Press Releases: 2010

Higher Doses of Fulvestrant Prolonged Survival in Patients With Advanced Breast Cancer

registration@aacr.org () — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 12:00:00 GMT

Improved survival seen with 500-mg dose versus 250-mg dose in patients with ER-positive metastatic disease.
Toxicity profiles were similar between dosage groups.

SAN ANTONIO — Increasing the dose of fulvestrant from 250 mg to 500 mg improved median overall survival in women with locally advanced or metastatic estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer, according to updated data from the CONFIRM trial presented at the 2012 CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, held here Dec. 4-8.

The Comparison of Faslodex in Recurrent or Metastatic Breast Cancer (CONFIRM) trial is a randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, multicenter, phase III trial of postmenopausal women with estrogen receptor (ER)-positive advanced breast cancer that recurred or progressed following endocrine therapy.

“Of note, the improvement in survival with the higher dose of fulvestrant was achieved without increasing treatment toxicity. Indeed, the dose of 500 mg had the same toxicity profile as the 250-mg dose,” said Angelo Di Leo, M.D., Ph.D., head of the department of medical oncology at the Hospital of Prato, Istituto Toscano Tumori in Prato, Italy.

Between February 2005 and August 2007, researchers randomly assigned 736 women from 128 centers in 17 countries to 250 mg or 500 mg of fulvestrant and followed them until 75 percent of the patients died. At the time of analysis, 554 patients had died, 63 were lost to follow-up and 16 withdrew consent.

Among the entire study population, the 500-mg dose was associated with a clinically relevant 4.1-month difference in median overall survival compared with the lower dose: 26.4 months in the 500-mg group and 22.3 months in the 250-mg group. Researchers also saw a 19 percent reduction in risk for death in the 500-mg group compared with the 250-mg group. Serious adverse events occurred in 8.9 percent of patients who had received the 500-mg dose and in 6.7 percent of patients in the 250-mg group.

“For those postmenopausal women with recurrent or progressing ER-positive locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer for whom fulvestrant is the appropriate treatment choice, the standard of care is a 250-mg dose,” said Di Leo. “Our results indicate that this should be modified to a 500-mg dose.”

According to Di Leo, the next research step will be to study 500 mg of fulvestrant in combination with biological agents, such as PI3K inhibitors or anti-HER2 agents that can reverse resistance to endocrine therapy.

“This approach could further increase the activity of fulvestrant given at the 500-mg dose,” he said.

# # #

The mission of the 2012 CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium is to produce a unique and comprehensive scientific meeting that encompasses the full spectrum of breast cancer research, facilitating the rapid translation of new knowledge into better care for patients with breast cancer. The Cancer Therapy & Research Center (CTRC) at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) and Baylor College of Medicine are joint sponsors of the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. This collaboration utilizes the clinical strengths of the CTRC and Baylor and the AACR’s scientific prestige in basic, translational and clinical cancer research to expedite the delivery of the latest scientific advances to the clinic. For more information about the symposium, please visit www.sabcs.org.

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(215) 446-7109
Jeremy.Moore@aacr.org
In San Antonio, Dec. 4-8:
(210) 582-7035

Susan Band Horwitz, Ph.D., Receives AACR Award for Lifetime Achievement in Cancer Research

registration@aacr.org () — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 12:00:00 GMT

ORLANDO, Fla. — Susan Band Horwitz, Ph.D., will receive the Eighth AACR Award for Lifetime Achievement in Cancer Research. Horwitz conducted pioneering research by discovering the mechanism of action of the chemotherapeutic drug paclitaxel (Taxol), which prompted the development of this drug as an important therapy for many common solid tumors, including ovarian, breast, and lung carcinomas. Her work has also contributed to the understanding of how microtubules function in normal and malignant cells and why stabilization of microtubules is a promising target for drug discovery.

“Dr. Horwitz has had a direct impact on millions of cancer patients around the world through her work in understanding the mechanisms of action of paclitaxel and other cytotoxic drugs,” said Margaret Foti, Ph.D., M.D. (h.c.), chief executive officer of the AACR. “Her remarkable career and pivotal scientific contributions have influenced our understanding of how cancer drugs work and how to translate that knowledge into improved strategic treatments.”

Horwitz, an internationally recognized molecular pharmacologist and preeminent researcher, is the Rose C. Falkenstein Professor of Cancer Research and co-chair of the department of molecular pharmacology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University. She is the associate director for therapeutics at the Albert Einstein Cancer Center.

Horwitz has had a continuing interest in natural products as a source of new drugs for the treatment of cancer. Her research has led to an understanding of the mechanisms of action and of resistance to taxanes, a class of anti-tumor drugs. Horwitz began investigating paclitaxel in 1977, after its isolation from the bark of the Pacific yew tree, Taxus brevifolia, by Wall and Wani. Her group demonstrated that paclitaxel had a previously unknown mechanism of action involving the stabilization of microtubules, which inhibited the dynamic properties of the polymer. As a result, the drug interfered with the normal functions of microtubules during cell division, leading to arrest in mitotis.

These pioneering studies led to clinical trials of the drug in the mid-1980s. Paclitaxel is now involved in first line treatment of many cancers, including ovarian, breast, non-small cell lung cancer, and Kaposi’s sarcoma, and as an antiproliferative agent on coronary stents for the prevention of restenosis.

Horwitz's current research focuses on issues surrounding a variety of new natural products that share a similar mechanism to paclitaxel, but also have distinct differences that may enhance their therapeutic value. Her research on paclitaxel resistance has concentrated on p-glycoprotein, mutations in tubulin, modulation of the expression of tubulin isotypes, and more recently overcoming accelerated senescence. In addition, she is also interested in combining paclitaxel with specific inhibitors of signaling pathways to circumvent resistance.

Horwitz has authored more than 250 publications, advancing our knowledge of antitumor drugs and mechanisms of drug resistance. She has received numerous awards including the Cain Memorial Award from the AACR; the ASPET Award for Experimental Therapeutics; the Chester Stock Award from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center; the American Cancer Society’s Medal of Honor; the Bristol-Myers Squibb Cancer Distinguished Achievement Award; The Barnard Medal of Distinction; and the Warren Alpert Foundation Award from Harvard Medical School. She received a Doctor Honoris Causa, Université de la Méditerranée, Marseilles, France.

Horwitz served as president of the AACR in 2002-2003. She is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, National Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Medicine. Horwitz is a fellow of the National Foundation for Cancer Research and The American Society of Pharmacognosy. She was a key figure in the external advisory group that evaluated and recommended sweeping changes in the National Cancer Institute’s drug screening and drug development systems. Horwitz has launched countless careers from her own laboratory and inspired innumerable others to embrace questions that change the way we think about fundamental aspects of cell biology.

Horwitz earned a bachelor’s degree from Bryn Mawr College and a doctorate from Brandeis University.

The AACR Award for Lifetime Achievement in Cancer Research was established in 2004 to honor an individual who has made significant fundamental contributions to cancer research, either through a single scientific discovery or a body of work. These contributions, whether they have been in research, leadership or mentorship, must have had a lasting impact on the cancer field and must have demonstrated a lifetime commitment to progress against cancer.

Horwitz will receive the Eighth AACR Award for Lifetime Achievement in Cancer Research at the Opening Ceremony of the AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011.

Download a high resolution photo of Dr. Horwitz.

Read a profile on Dr. Susan Band Horwitz from the 2010 Winter issue of CR magazine.

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 33,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. Including Cancer Discovery, the AACR publishes seven major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. AACR journals represented 20 percent of the market share of total citations in 2009. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists.

Media Contact:
Michele Sharp
(267) 646-0622
Michele.Sharp@aacr.org

Stand Up To Cancer Acquires TV & Film Rights to Nonfiction Bestseller "Emperor of All Maladies"

registration@aacr.org () — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 12:00:00 GMT

SU2C Plans Multi-Platform Series Based on Powerful New Book Named to New York Times Top 10 List

(December 15, 2010, New York, NY / Los Angeles, CA / www.standup2cancer.org)

Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C), the charitable initiative generating public awareness of and support for ground-breaking research aimed at getting new cancer treatments to patients in an accelerated timeframe, has acquired the TV and film rights to The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer, written by Siddhartha Mukherjee and published by Scribner in November, 2010. The book traces the history, or biography, of the disease from its first appearance thousands of years ago through the Nixon era War on Cancer 40 years ago to today’s promising new directions in cancer medicine.

Stand Up To Cancer was established two and a half years ago by a group of media and entertainment leaders intent on drawing on their industries in novel ways to engage the public in the fight against cancer. SU2C has produced two major televised fundraising events, in 2008 and on September 10th 2010, that aired on an unprecedented number of U.S. networks and cable outlets, as well as in 175 other countries.

