​“Cancer is an enormous problem in this part of the world, and does not discriminate between race, economic status, age, or sex. Many of our patients either fail standard therapy or have cancers where there is no effective therapy if unresectable. We owe it to our patients to develop better treatment for them. With the return of several well trained staff from leading institutions overseas, the National University Hospital and National University of Singapore have been most privileged to have the National Cancer Centre Singapore, Johns Hopkins Singapore, Chinese University of Hong Kong, National Taiwan University Hospital, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, and the Yonsei Cancer Centre join us in our pursuit of better treatment for our patients. 

We also believe that there is a tremendous opportunity to contribute to science with our collaboration. We will be able to simultaneously test new therapies in Asians and Caucasians prospectively to answer whether there is a difference in the biology of cancer in different ethnic groups, as well as examine differences, if any, in drug metabolism in different populations. This information will be of significant interest to the pharmaceutical industry, and the CTRG hopes to play a major role in the development of the Life Science industry in the Asia-Pacific region.” 

Since 1997, The CTRG has rapidly established itself and is now recognized as the leading group for evaluating new therapeutic strategies in the Asia-Pacific region. The CTRG has built up an impressive infrastructure, presented a number of studies at cancer meetings, and have published a number of peer-reviewed papers in high impact journals. 

We position ourselves as a major centre for early phase drug development in clinical trials with expertise in genomics and proteomics research. The Group is well-recognized by the international academic community and industry, as well as the United States National Cancer Institute (NCI) and Mayo Clinic through various collaborative studies. These project collaborations have enabled cancer patients in Asia-Pacific to benefit greatly. 

It remains the aim of CTRG to contribute to the advancement towards better treatments in cancer.

Professor John Eu-Li Wong
National University Health System
Founder of the Cancer Therapeutics Research Group (CTRG)

• ​To provide the means and opportunity to test novel anticancer agents and therapeutic strategies simultaneously in Asian & Caucasian patients with cancer
• To study pharmacogenomics in relation to ethnicity
• To develop better therapies for cancers common in Asia-Pacific
• To provide high quality data through ICH-GCP compliant clinical trials for rapid registration and licensing of new compounds in Asia 
  

​Set Up

• The administrative head office is located in the National University Hospital, Singapore.
• Our Group is led by a Joint Management Committee (JMC), comprising of the Directors of each member institution and a Chairman elected on an annual rotating basis.
• An audit committee audits our clinical trials conducted at the participating member institutions on a regular basis.
• We have established comprehensive Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to ensure smooth operations within the Group.
• Business meetings are conducted annually.
• Our Group keeps in close contact and follows discussions closely through regular teleconferences. 
  

Organisation Structure

Joint Management Committee

• National University Cancer Institute, Singapore / ​National University Health System 
• National Cancer Centre Singapore
  
• National Taiwan University Hospital
• Johns Hopkins Singapore
  
• The Chinese University of Hong Kong 
• Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital Australia
  
• Singapore General Hospital
  
• Yonsei Cancer Center South Korea 
  

For more information on CTRG and regional clinical trials, please contact Ms. Vilianty at +65 6772 4619 or email [email protected]. 

Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

• Multicenter phase II study of MK-2206 in previously treated patients with recurrent and metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma 
  
• A Phase I Trial of 5Azacitidine and Suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid in Patients with Metastatic or Locally Recurrent Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma and Nasal NK-T cell Lymphoma (NCI study). 
• Phase II study of Cetuximab with Carboplatin in patients with metastatic NPC. 
• Phase II study of Ifosphamide and Doxorubicin in Patients with Refractory Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma
• A Phase II Trial of VELCADE in Patients with Metastatic or Locally Recurrent Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma.
• A Phase 2 Study of GW786034 (Pazopanib) in Asian Patients with Recurrent/Metastatic Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma (NCI study).
  

