The Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology supports scientific discovery by making research resources available to qualified investigators. Approved researchers may request access to Alliance biospecimens and clinical trial data sets to conduct secondary clinical data and correlative research, explore new scientific questions, and advance our understanding of cancer and cancer care.
Investigators may submit research concepts that propose the use of existing Alliance biospecimen resources. The submission process depends on whether the study is available through the National Cancer Institute’s National Clinical Trials Network (NCI NCTN) Navigator.
- Studies in NCI NCTN Navigator: The NCI NCTN Navigator is a centralized, web-based inventory and matchmaking system for biospecimens (such as tissue, blood, and plasma) collected through NCTN clinical trials. If the study and biospecimens you are seeking are available through the Navigator, submit your request directly through the platform.
- Studies Not in NCI NCTN Navigator: If the study and biospecimens you are seeking are not available through the NCI NCTN Navigator, search the NCTN Biospecimen Catalog, which includes additional Alliance legacy and other eligible studies. If you are interested in Alliance biospecimens identified through the catalog or need assistance locating available resources, contact Alliance Translational Research, at TRP@AllianceNCTN.org for guidance and submission instructions.
In accordance with the NCI guidelines, investigators may request clinical data from published Alliance trials, as well as eligible data from legacy trials conducted by the Alliance’s predecessor groups:
- American College of Surgeons Oncology Group (ACOSOG)
- Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB)
- North Central Cancer Treatment Group (NCCTG)
Some Alliance data sets may already be publicly available through the NCTN Data Archive or Project Data Sphere. Investigators are encouraged to check these resources before submitting a data sharing request to the Alliance.
Data Request Process
If the data set you are seeking are not available through these public resources:
- Submit a request
Complete the Alliance Data Sharing Request Form and e-mail it to DataSharing@AllianceNCTN.org. - Feasibility review
The request will be reviewed by the Alliance Statistics and Data Management Center (SDMC), the relevant disease committee, and any relevant Alliance data repositories to determine data availability and feasibility. Please be aware that there may be costs associated with secondary data requests and funding may be requested. - Agreements and regulatory reviews
The Alliance Data Sharing team conducts a review of any existing agreements that may have implications for the secondary data request and receives the necessary regulatory approvals. - Complete the agreement
If the data are available, you will receive a Data Use Agreement for review and signature. - Data release or transfer
Once the Data Use Agreement is fully executed, the Alliance Data Sharing team will authorize release of the approved data to the research team.
[Add link to download Alliance Data Sharing Request Form]
Special Considerations
- Alliance statistician involvement: Data requests that are sponsored by the Alliance scientific committees or programs will require prior approval from the relevant Alliance committee leadership.
- Cancer Control Program (CCP) data-only studies: Data-only study requests involving the Cancer Control Program (CCP) [add hyperlink to CCP page] should be submitted through the CCP Program Manager.