“This thoughtful and insightful story is the most extraordinary and comprehensive look at cancer as a disease and a societal reality that has affected and will continue to affect every single person on the planet,” said Laura Ziskin, the SU2C co-founder who produced the ’08 and ’10 broadcasts, in describing the book. “It not only de-mystifies cancer – it tells us where we have been and where we have to go.

“Written in a riveting way the lay reader can understand, The Emperor of All Maladies brings the promise of today’s cancer research to life, while at the same time poignantly illustrating the devastating impact cancer has on those affected by it,” Ziskin continued. “One of SU2C’s goals is to create a ‘tipping point’ that will make cancer the first-tier issue it needs to be in this country. The book’s content can serve as a motivating ‘call to action’ for people to get involved in the fight against this disease, and we intend to bring it to life for viewers in the same way Dr. Mukherjee does on the written page,” she said.

“We launched SU2C because the experts told us this was a pivotal moment in cancer research: a ‘perfect storm’, if you will, of tremendous advances in both our understanding of the basic science of cancer and the technologies researchers need to translate that knowledge into real advances in treatment and prevention,” said SU2C Co-founder Sherry Lansing. “We wanted to tap our media and entertainment resources to make the public aware of what a hopeful juncture this is in cancer research, and energize everyone about supporting these scientists. Adapting The Emperor of All Maladies will help us do that.”

While the details are not yet final, Stand Up To Cancer’s leadership envisions a multi-platform approach, and will explore producing iterations for television, the internet, DVD, etc. Funds generated through this project will support research done by collaborative Dream Teams of scientists across institutions and disciplines, and by individual, young innovative investigators; as well as awareness efforts. Stand Up To Cancer is a program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, and the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) serves as SU2C’s scientific partner.

“I am tremendously excited about the opportunity to develop Emperor of All Maladies with Stand Up To Cancer,” said author Siddhartha Mukherjee. “I deeply admire the incredible and path-breaking work that SU2C has done in cancer advocacy and cancer research, and cannot think of a better partner. This story needs to reach the public – and SU2C is poised to make that happen.”

The Emperor of All Maladies was an instant New York Times bestseller and was named one of the Ten Best Books of the Year by the New York Times Book Review, Time, and O: The Oprah Magazine. It has received critical acclaim from publications ranging from the Washington Post and The Economist to Elle and Entertainment Weekly and is on a dozen other end-of-year best books lists. The New Yorker’s reviewer wrote, “It’s hard to think of many books for a general audience that have rendered any area of modern science and technology with such intelligence, accessibility, and compassion. The Emperor of All Maladies is an extraordinary achievement.” Siddhartha Mukherjee was represented in the sale by the Wylie Agency.

In addition to Ms. Lansing and Ms. Ziskin (who is a breast cancer survivor), the Stand Up To Cancer co-founders include Katie Couric; the Entertainment Industry Foundation’s President and CEO Lisa Paulsen and Senior Vice President Kathleen Lobb; Rusty Robertson and Sue Schwartz of the Robertson Schwartz Agency, nonprofit executive Ellen Ziffren, and Noreen Fraser of the Noreen Fraser Foundation (who is also a cancer survivor).

About Cancer
Every year, cancer takes the lives of more than half a million Americans and eight million people worldwide. In the U.S. alone, one out of three women and one out of two men will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetimes.

About Stand Up To Cancer
Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) was established in 2008 by leaders from the film and media industries who utilize the resources of those businesses in unique ways to get the public involved in supporting a new model of cancer research. The group produced two major televised events, in 2008 and 2010, that raised funds for teams of scientists collaborating on research that will get new therapies to patients quickly in order to save lives now. More than 100 celebrities participated in each program, conveying how cancer connects us all, and telling the stories both of people who survived the disease, as well as those taken by it. Between the two broadcasts, all of the major U.S. TV networks and many cable outlets participated, donating the airtime. The programs ran in more than 175 countries and raised many millions of dollars for research.

The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) and a Scientific Advisory Committee led by Nobel Laureate Phillip A. Sharp, Ph.D., selected the teams of researchers to be funded with these monies through a rigorous, competitive process. More than 200 scientists from 50 institutions around the world are currently involved in SU2C research projects.

About the Entertainment Industry Foundation
Stand Up To Cancer is a program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), the 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that serves as the collective philanthropy for the television and film businesses. EIF has distributed hundreds of millions of dollars to support programs addressing critical health, education and social issues. For more information, visit www.eifoundation.org.

About The American Association for Cancer Research
The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), which consists of more than 33,000 scientists engaged in the fight against cancer, is Stand Up To Cancer’s scientific partner. The AACR, the oldest and largest scientific organization in the world focusing on every aspect of high-quality, innovative cancer research from the bench to the bedside, is responsible for administering and managing the grants, and providing scientific oversight in conjunction with the SU2C Scientific Advisory Committee, led by Nobel Laureate Phillip A. Sharp, Ph.D., institute professor at the David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

For additional information on Stand Up To Cancer, visit www.su2c.org

# # #

Media Contacts:
Peter Foley
Rubenstein Communications
212-843-8308
pfoley@rubenstein.com

Kristen Bothwell
Rubenstein Communications
212-843-9227
kbothwell@rubenstein.com

Immune System May Impact Tumor Blood Supply

registration@aacr.org () — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 12:00:00 GMT

· Early research suggests that the immune system can affect angiogenesis.
· Manipulation of angiogenesis is a key therapeutic strategy for cancer.

PHILADELPHIA — Scientists at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute may have uncovered a mechanism for blocking tumor angiogenesis that involves the patient’s immune system, according to findings published in Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

Angiogenesis is the process by which tumors acquire and process blood, which is needed for their continued growth. Anti-angiogenesis drugs block blood flow and are an important part of cancer treatment.

“Substantial evidence indicates that inhibiting angiogenesis is a validated strategy for cancer therapy, but current approaches are in need of further improvements,” said Glenn Dranoff, M.D., associate professor of medicine at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Dranoff and colleagues analyzed blood and tumor samples from patients who showed clinical responses to treatment with a combination of immune stimulants and regulatory molecules. Unexpectedly, the study showed that these immunotherapies stimulated a host response that targeted the selective destruction of tumor blood vessels. A key step in this process was the ability of patients to generate antibodies that neutralized factors that produce and sustain tumor blood vessels.

Overall, the immune treatments activated cellular processes in the tumor microenvironment that achieved an anti-angiogenic response.

“It appears that the body’s own immune system can be used to develop a new way to block angiogenesis,” said Dranoff. “Angiogenesis involves multiple factors, and our studies suggest that it may be advantageous to target several of these at the same time, rather than only focus on one factor, such as vascular endothelial growth factor.”

Mark Smyth, Ph.D., head of the Cancer Immunology Program at Peter MacCallum Cancer Center in Australia, and a section editor of Cancer Research, believes this research represents important new information in the angiogenesis arena.

“It has long been recognized that anti-angiogenesis is a worthwhile therapeutic approach to cancer treatment and a number of molecules have been defined as potential targets,” said Smyth.

“The important issue here is that combination therapy does, in fact, raise host antibodies to these angiogenic targets. Future efforts to generate immunotherapies to cancer need to keep this information in mind.”

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 33,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. Including Cancer Discovery, the AACR publishes seven major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. AACR journals represented 20 percent of the market share of total citations in 2009. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists.

Media Contact:
Tara Yates
(267) 646-0558
Tara.Yates@aacr.org

Higher Co-payments Increase Chance of Early Discontinuation, Inadequate Use of Breast Cancer Therapy

registration@aacr.org () — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Use of aromatase inhibitors in early-stage breast cancer patients affected.

• Older women more likely to discontinue early because of high co-payments.
• Primary care physician involvement, quantity of other prescriptions affect use.

SAN ANTONIO — A higher prescription co-payment, especially among older women, is associated with both early discontinuation and incomplete use of adjuvant aromatase inhibitor therapy, a lifesaving therapy for women with hormone sensitive early-stage breast cancer.

Dawn L. Hershman, M.D., M.S., associate professor of medicine and epidemiology and co-director of the Breast Cancer Program at the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center at Columbia University, presented detailed study results at the 33rd CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, held Dec. 8-12, 2010.

Previous research has identified several factors affecting patient compliance with use of adjuvant aromatase inhibitors, such as young and old age, severity of side effects and belief that the medication is useful.

Hershman and colleagues examined the impact of prescription co-payments on hormone therapy use. Working with the Medco Research Institute, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Medco Health Solutions Inc., anonymous patient information was used to target women older than 50 years who were prescribed aromatase inhibitors for early breast cancer.

“We looked at two different factors: women who discontinued use altogether or had no subsequent refills and those that did not refill their prescription on time or did not take the medication at least 80 percent of the time,” said Hershman.