Breast

1. H L Kong, M J Boyer, R Lim, S Clarke, M J Millward, J E Wong: Phase II trial of Thalidomide in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Proceedings of American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), Vol 20, #2282, 2001.
2. AYC Chang, W Yeo, JM Beith, JEL Wong; JHS, CUHK, SCC, NUS. Phase I/II study of weekly paclitaxel, UFT and leucovorin in patients with metastatic breast cancer. Proceedings of American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), Vol 21, #1962, 2002.
3. RA Soo, HL Lim, LZ Wang, SC Lee, LT Tok, HS Lee, BC Goh. Phase I/II study of gemcitabine administered at a constant rate infusion in combination with carboplatin in chemo-naive patients with non-small cell lung cancer. Proceedings of American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), Vol 21, #2754, 2002.
4. JM Beith, BC Goh, W Yeo, A Sullivan, S Lim, S Zhong, LP Rivory: Inter-ethnic differences in the myelotoxicity of adriamycin/cyclophosphamide (AC) for adjuvant breast cancer. Proceedings of American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), Vol 21, #252, 2002.
5. M. J. Millward, M. J. Boyer, M. Lehnert, S. Clarke, D. Rischin, B.-C. Goh, J. Wong, E. McNeil, and J. F. Bishop. Docetaxel and carboplatin is an active regimen in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: a phase II study in Caucasian and Asian patients. Ann Oncol 2003 14: 449-454.
6. T. W.-T. Leung, F. Mo, C. K. Leow, H. L. Kong, M. J. Boyer, P. Kho, A. Chang, B. Lai, A. T. C. Chan, J. Wong, for the Cancer Therapeutics Research Group. Multicenter validation of the Chinese University Prognostic Index (CUPI) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Proceedings of American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), Vol 22, #1040, 2003.
7. A. T. C. Chan, M. M. Hsu, B. C. Goh, E. P. Hui, T. W. Liu, M. Millward, A. Y. Chang, B. B. Ma, R. L. Hong, X. Lin, for the Cancer Therapeutics Research Group; MERCK Pte Ltd. Singapore. A phase II study of cetuximab (C225) in combination with carboplatin in patients (pts) with recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) who failed to a platinum-based chemotherapy. Proceedings of American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), Vol 22, #2000, 2003.
8. Soo RA, Lim HL, Wang LZ, Lee HS, Millward MJ, Tok LT, Lee SC, Lehnert M, Goh BC. Phase I trial of fixed dose-rate gemcitabine in combination with carboplatin in chemonaive advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: a Cancer Therapeutics Research Group study. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 2003 Aug; 52(2):153-8.
9. Anthony T.C. Chan, Mow-Ming Hsu, Boon C. Goh, Edwin P. Hui, Tsang-Wu Liu, Michael J. Millward, Ruey-Long Hong, Jacqueline Whang-Peng, Brigette B.Y. Ma, Ka F. To, Matthias Mueser, Nadia Amellal, Xiao Lin, Alex Y. Chang. Multicenter, Phase II Study of Cetuximab in Combination with Carboplatin in Patients with Recurrent or Metastatic Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma. Journal of Clinical Oncology Apr 4 2005: 200502147.
10. Wing M Ho, B Ma, Tony Mok, W Yeo, Paul Lai, R Lim, Jane Koh, YY Wong, Ann King, CK Leow, ATC Chan. Liver Resection after Irinotecan, 5-Fluorouracil, and Folinic acid for Patients with Unresectable Colorectal Liver Metastases. A Multicenter Phase II Study by the Cancer Therapeutics Research Group. Medical Oncology, vol 22, no. 1, 2005.
11. A Multicenter Randomized Phase II Study of Carboplatin in Combination with Gemcitabine at Standard Rate or Fixed Dose Rate Infusion in Patients with Advanced Stage Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer. Annals of Oncology July 2006; 17(7):1128-33.
12. Multi-centre phase II trial of thalidomide in the treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. Acta Oncol 2006; 46(2):234-8.
13. Phase II Study of Irofulven in recurrent or metastatic gastric cancer: a cancer Therapeutics Research Group (CTRG) study. Proceedings of American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2006.
14. Irofulven as first line therapy in recurrent or metastatic gastric cancer: a phase II multicenter study by the Cancer Therapeutics Research Group (CTRG). The pharmacogenomics journal Feb 2007 / 59: 295-300.
15. Multicentre phase II trial of thalidomide in the treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. Acta oncologica 2007; 46:234-238.
16. High incidence of symptomatic methemoglobinemia (metHb) in Asian patients (pts) treated with 3-aminopyridine-2-carboxaldehyde thiosemicarbazone (3-AP, triapine) and gemcitabine (GEM) in a second-line phase II trial of metastatic non-small cell lung. American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) abstract 1820; 2007.
17. A multicenter phase II trial of 3-aminopyridine-2-carboxaldehyde thiosemicarbazone (3-AP, TriapineÒ) and gemcitabine in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer with pharmacokinetic evaluation using peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Investigational New Drugs Apr 2008; 26(2):169-173.
18. Epigenetic Therapy Using Belinostat for Patients With Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Multicenter Phase I/II Study With Biomarker and Pharmacokinetic Analysis of the Mayo Phase II Consortium and the Cancer Therapeutics Research Group. J Clin Oncol 2012;30(27):3361-7.