The Trans-Tasman Radiation Oncology Group was formed in Taupo, New Zealand in 1989 when members of six New Zealand and one Australian radiotherapy centre decided that it was time for the two countries to form a unified trials group devoted to radiotherapeutic management issues. A founding principle was that in so far as possible responsibility for organising individual trials should be shared between the participating centres. This principle has contributed strongly to the enthusiasm, involvement and commitment of over 140 Radiation Oncology members, over 50 Data Managers and over 40 other Affiliate Members (radiation therapists, physicists, medical oncologists, nurses and statisticians) from more than 40 centres in Australia and New Zealand that now make up TROG.

1991 saw the birth of TROG’s first successful randomised trial and this was coordinated from the Queensland Radium Institute. This was a trial for patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer which sought to compare conventionally fractionated radiation with a twice daily, three week regimen piloted in Wellington. Its success was instant with good accrual from both Australian and New Zealand centres. TROG has grown considerably since the activation of this first study. TROG has now activated 47 protocols, contributed patients to two EORTC trials and two NCIC trials, and accrued a total of over 6000 patients to trials.

By 1994 TROG’s burgeoning trials activity had signalled the need for better coordination. To this end a small Central Operations Office involving a couple of part-time personnel became established in Newcastle, Australia. This office has expanded its activities enormously over the years and now there are nine personnel that devote themselves to the operational aspects of running TROG. The increasing amount of work involved in co-ordinating TROG’s activities led to the appointment of the full-time position of Senior Operations Manager in 1996 and a part-time TROG Administrative Assistant in 1999. A full-time Quality Assurance Manager was appointed in 2001 to provide input into protocols and assist in the co-ordination of all Technical Audits, eligibility audits, chemotherapy audits and to assist with level III dosimetry audits. A part-time Business Development Manager was appointed in July 2004 to further develop TROG’s sponsorship and donation opportunities. The staffing complement in the TROG Central Operations Office currently continues to expand with the acquisition of additional funding for specified periods through various successful grant applications.

An additional and very significant development in the process of improving coordination was TROG’s incorporation in 1995 and consequent formation of a Board of Management. This facilitated a change in TROG’s procedures for trial activation and monitoring and led to the inauguration of a second annual meeting, six months after the Annual Meeting proper, initially known as the Scientific Committee Meeting and now renamed the Trials Review Meeting. In 1998 the process for trial activation and monitoring was further refined, by the establishment of a Scientific Committee, which is an advisory committee reporting to the Board. Further refinements to the trial development and activation process were made in 1999. A Policy and Procedure Manual, known as the Red Book, has been developed over the years to standardise all aspects of TROG’s clinical trials activity. TROG launched its website in 1998 which includes general information relating to TROG’s activities and information specific to TROG members, such as protocols and the Policy and Procedure Manual. In 2003 a Publications Committee was established to provide independent scientific review of manuscripts prior to submission and to ensure that the results of TROG trials are reported in a timely manner.

TROG’s original logo design included the silver fern and the golden wattle which are the floral emblems of New Zealand and Australia, respectively. The ‘Tasman’ in TROG’s title refers to the Dutch explorer who gave his name to the small expanse of sea that separates the two countries.

However, in 2005 a new logo was introduced. The new contemporary and recognisable logo captures the essence of TROG. TROG is all about collaboration and this is represented by the O & 6 Dot element of the logo highlighting how Australia and New Zealand are working together to find the best possible treatment and research for patients with cancer. The Dot elements of the logo reflect the precision of the treatment and also the small tattoos that mark the patients before treatment. The O represents the concept of working together, discovery and life. The new logo and branding aim is to raise TROG’s profile with healthcare professionals and the general community.

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