Results showed that of the 8,110 women aged 50 to 65 years, 21.1 percent stopped taking the medication and of those who properly continued with their regimen 10.3 percent did not take the medication as directed over the two-year period. Of the 14,050 women 65 years or older, almost 25 percent stopped taking the medication and of those who continued, 8.9 percent were non-adherent.

Co-payments were categorized as less than $30, between $30 and $89.99, and $90 or more. The 90-day co-payments ranged from $0 to $893.49.

In the 65 and older group, women were more likely to discontinue medication use if they fell in the co-payment categories above $30. However, it was not until the co-payment reached $90 or more that the less than 65 age group was more likely to discontinue use or not take it as prescribed.

Additionally, the study results showed that women whose prescriptions came from a primary care doctor or women who were prescribed many other medications were also more likely to stop taking the medications or not take them as prescribed.

“When we have highly effective medications available, we need to try to set limits on potential barriers to use like co-payments,” said Hershman. Based on these findings, “future public policy efforts should be directed towards reducing financial constraints as a means of increasing the complete use of these medications.”

# # #

Follow the AACR on Twitter @AACR, and throughout the meeting using the hash tag #SABCS.

Recordings of the teleconferences and video interviews with researchers will be posted to the AACR website throughout the meeting: www.aacr.org/page23506.aspx.

The mission of the CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium is to produce a unique and comprehensive scientific meeting that encompasses the full spectrum of breast cancer research, facilitating the rapid translation of new knowledge into better care for breast cancer patients. The Cancer Therapy & Research Center (CTRC) at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) and Baylor College of Medicine are joint sponsors of the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. This collaboration utilizes the clinical strengths of the CTRC and Baylor, and the AACR’s scientific prestige in basic, translational and clinical cancer research to expedite the delivery of the latest scientific advances to the clinic. The 33rd annual symposium is expected to draw nearly 9,000 participants from more than 90 countries.

Contact Media:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
In San Antonio, Dec. 8-12:
(210) 582-7036

Unique Needs and Outcomes of Pregnant Women with Breast Cancer Identified

registration@aacr.org () — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Weight of babies exposed to intrauterine chemotherapy tended to be higher.
• More malformations were found, regardless of treatment.
• Multidisciplinary team should be part of pregnant patient’s cancer management.

SAN ANTONIO — Do not delay treatment of breast cancer just because a woman is pregnant, said lead researcher Sibylle Loibl, Dr. med, of the German Breast Group.

This suggestion is based on study results detailing the effects of different treatment options on the infant. Loibl presented this data at the 33rd Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, held Dec. 8-12, 2010.

“At the time we started the study in 2003, there was hardly any information on breast cancer therapy during pregnancy, but we felt there was a medical need for it,” she said.

Although the incidence of pregnancy among breast cancer patients is small (about 2 to 3 percent), women are delaying childbirth until later in age, which may increase the instances of cancer cases among pregnant women, according to Loibl.

The researchers collected data from women diagnosed with breast cancer while pregnant to see how the infants fared.

From April 2003 until June 2010, they collected data from 313 women, aged 23 to 47 years old. The women had various subtypes of breast cancer, and the cancer was in various stages when diagnosed. All of the women were pregnant when they were diagnosed with cancer: 23 percent were in the first trimester, 42 percent were in the second and 36 percent were in the third trimester. Some women received various treatment regimens while the rest received chemotherapy.

Two of the infants died shortly after birth and 29 did not continue the pregnancy. Premature deliveries were more common among women who did not receive chemotherapy than among women who did receive chemotherapy. In addition, the infants of the women who received chemotherapy tended to weigh a little more than those who did not receive chemotherapy.

Infants from both groups experienced congenital problems, most of which were related to premature birth.

“We were surprised about the number of congenital malformations,” Loibl said. “It is about 1 to 3 percent in the general population, but was higher in this cohort.”

Although the study was primarily focused on the infant outcomes, the researchers also looked at the treatment effects on the women and found that the median overall disease-free survival of the mothers was 27 months and median overall survival was 55 months.

Based on these results Loibl said she would advise her pregnant cancer patients to “continue the pregnancy and start with a treatment as closely as possible to standard recommendations for nonpregnant women.” In addition, it is critical that a multidisciplinary team in close collaboration with an obstetrician, prenatal care specialist and a neonatologist treat the pregnant woman with breast cancer.

###

Follow the AACR on Twitter @AACR, and throughout the meeting using the hash tag #SABCS. Recordings of the teleconferences and video interviews with researchers will be posted to the AACR website throughout the meeting: www.aacr.org/page23506.aspx.

The mission of the CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium is to produce a unique and comprehensive scientific meeting that encompasses the full spectrum of breast cancer research, facilitating the rapid translation of new knowledge into better care for breast cancer patients. The Cancer Therapy & Research Center (CTRC) at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) and Baylor College of Medicine are joint sponsors of the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. This collaboration utilizes the clinical strengths of the CTRC and Baylor, and the AACR’s scientific prestige in basic, translational and clinical cancer research to expedite the delivery of the latest scientific advances to the clinic. The 33rd annual symposium is expected to draw nearly 9,000 participants from more than 90 countries.

Contact Media:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
In San Antonio, Dec. 8-12:
(210) 582-7036

Phase III Efficacy Data on Bevacizumab Plus Chemotherapy in Early Breast Cancer to be Presented

registration@aacr.org () — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Possible new treatment option for early HER2-negative breast cancer.
• Safety data, published earlier this year, indicated bevacizumab was feasible.
• Data on response and surgical outcomes to be presented at symposium.

SAN ANTONIO — Results of the GeparQuinto study, randomized Phase III efficacy data on the use of bevacizumab plus chemotherapy to treat women with early breast cancer will be presented at the 33rd Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.

Gunter von Minckwitz, M.D., Ph.D., managing director of the German Breast Group, and colleagues are conducting final analyses on efficacy data from this study, which will detail the early treatment of more than 1,900 patients with HER2-negative breast cancer treated with chemotherapy with or without bevacizumab.

“So far, no efficacy data from Phase III trials have been reported for early breast cancer. This will be the first,” said von Minckwitz. “If the pathological complete response rate is higher with bevacizumab than without bevacizumab, it will provide a new option to improve neoadjuvant treatment in HER2-negative breast cancer.”

Bevacizumab is currently approved in the United States in combination with paclitaxel for the first-line treatment of metastatic breast cancer. In July 2010, the Food and Drug Administration’s Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee voted 12 to 1 to eliminate this indication from the treatment label of bevacizumab.

“A negative or positive result might have a significant effect on this picture,” said von Minckwitz. “However, pathological response as a surrogate for outcome is only confirmed for chemotherapy. Long-term follow up, as well as results from adjuvant studies have to be awaited.”

The researchers investigated whether adding bevacizumab to treatment with four cycles of epirubicin/cyclophosphomide, followed by four cycles of docetaxel improved the rate of pathological complete response, which was defined as no invasive or non-invasive residual cancer in the breast or nodes.

Between May 2007 and June 2010, 944 patients were assigned chemotherapy treatment with epirubicin/cyclophosphamide followed by docetaxel; 945 patients were assigned this treatment plus bevacizumab.

After the first four cycles, the researchers performed an interim assessment; 24 percent of patients treated without bevacizumab and 17 percent of patients treated with bevacizumab showed no response and were discontinued from treatment.

Interim safety data from the trial, published earlier this year, indicated that treatment with bevacizumab was feasible. Patients assigned bevacizumab experienced more leukopenia, infections, mucositis and hypertension, but less edema. This safety profile is no different from that reported in first-line metastatic trials or Phase II adjuvant trials of bevacizumab, according to von Minckwitz.

Full results on the histological response and surgical outcome will be reported during the symposium.

“The results will provide an important signal as to whether bevacizumab will be effective as an adjuvant treatment,” said von Minckwitz.

###

CTCs Predict Poor Outcome From Blood Stem Cell Transplantation Therapy for Metastatic Breast Cancer

registration@aacr.org () — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• High-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation is effective therapy.
• Therapy may release cancer stem-like cells from bone marrow.
• Patients who had low circulating tumor cells did well.

SAN ANTONIO — Metastatic breast cancer patients who had circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in their blood before or after high-dose chemotherapy (HDCT) followed by autologous stem cell transplantation had poor outcomes, according to researchers from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Patients with CTCs in their blood before chemotherapy treatment had reduced survival and those with these cells in their blood after the stem cell transplant recurred faster and died earlier. These findings were presented at the 33rd Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, held Dec 8-12.

While it has been known that CTCs in metastatic breast cancer are linked to cancer recurrence and lower survival, this study adds several new insights, the researchers said. One is that the process of collecting hematopoietic progenitor cells appears to recruit CTCs from bone marrow into the blood, and the other is that these CTCs are likely to be responsible for cancer recurrence.

