Case Reimbursement Increase
Effective June 1, all NCI-sponsored Cooperative Group symptom management clinical trials will be reimbursed at the same rate as NCI-sponsored cancer treatment trials.

For the past several years, cancer treatment trials have been funded at $2,000 per case and symptom management trials funded at $1,000 per case. Reimbursement was increased to recognize the increased workload associated with symptom management trials, as well as to reinforce the importance of symptom management trials to the extramural community. Reducing the pain and suffering from cancer is a critical NCI goal and clinical trials are an essential means of determining effective regimens for cancer therapy and for alleviating symptoms of cancer or cancer treatment. More than 130 symptom management trials have been conducted since 1989.

The Cooperative Groups and several Cancer Centers are funded by the Division of Cancer Prevention as NCI Community Clinical Oncology Program (CCOP) Research Bases to design, develop, and conduct cancer prevention and control trials. For more information on the CCOP network, go to http://www3.cancer.gov/prevention/ccop/facts.html. For information on symptom management research go to http://www3.cancer.gov/prevention/coptrg/supportivecare/index.html.