“Our group had previously shown that metastatic breast cancer patients with CTCs in their blood relapsed faster and now we see that these same cells can be recruited from bone marrow and that they may have the same effect on disease outcome,” said the lead researcher Hui Gao, Ph.D., a research scientist working in the laboratory of James M. Reuben, Ph.D.

“Furthermore, some CTCs seem to have the characteristic markings of stem-like cells, but we don’t know yet if they are cancer stem cells,” Gao said.

The 21 patients included in this study were younger women (average age of 44) diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer who were offered high-dose chemotherapy followed by stem cell transplant. Before chemotherapy, patients were given a growth factor treatment to recruit hematopoietic progenitor cells from bone marrow, then the cells were harvested from their blood.

CTCs were found in six patients before transplant and in nine patients one month after. Researchers determined that more than five CTCs at baseline was associated with shorter overall survival and that five or more CTCs after transplant was linked to both shorter relapse-free survival and overall survival.

The process of using growth factors to mobilize hematopoietic stem cells also appears to mobilize some CTCs that have lost their epithelial properties and undergo mesenchymal transition, according to the researchers. Such cells are not easily detected by the conventional CTC detection assays and the importance of this observation might be overlooked by the clinicians.

High-dose chemotherapy followed by stem cell transplant did reduce the number of existing CTCs in some patients, but increased CTCs in other patients. Patients who recurred faster and had shorter survival had a higher percentage of epithelial cells with stem-like markings mixed in with blood hematopoietic progenitor cells that were mobilized by the growth factor to enter the blood stream.

“When we enriched for hematopoietic progenitor cells, we found some CTCs within the milieu of cells we collected,” Gao said.

In some cases, mobilization may have facilitated the release of cancer stem cells from the bone marrow that were associated with shorter relapse-free survival. However, mobilized CTCs can be removed from the final transplanted product using a procedure to positively select for CD34+ hematopoietic progenitor cells. This procedure may account for the fact that the patients with low CTCs did well.

###

Denosumab Delayed Time to First Skeletal-related Side Effect

registration@aacr.org () — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Denosumab may be a safe, effective alternative to zoledronic acid.
• Drug is easy to administer via subcutaneous injection.
• Dose adjustments or renal monitoring is not required.

SAN ANTONIO — For patients with breast cancer and bone metastases, denosumab delayed skeletal-related side effects five months longer compared to those on zoledronic acid, according to results presented at the 33rd Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, held Dec. 8-12.

“The average life expectancy of patients with metastatic breast cancer is approximately 2.5 years, so if you can prolong the time without a skeletal-related event by five months, you are substantially benefiting the patient,” said Alison T. Stopeck, M.D., associate professor of medicine and director of the Clinical Breast Cancer Program at the Arizona Cancer Center, University of Arizona, Tucson.

The Food and Drug Administration approved denosumab, sold by Amgen as XGEVA starting Nov. 18, 2010, for the prevention of skeletal-related events in patients with bone metastases from solid tumors.

Previous results from this Phase III trial indicated that denosumab was superior to zoledronic acid in delaying the time to first on-study, skeletal-related side effects, such as fracture, radiation to bone, surgery to bone or spinal cord compression in patients with breast cancer and bone metastases. These results detail an additional four months of blinded treatment.

Stopeck and colleagues randomized 2,046 patients with advanced breast cancer to receive either 120 mg of subcutaneous denosumab or 4 mg of intravenous zoledronic acid every four weeks. Both of these drugs inhibit osteoclasts, or the cells that break down bone, therefore, all patients took calcium and vitamin D daily.

Denosumab was better at delaying the time to first on-study, skeletal-related event by 18 percent and the time to first and subsequent event by 22 percent. The median time to first on-study, skeletal-related event was five months longer for the denosumab group compared to the zoledronic acid group.

Overall survival and disease progression was similar for both groups. Rates of side effects were 96.2 percent for those taking denosumab and 97.4 percent for those taking zoledronic acid. Jaw osteonecrosis occurred in 2.5 percent of patients taking denosumab and 1.8 percent of those taking zoledronic acid.

Stopeck thinks these results will be practice changing. “We now have an alternative to zoledronic acid that is more convenient, less toxic and more effective for patients with bone metastases,” she said.

###

High CTC Levels Predicted Poor Outcome in Metastatic Breast Cancer

registration@aacr.org () — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Predictive value independent of serum tumor markers.
• CTCs are independent prognostic marker for metastatic disease.

SAN ANTONIO — A high level of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) — cells that have detached from a tumor and are circulating in the body through the blood — are an independent prognostic marker in metastatic breast cancer as first-line therapy. In addition, persistence of high CTC level during therapy was found to be an early marker of poor outcome.

“This is the largest, prospective series validating the prognostic value of CTCs in first-line chemotherapy metastatic breast cancer, independently from serum tumor markers for overall survival,” said Jean-Yves Pierga, M.D., Ph.D., professor of the medical oncology department, Institut Curie and Université Paris Descartes, France. “Persistence of a high level of CTCs before the second cycle of chemotherapy was a strong and early predictive marker of poor outcome.”

Pierga presented results of this study at the 33rd Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, held here Dec. 8-12, 2010.

Breast cancer can metastasize from a primary tumor in the breast to distant organs, such as the liver, lungs or bone, through the blood. New techniques have allowed for the detection of metastasis by testing blood for CTCs.

Previous research has not established that routine use of CTC measurements can improve patient outcomes, therefore, it is not currently a recommended practice, said Pierga.

The researchers prospectively tested CTCs as an outcome predictor compared with serum tumor markers in metastatic breast cancer patients treated by first-line chemotherapy. Serum tumor markers are proteins or glycoproteins released into the blood; however, tumor markers only indirectly reflect the presence of cancer and can be associated with dead cells, according to Pierga. In fact, some breast cancers can metastasize without any increase in tumor serum markers.

This study included 267 patients with metastatic breast cancer who were receiving first-line chemotherapy and had undergone assessment for three tumor markers: CA 15.3, CEA and LDH. Patients were enrolled in one of five cancer centers in France between June 2007 and Sept. 2009, and were followed for a median of 16 months.

Sixty-five percent of the patients had one or more CTCs; 44 percent had five or more CTCs. Of the measured tumor markers, 64 percent of patients had high CA 15.3, 51 percent had high CEA and 45 percent had high LDH.

High CTC levels were predictive of poor progression-free survival and overall survival, independent of serum tumor markers.

Evaluation of serum tumor markers showed that baseline levels of CA 15.3, CEA and LDH were prognostic for poor progression-free survival, but only LDH was prognostic for overall survival. CTCs were highly associated with tumor markers, tumor burden, performance status, and number of metastatic sites, but were also independent of tumor biology, such as HER2 status, or grade of cancer.

“CTCs add an independent prognostic marker in metastatic breast cancer at first-line chemotherapy, and an early predictive marker of clinical benefit after one cycle of chemotherapy,” Pierga said.

###

Circulating Tumor Cells Predicted Recurrence, Death in Patients with Early-stage Breast Cancer

registration@aacr.org () — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Blood was tested after surgery and before chemotherapy.
• Risk was apparent with just one CTC in the blood.
• More individualized treatment approaches might be possible based on CTC characterization.

SAN ANTONIO — The presence of one to four circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the blood of early-stage breast cancer patients almost doubled patient’s risk of cancer relapse and death, and five or more CTCs increased recurrence by 400 percent and death by 300 percent, according to Phase III results of the SUCCESS trial. These cells were found in patients after surgery but before chemotherapy treatment.

Results of this study were presented at the 33rd Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, held Dec. 8-12, 2010, and demonstrate the value of CTCs in early breast cancer, independent of estrogen-receptor or HER2 status and before use of adjuvant therapy.

The benefit of using CTCs to predict risk for recurrence and death in metastatic breast cancer patients has been shown in a number of studies, and use of a CTC test in metastatic breast cancer has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

The CTCs found in this study are likely evidence that a tumor is shedding breast cancer cells, said lead researcher Brigitte Rack, M.D., head of the department of gynecological oncology at the Women’s Hospital at the University of Munich, Germany. “The CTCs might have been released from the primary tumor before these patients underwent surgery, and the expression of stem cell markers on disseminated tumors cells has been shown by several groups.”

Survival of these CTCs after chemotherapy further suggests they are cancer stem cells, Rack added.

Researchers with this study are testing the effectiveness of two different chemotherapy regimens and extended adjuvant bisphosphonate treatment in early breast cancer. SUCCESS’ efficacy data are expected to be released next year.

Results of this study showed that 21.5 percent of patients had one or more CTCs in their blood before the start of adjuvant treatment. These patients were more frequently node-positive, but no other linkage could be made with tumor size or grade or HER2 status.

Breast cancer recurred in 114 patients, and 66 patients died. Being CTC-positive was a significant independent predictor for both disease-free and overall survival. Patients with one to four CTCs had an 88 percent increased risk of early breast cancer recurrence and a 91 percent increased risk of death from breast cancer, according to Rack.

Prognosis was worse in patients with five or more CTCs; these patients had a fourfold risk of cancer recurrence and a threefold risk for death from the disease.

“Our study suggests testing CTCs may prove to be important to help individualize therapy for early-stage breast cancer where no measurable tumor is present,” she said. “Patients who seem to be at high risk due to CTC may benefit from additional treatment options, and those that don’t have CTCs may be spared side effects of some treatments.”

She added, however, that prospectively randomized trials are necessary to show an improvement of survival based on CTC diagnostics. Trials testing this notion are either ongoing or about to start in Europe and the United States, according to Rack.

###

Pertuzumab and Trastuzumab Combination Improved Efficacy for Women With HER2-positive Breast Cancer

registration@aacr.org () — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Adding pertuzumab to trastuzumab and docetaxel eradicated tumors.
• Some tumors were eradicated without chemotherapy.

SAN ANTONIO — The combination of pertuzumab and trastuzumab had superior antitumor activity in women with early HER2-positive breast cancer, according to Phase II study results of the NeoSphere neoadjuvant trial.

Details of these study results were presented at the 33rd Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, held Dec. 8-12.

“The findings establish that the addition of pertuzumab to trastuzumab and the chemotherapy drug docetaxel has an impressive rate of tumor eradication (46 percent), which is 50 percent more than achieved with docetaxel and trastuzumab, the standard therapy,” said Luca Gianni, M.D., director of medical oncology at the Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Tumori di Milano.

“In addition, the combination of trastuzumab and pertuzumab without chemotherapy is capable of eradicating the tumor in a remarkable fraction of cases (17 percent) without any of the toxicities commonly seen with chemotherapy,” Gianni said.

NeoSphere is a randomized trial that tested the efficacy of the new HER2-directed monoclonal antibody pertuzumab in combination with trastuzumab with or without chemotherapy. The trial included 417 women; all participants received four cycles of therapy before they underwent surgery, or as neoadjuvant therapy.

The results showed that combining pertuzumab with trastuzumab might offer improved efficacy to women with early HER2-positive breast cancer, according to Gianni. Additionally, a small percentage of tumors could be treated and eventually cured without chemotherapy.

“The most important result of the study is that a relatively small neoadjuvant trial of short duration can rapidly provide data that better outline the value of different new strategies and shape the approach to further and much larger adjuvant studies,” Gianni said.

Investigators are working on a follow-up, adjuvant randomized trial with pertuzumab added to trastuzumab and chemotherapy. They are also conducting several molecular analyses aimed at improving the ability to predict benefit or failure and permit greater focus on personalized treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer.

###

Combination Therapy Reduced HER2-positive Breast Cancers

registration@aacr.org () — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Three drug combination worked better than when used alone.

• Surgical remission rate was 50 percent, but was 20 percent with single therapy.

SAN ANTONIO — A combination of lapatinib, trastuzumab and paclitaxel significantly improved tumor response rates than either agent alone among patients with HER2-positive breast cancers, according to data presented at the 33rd Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, held Dec. 8-12. Full results were presented at the symposium during a press briefing on Dec. 10, 2010, at 8:00 a.m. CT.

Reporters who cannot attend in person can participate using the following call-in information:

• U.S. and Canada: (888) 282-7404
• International: (706) 679-5207
• Access Code: 25346432

Lead researcher José Baselga, M.D., Ph.D., chief of the division of hematology and oncology and associate director of the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, said early data indicate a 50 percent rate of pathological complete remission compared with 20 percent for either agent alone.

“This study suggests that a dual blockade against HER2 is an efficient way to target HER2-positive breast tumors and that lapatinib adds to trastuzumab. While further research is ongoing, our results indicate that we are on the right track to improve the therapy of HER2-positive disease,” said Baselga, who is also a founding editor-in-chief of the AACR’s newest journal Cancer Discovery, along with Lewis C. Cantley, Ph.D.

These results are from the NeoALTTO Trial, an international, multicenter, randomized study comparing the efficacy of lapatinib plus paclitaxel vs. trastuzumab plus paclitaxel vs. a combination of all three agents as neoadjuvant chemotherapy among 455 patients with HER2-positive breast cancer.

“It has been suggested in basic science research and smaller clinical trials that the combination of these therapies would be more effective than either alone, but this is the first time it has been shown in a large clinical trial setting,” said Baselga.

At the symposium, Baselga presented the primary outcome of tumor rate after surgery, as well as the secondary outcomes of objective response rate, safety, pathologic node-negative status, rate of conversion to breast conservation, disease-free survival and overall survival.

###

Phase III Study Compared Neoadjuvant Therapy with Lapatinib or Trastuzumab for Early Breast Cancer

registration@aacr.org () — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Researchers compared traditional neoadjuvant therapy with new combination of chemotherapy and lapatinib.
• Histological and surgical outcome results after neoadjuvant therapy presented.

SAN ANTONIO — Researchers presented Phase III efficacy data from the GeparQuinto study, a head-to-head comparison of neoadjuvant lapatinib and trastuzumab in combination with chemotherapy for patients with early breast cancer, at the 33rd Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, held Dec. 8-12.

“We had a primary goal to compare the standard anti-HER2 neoadjuvant combination of chemotherapy, trastuzumab, with the new combination of chemotherapy and lapatinib,” said Michael Untch, M.D., head of the multidisciplinary breast cancer department at Helios Clinic in Berlin, Germany.

The GeparQuinto study was conducted at 85 centers throughout Germany and includes 2,500 patients, 550 of whom have HER2-neu-overexpressing breast cancer. This is the largest prospective patient cohort of chemo-targeted neoadjuvant therapy worldwide.

All patients received four cycles of 90 mg/m² epirubicin and 600 mg/m² cyclophosphamide every three weeks, followed by four cycles of 100 mg/m² docetaxel. They were randomly assigned to also receive concomitant 6 mg/kg trastuzumab every three weeks or 1,250 mg lapatinib per day throughout all cycles.

At baseline, patient characteristics were similar between the two groups, with both groups presenting a clinical median tumor size of 40 mm. The researchers also reported a similar number of patients in each group with T4a-c or T4d disease, bilateral, multifocal or multicentric disease, and estrogen receptor-negative and progesterone receptor-negative disease.

The last of the patients are currently undergoing surgery, and Untch will present histological and surgical outcome results for these patients at the symposium.

“After assessing response to neoadjuvant chemo-targeted therapy in patients with HER2 overexpressing tumors, we are following the patients from this study to see whether pathologic complete response at surgery is correlated to the outcome of the patients,” he said.

###

New Surgeon General Report on Smoking and Disease Caps Successful Year of Federal Anti-Tobacco Action, AACR Says

registration@aacr.org () — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 12:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The American Association for Cancer Research commends the U.S. Office of the Surgeon General for its continued focus on tobacco, one of most pressing public health issues of our time. The Surgeon General today released a new report, How Tobacco Smoke Causes Disease, that details the scientific evidence on how smoking causes cancer and numerous other diseases.

The report states that no level of tobacco smoke exposure is safe and describes the biological mechanisms behind smoking’s damaging effects, including how the chemicals and toxicants in smoke inflame the lining of the lungs and damage DNA within cells. The report also describes how tobacco smoke weakens the body’s ability to fight cancer by decreasing the effectiveness of some chemotherapy drugs and promoting tumor growth.

“This Surgeon General’s report is an eye-opener because it comprehensively compiles the scientific evidence that spells out how tobacco smoke attacks our bodies to cause disease,” said Roy Herbst, M.D., Ph.D., chair of the AACR Task Force on Tobacco and Cancer, and professor of medicine and section chief of thoracic medical oncology in the department of thoracic/head and neck medical oncology, division of cancer medicine at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. “Understanding the biological reasons for tobacco’s profoundly negative impact is an important component of developing effective, evidence-based, anti-tobacco efforts. Such knowledge explains, for example, why it is so critical to protect people from secondhand smoke.”

This new report, the Surgeon General’s 30th one on tobacco, comes at the end of a year that has seen significant anti-tobacco efforts at the federal level. The AACR applauds these collective efforts and urges continued federal leadership.

The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, which became law in June 2009, provided the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with the authority to regulate the manufacturing, marketing and advertising of tobacco products. Since then, the FDA has worked swiftly to implement the law, including banning the sale of candy- and fruit-flavored cigarettes as well as the use of deceptive terms such as “light,” “low” and “mild.” Most recently, the FDA proposed new bolder health warnings with graphic images for cigarette packaging and advertisements.

Through the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Congress also enacted other important measures aimed at reducing tobacco use, including the expansion of health plan coverage for proven smoking cessation interventions and the creation of a prevention trust fund that began funding tobacco prevention and cessation programs in fiscal year 2010.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has also shown leadership this year with the release of a comprehensive, agency-wide, tobacco control plan last month that included a strategy to accelerate research to expand the science base and monitor progress in reducing tobacco use and attendant disease.

“Tobacco is responsible for nearly 30 percent of all cancer deaths, taking the lives of 169,000 Americans every year,” said Margaret Foti, Ph.D., M.D. (h.c.), chief executive officer of the AACR. “The AACR is committed to working with Congress, the Obama administration and the global community to leverage resources and make progress in reducing the toll of death and disease due to tobacco use. While momentous strides have been taken to date, we need to continue to be vigilant in our collective efforts to reduce tobacco use.”

The AACR Task Force on Tobacco and Cancer published a comprehensive policy statement on tobacco and cancer in Cancer Research last April, which called on all stakeholders to engage in a renewed and concerted effort to combat the global tobacco epidemic. Among other tobacco-related efforts planned for the coming year, the task force will be submitting comments to the FDA on the proposed cigarette warning labels in January. The task force is comprised of experts from across the spectrum of research on tobacco use and tobacco-related cancers, including David Sidransky, M.D., who served as senior scientific editor of the Surgeon General’s new report.

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 33,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. Including Cancer Discovery, the AACR publishes seven major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. AACR journals represented 20 percent of the market share of total citations in 2009. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists.

Media Contact:
Rachael Cullins
(202) 898-0668
Rachael.Cullins@aacr.org

Zoledronic Acid Did Not Improve Disease-Free Survival in Early Breast Cancer

registration@aacr.org () — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Results of the long-awaited AZURE trial prove negative.
• Significant benefit in post-menopausal women will need further study.
• Researchers said clinicians should be cautious about this investigational use in the adjuvant setting in premenopausal women.

SAN ANTONIO — Zoledronic acid did not improve disease-free survival among women with stage II/III breast cancer according to results of the Adjuvant Treatment with Zoledronic Acid in Stage II/III Breast Cancer (AZURE) trial, which was presented at the 33rd Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.

“In the larger population, we did not see a difference,” said Robert Coleman, M.D., professor of medical oncology at the University of Sheffield in England.

However, among 1,101 patients who were five years post-menopause, about 30 percent of the overall group, there was a 29 percent improvement in overall survival. Coleman stressed that this was a secondary outcome, so it could not be considered conclusive, but it did present the largest unanswered question.

“To see a survival advantage like this is quite remarkable, and the difference in outcome between this group and the younger population is unlikely to be a chance finding. We will clearly want to investigate further in this population,” he said.

The AZURE trial included 3,360 patients with stage II/III breast cancer from 174 centers. Coleman and colleagues randomly assigned the patients to standard therapy or to standard therapy plus zoledronic acid. The primary outcome was disease-free survival.

The researchers found no difference in disease-free survival in the overall population.

“This will likely dissuade clinicians from giving adjuvant bisphosphonates on a routine basis to younger women taking adjuvant chemotherapy because, although the drug is generally well tolerated, there is a small risk of osteonecrosis of the jaw,” said Coleman.

The researchers identified 17 (1.1 percent) confirmed cases of osteonecrosis of the jaw over the duration of the study period.

These results do not impact on the current usage of zoledronic acid for the treatment of metastatic bone disease across a broad range of cancers.

###

Exemestane may be Another First-line, Adjuvant Therapy for Hormone-receptor Positive, Early-stage Breast Cancer

registration@aacr.org () — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Exemestane and anastrozole provide similar control of breast cancer and survival with different side effect profiles.
• Exemestane may be considered as an alternative, first-line adjuvant therapy.

SAN ANTONIO — Exemestane, an aromatase inhibitor that blocks production of estrogen, may provide another post-surgery option for postmenopausal women with hormone-receptor positive, early-stage breast cancer.

In the first head-to-head adjuvant clinical trial comparing two aromatase inhibitors, anastrozole and exemestane, the drugs resulted in similar survival rates and prevention of breast cancer recurrences. Some differences in the side effect profile were seen, including a potential difference in the risk of developing osteoporosis.

Paul E. Goss, M.D., Ph.D., professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston, presented detailed results of this study at the 33rd Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, held Dec. 8-12, 2010.

In hormone-receptor positive breast cancer estrogen stimulates tumor growth. Currently, patients undergo surgery and then receive drugs that stop estrogen production for five years. Aromatase inhibitors block an enzyme, which is responsible for converting androgens to estrogens.

In previous research, aromatase inhibitors have shown superiority over standard endocrine therapies, with anastrozole and letrozole as the only drugs in the class approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a first-line, adjuvant therapy.

But Goss said investigators had hypothesized that another class of aromatase inhibitors, of which exemestane is an example, may be more potent and have a more favorable side effect profile, including less damage to bones, organs and lipid metabolism.

“The difference in the drug class is that anastrozole is a non-steroidal inhibitor and exemestane is a steroidal inhibitor,” said Goss.

To test this hypothesis, the NCIC Clinical Trials Group at Queen’s University, Canada, led a large, randomized clinical trial comparing the two treatments among 7,576 women from Canada, the United States and Europe. The trial included support from the U.S. National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program and the European-based International Breast Cancer Study Group.

“We found that the drugs are comparable in terms of preventing recurrent breast cancer and in overall survival,” said Goss. “Osteoporosis was reported less frequently and cholesterol levels appeared to be lower in patients on exemestane than anastrozole. Other side effects such as mood change and abnormalities of blood tests assessing liver function were reported more frequently with exemestane, although, the overall numbers of these events were small. With these results, exemestane should be considered as an alternative to anastrozole for initial adjuvant therapy.”

Exemestane is currently approved by the FDA when used following tamoxifen, a standard endocrine therapy, or as a second-line therapy for metastatic breast cancer.

“The three available aromatase inhibitors are due to come off patent and these results provide another alternative for the most commonly prescribed medication for breast cancer globally,” he said.

The good news for patients is how well women in this trial did, with a reported 91 percent overall survival rate after more than four years of follow-up, according to Goss. “The results are likely as a result of a combination of many advances including screening, surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and endocrine therapy,” he said.

Initially, the researcher’s clinical trial also included investigating the role of a COX-2 inhibitor called celecoxib when used in combination with the aromatase inhibitors. Less than two years into this seven-year trial, this portion of the study was discontinued because of concerns about heart problems associated with COX-2 inhibitors. A total of 1,635 women had received celecoxib at that time.

COX-2 inhibitors are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that reduce inflammation by blocking COX-2 enzyme, which is responsible for the pain and swelling associated with inflammation. They are also produced in response to precancerous and cancerous tissues.

“Therefore, the value of COX-2 inhibitors in reducing breast cancer recurrence remains unanswered,” said Goss.

###

Obese Women with ER-positive/HER2-negative Breast Cancer Have Poorer Survival Rates

registration@aacr.org () — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Obesity was associated with inferior survival in women with stage I to III breast cancer.
• Women with ER-positive/HER2-negative disease had inferior outcomes.
• Research is needed to identify contributing factors and develop therapeutic interventions.

SAN ANTONIO — Obesity was associated with worse overall and disease-free survival in women with operable breast cancer treated with adjuvant chemotherapy, but for the first time, researchers observed this finding in only a specific subset of patients – those with estrogen receptor (ER)-positive/HER2-negative disease.

About one third of all adults in the United States are obese, posing a major public health problem because of obesity’s association with an increased risk of diabetes and heart disease. This study indentified a new hazard associated with obesity.

Results were presented at the 33rd Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, held Dec. 8-12, 2010.

“We were surprised to find that there was no evidence that this finding played out in the other breast cancer subtypes – it’s mainly a phenomenon that we seem to be seeing those with ER-positive/HER2-negative disease,” said Joseph A. Sparano, M.D., professor of medicine and women’s health at Albert Einstein Medical College of Medicine and associate chairman of the department of oncology at Montefiore Medical Center in Bronx, N.Y.

“Our results may be explained by the fact that obesity is associated with hyperinsulinemia, which may drive the growth of estrogen-dependent tumors,” said Sparano.

Sparano and colleagues conducted a retrospective study to evaluate the effect of obesity on the outcomes of three Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group trials: E1199, E5188 and E3189. All three trials involved doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide and other agents.

The researchers first evaluated the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and disease-free survival and overall survival in the E1199 trial. Results showed a nonsignificant trend toward worse disease-free survival and overall survival for the obese patients compared with others.

However, after evaluating these data by breast cancer subtype, obese women with ER and/or progesterone receptor (PR)-positive/HER2-negative disease had significantly worse disease-free survival and overall survival. The same effect was not seen in women with HER2-positive and triple-negative disease.

After this initial finding was seen in the E1199 trial, the research team attempted to validate these findings in two other trials, one of which included only ER-positive disease (E5188) and a second that included only ER-negative disease. The results held up in these two other studies – obesity was associated with worse outcomes in patients with ER-positive disease in the E5188 trial, but only in patients with ER-negative disease treated in the E3189 trial.

“If validated in other studies, this finding provides strong rationale for trying to identify potential causes, and prospectively evaluate intervention strategies designed to reduce their risk of recurrence,” Sparano said.

The researchers plan additional studies to evaluate the relationship between obesity and tumor gene expression, and to identify other host factors that may be associated with recurrence, such as insulin and other growth-factor levels.

###

Most Women Do Not Get Recommended Mammograms

registration@aacr.org () — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Only 50 percent of women get regular mammograms.
• Analysis conducted in an insured population.
• Reason for low mammography rates is unknown.

SAN ANTONIO — Only half of eligible women in the United States are getting their annual mammograms, even if they have insurance to pay for the procedure, according to data presented at the 33rd Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.

Last year the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, an independent panel of non-federal experts in prevention and evidence-based medicine, recommended that the age of first mammogram be lifted from 40 to 50 years of age, at which biennial mammography begins, and caused a public outcry. To date, no major insurance company or other organization has acted on that recommendation.

“Women reacted strongly to that recommendation with protests about their right to have an annual mammogram that should not be taken away,” said Milayna Subar, M.D., vice president and national practice leader for oncology at Medco Health Solutions Inc. in N.J. “Interestingly though, we found that a large percentage of women do not get regular mammograms.”

Subar and colleagues reviewed medical claims between January 2006 and December 2009 from a database of more than 12 million people. All participating women had either employer-provided insurance or Medicare.

Among those who were 40 to 85 years of age, only 50 percent had a mammogram in any given year and only 60 percent had two or more mammograms over four years. Average annual mammography rates were 47 percent for women aged 40 to 49 years, 54 percent for women aged 50 to 64 years and 45 percent for women aged 65 years and older.

The researchers did not examine reasons as to why the women were not getting mammograms, but several theories exist, according to Subar. Among these theories: discomfort from the test, lack of available screening centers, general non-compliance or denial.

###

Estrogen Alone is Effective for Reducing Breast Cancer Risk

registration@aacr.org () — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Exogenous estrogen (administered as HRT) reduces breast cancer rates.
• HRT based on estrogen alone helps manage menopausal symptoms.
• More data are needed to elaborate on estrogen’s role in chemoprevention.

SAN ANTONIO — While endogenous estrogen (i.e., estrogen produced by ovaries and by other tissues) does have a well-known carcinogenic impact, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) utilizing estrogen alone (the exogenous estrogen) provides a protective effect in reducing breast cancer risk, according to study results presented at the 33rd Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, held Dec. 8-12.

“Our analysis suggests that, contrary to previous thinking, there is substantial value in bringing HRT with estrogen alone to the guidelines. The data show that for selected women it is not only safe, but potentially beneficial for breast cancer, as well as for many other aspects of women’s health,” said lead researcher Joseph Ragaz, M.D., medical oncologist and clinical professor in the faculty of medicine, School of Population and Public Health at The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.

“These findings should intensify new research into its role as a protective agent against breast cancer,” he added.

Ragaz and colleagues reviewed and reanalyzed data from the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) hormone replacement therapy trials. WHI is a national health study that focuses on strategies for preventing heart disease, breast and colorectal cancer, and fracture in postmenopausal women. The WHI was launched in 1991 and includes more than 161,000 U.S. women aged 50 to 79 years.

“Over the last 30 years HRT has been used almost indiscriminately by women expecting the benefit of reducing cardiac risks, while providing a protective effect against bone fracture, and improving overall quality of life,” said Ragaz. “The WHI results as originally interpreted led to a major pendulum swing against HRT.”

The WHI HRT trial consisted of two cohorts of women; the estrogen-alone group of women without a uterus and the estrogen-plus-progestin group of women with a uterus.

Ragaz and colleagues reanalyzed the WHI studies in more detail and found that subsets of women with no strong family history of breast cancer who received estrogen alone had a significantly reduced breast cancer incidence. In addition, the 75 percent of women without benign disease prior to the trial enrollment also had a reduced breast cancer risk.

“Reduction of rates of breast cancer in the majority of women who are candidates for estrogen-based HRT is a new finding because estrogen was always linked with a higher incidence of breast cancer,” Ragaz said, “yet estrogen administered exogenously is actually protective for most women.”

Based on the results of this current analysis, Ragaz suggested that “while the use of HRT with estrogen alone may reduce the risk of breast cancer and may also be appropriate to manage menopausal symptoms, further research is warranted to elaborate on the optimum treatment regimen, to refine the selection of ideal candidates for estrogen therapy, and to understand the estrogen mechanisms that support the prevention of human breast cancer.”

“The recommendations based on prior analyses of the results of the WHI HRT studies were not to use HRT, but we are optimistic this will change,” he said. “Our conclusion, based on the data presented, should enhance considerations for an early approval of HRT based on estrogen-alone for the majority of selected women suffering with menopausal symptoms and galvanize new research on HRT to define the optimum regimens for individual women.”

###

Aromatase Inhibitors Increased Risk of Heart Disease in Postmenopausal Women with Breast Cancer

registration@aacr.org () — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Increased risk for cardiovascular disease appears to be a drug class effect.
• Risk is small in general population, but may be high in patients with risk factors.
• Switching to aromatase inhibitors after tamoxifen use may decrease mortality unrelated to breast cancer.

SAN ANTONIO — Postmenopausal women who take aromatase inhibitors as a treatment for breast cancer may be at an increased risk for developing cardiovascular disease, according to the results of a meta-analysis.

These data, presented at the 33rd Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, indicate that women presenting with breast cancer treatment who have risk factors for cardiovascular disease should be considered for a shorter duration of use of aromatase inhibitors.

“It appears that aromatase inhibitors have a significant increase in cardiotoxic side effects, such as heart attack, angina and heart failure,” said Eitan Amir, M.D., a senior fellow in the division of medical oncology and hematology at the Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto, Canada.

Because some cancers, especially breast cancers, require estrogen to grow and spread, drugs that block estrogen production are often used to treat the disease. Tamoxifen blocks the effect of estrogen in breast tissue, whereas aromatase inhibitors prevent the production of estrogen.

Each class of drugs also have related adverse effects. For example, although tamoxifen blocks estrogen production in breast tissue, it has the opposite effect in uterine tissue. Previous research has shown that extended use of tamoxifen results in a small increase in the risk for endometrial cancer and venous thrombosis.

On the other hand, in December 2008, the Food and Drug Administration added a warning label to anastrozole, an aromatase inhibitor, which indicated potential increased risk for heart disease. For this reason, Amir and colleagues conducted a meta-analysis to determine if this increased risk for heart disease occurred with the use of any aromatase inhibitor.

The researchers examined data from seven large randomized clinical trials that compared tamoxifen with aromatase inhibitors in postmenopausal women with early-stage breast cancer.

Data from the analysis confirmed that any duration of use of an aromatase inhibitor was associated with a 20 percent higher probability of developing cardiovascular disease. However, use of aromatase inhibitors also resulted in a reduced risk for venous thrombosis and endometrial carcinoma.

As a secondary analysis, they determined if switching from treatment with tamoxifen to aromatase inhibitors had any effect on mortality or adverse effects. Results showed that the risk for serious adverse effects were similar when aromatase inhibitors were used as an initial treatment compared with switching to aromatase inhibitors after treatment with tamoxifen.

“However, it appears from the data — and this is strictly hypothesis-generating — that if a woman switches from one drug to another, there is a reduction in the risk from death from causes other than breast cancer,” Amir said. “This potentially suggests that there may be side effects that build up the longer a woman is on a certain drug, but switching drugs may reduce the side effects.”

###

AACR Mourns the Loss of Elizabeth Edwards

registration@aacr.org () — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 12:00:00 GMT

The American Association for Cancer Research is deeply saddened by the loss of Elizabeth Edwards. An outspoken cancer advocate and passionate supporter of access to quality health care for all, she fought her disease in the public eye and exhibited a great deal of courage by speaking candidly about coping with terminal breast cancer.

We want to express our heartfelt condolences to the Edwards' family, as well as our gratitude for her advocacy efforts. Though breast cancer incidence has declined over the last decade, and mortality has steadily decreased since 1990, much work remains to be done on this disease that is expected to kill nearly 40,000 Americans in 2010.

This week, the AACR is in Texas, working in partnership with the University of Texas Health Science Center and Baylor College of Medicine for the 33rd Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. The symposium facilitates the rapid translation of new scientific knowledge into better care for breast cancer patients.

It is our hope that the work being done by scientists here and around the world will spur the momentum of progress for breast cancer research, and lead to better methods of prevention, diagnosis and treatment for those who suffer from the same disease that caused the untimely passing of Ms. Edwards.

CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium Press Conferences

registration@aacr.org () — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 12:00:00 GMT

SAN ANTONIO — The American Association for Cancer Research Communications Department will hold several press conferences will be held onsite at the CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.

The first press conference will take place on Thursday, Dec. 9, 2010, at 8:00 a.m. CT in room 217D of the Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center.

AACR President-elect Judy Garber, M.D., M.P.H., director of the Center for Cancer Genetics and Prevention at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute will moderate a press conference on “Patient Screening and Management. Reporters and other interested parties can participate using the following call-in information:

• U.S. and Canada: (888) 282-7404
• International: (706) 679-5207
• Access Code: 25346432

On Thursday, Dec. 9, 2010, at 12:30 p.m. CT, Robert Coleman, M.D., professor and honorary consultant medical oncologist at the Cancer Research Center, Academic Unit Medical of Clinical Oncology at Weston Park Hospital in Sheffield, England, will present the results of the AZURE trial. Reporters and other interested parties who cannot attend in person can participate using the following information:

• U.S. and Canada: (888) 282-7404
• International: (706) 679-5207
• Access Code: 25348290

On Friday, Dec. 10, 2010, at 8:00 a.m. CT in room 217D of the convention center, Neil Spector, M.D., professor of medicine at Duke University Medical Center, will host a press conference on “Targeting HER2 Beyond Herceptin.” Reporters and other interested parties who cannot attend in person can participate using the following information:

• U.S. and Canada: (888) 282-7404
• International: (706) 679-5207
• Access Code: 25352046

On Friday Dec. 10, 2010, at 12:30 p.m. CT in room 217D of the convention center, Minetta Liu, M.D., director of translational breast cancer research at Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, a part of Georgetown University Medical Center, will host a press conference on “Circulating Tumor Cells and Metastasis.” Reporters and other interested parties who cannot attend in person can participate using the following information:

• U.S. and Canada: (888) 282-7404
• International: (706) 679-5207
• Access Code: 25352274

###

George W. Sledge Jr., M.D., Honored for International Contributions to Breast Cancer Research

registration@aacr.org () — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 12:00:00 GMT

SAN ANTONIO — George W. Sledge Jr., M.D., a nationally recognized pioneer in the development of novel therapies for breast cancer, will receive the 2010 William L. McGuire Memorial Lecture Award at the 33rd Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.

Supported by GlaxoSmithKline Oncology (GSK) since its inception in 1992, this honor acknowledges distinguished internationally recognized researchers for their significant contributions to breast cancer research.

Sledge is the Ballve-Lantero Professor of Oncology and professor of medicine and pathology at the Indiana University School of Medicine, and a physician/ researcher at the Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center. He is also co-director of the IU Simon Cancer Center’s breast program. Sledge specializes in the study and treatment of breast cancer, and his research specifically focuses on molecular and tumor biology, growth factors and anti-angiogenic therapy. He has chaired several nationwide clinical trials involving new therapies for breast cancer.

“Dr. Sledge’s work developing novel therapies to treat women with breast cancer has improved the lives of countless cancer patients,” said C. Kent Osborne, M.D., codirector of the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium and director of the Baylor College of Medicine Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center. “The selection of Dr. Sledge is even more appropriate since he was one of the first medical oncology fellows to graduate the new fellowship training program at the University of Texas Health Science Center Division of Medical Oncology, established by Dr. McGuire as division director in the late 1970s. We congratulate Dr. Sledge on this fitting honor.”

Sledge will give a lecture entitled, “What Would Bill Do? Channeling Your Inner McGuire,” on Saturday, Dec. 11, 2010, at 11:15 a.m. CT, during the 33rd Annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. This symposium, encompassing the full spectrum of breast cancer research, will be held Dec. 8-12, 2010, at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, San Antonio, Texas.

Paolo Paoletti, M.D., senior vice president and head of the oncology R&D unit at GlaxoSmithKline, said “Dr. Sledge has been a true visionary and pioneer in the progression of pathway-related treatments for breast cancer and other diseases. His work with HER2-positive, anti-angiogenesis treatment helped herald a new era in the treatment of breast cancer, and millions of patients have benefitted from this advancement in science. Admirably, all of Dr. Sledge’s contributions to research were done with a unique attention and commitment for patients’ feelings and needs, which drive everything he does. This award is befitting of such a tremendous scientist and supporter of patient care.”

Sledge joined the Indiana University School of Medicine faculty in 1983, after completing his residency at St. Louis University and his fellowship at the University of Texas, San Antonio. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin and his medical degree from Tulane University.

He holds many honors including the Jill Rose Award – Breast Cancer Research Foundation (2007) and the 2006 Komen Foundation Brinker Award for Scientific Distinction. Sledge has been listed among “America’s Top Doctors” as well as “America’s Top Doctors for Cancer.”

Sledge is the current president of ASCO and has been an active member of the AACR since 1988. He has served as a breast cancer committee leader with the Hoosier Oncology Group. He serves as chair of the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group and in various capacities for The Breast Cancer Intergroup. He was secretary (1997-1998) and a board of trustees member (1995-1998) of the Indiana Medical Oncology Society. Sledge has published extensively in the area of breast cancer research, and has served as editor-in-chief of Clinical Breast Cancer.

# # #

About the William L. McGuire Memorial Lectureship
Dr. William L. McGuire, along with Dr. Charles A. Coltman, founded the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium in 1977. The William L. McGuire Memorial Lectureship was established in 1992 to commemorate the significant contributions of Dr. McGuire to our understanding of breast cancer biology and treatment. His research played a major role in introducing estrogen receptor assays on breast tumor tissue as a guide to treatment decisions for women with breast cancer. Breast cancer patients everywhere now receive these tests. The lecturer is selected by the SABCS Executive and Planning Committees from persons nominated by distinguished researchers in the field.

About the CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium
The mission of the CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium is to produce a unique and comprehensive scientific meeting that encompasses the full spectrum of breast cancer research, facilitating the rapid translation of new knowledge into better care for breast cancer patients. The Cancer Therapy & Research Center (CTRC) at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) and Baylor College of Medicine are joint sponsors of the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. This collaboration utilizes the clinical strengths of the CTRC and Baylor, and the AACR’s scientific prestige in basic, translational and clinical cancer research to expedite the delivery of the latest scientific advances to the clinic. The 33rd annual symposium is expected to draw nearly 9,000 participants from more than 90 countries.

About GlaxoSmithKline
GlaxoSmithKline, one of the world’s leading research-based pharmaceutical and health care companies, is dedicated to producing innovations in cancer that will make profound differences in the lives of patients. Through GSK’s “bench to bedside” approach, it is transforming the way treatments are discovered and developed, resulting in one of the most robust pipelines in the oncology sector. Its worldwide research in oncology includes partnerships with more than 160 cancer centers. GSK is developing a new generation of patient-focused cancer treatments in prevention, supportive care, chemotherapy and targeted therapies.

Media Contact:
Michele Sharp
(267) 646-0622
michele.sharp@aacr.org
In San Antonio, Dec. 8-12:
(210) 582-7036

AACR Applauds Cancer Objectives in Healthy People 2020, Underscores Importance of Federal Funding for Research

registration@aacr.org () — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 12:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The American Association for Cancer Research commends the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on the establishment of science-based, 10-year objectives to reduce the incidence of cancer, which was included as part of the Healthy People 2020 initiative that launched yesterday.

The Healthy People 2020 framework points out that “continued advances in cancer research, detection and treatment have resulted in a decline in both incidence and death rates for all cancers.”

“This particular statement underscores the importance of federal funding for cancer-related biomedical research,” said Margaret Foti, Ph.D., M.D. (h.c.), chief executive officer of the AACR. “If we are to improve the health of all Americans, the Administration and Congress must continue to invest in the National Cancer Institute and the National Institutes of Health.”

The AACR is pleased that Healthy People 2020 features numerous objectives aimed at reducing tobacco use, the leading cause of cancer, which accounts for nearly 30 percent of all cancer deaths and is causally linked to 18 different cancers. In April, the AACR issued a comprehensive policy statement on tobacco and cancer, which called for immediate action to stem the global tide of tobacco-related death and suffering, and to improve public health through tobacco cessation and prevention efforts.

The AACR also applauds the emphasis that the HHS placed on reducing obesity rates in the United States, which has been shown to decrease the risk of cancer. In 2001, experts concluded that cancers of the colon, breast (postmenopausal), endometrium (the lining of the uterus), kidney, and esophagus are associated with obesity. Some studies have also reported links between obesity and cancers of the gallbladder, ovaries and pancreas.

Healthy People 2020’s goals and resources related to cancer can be found here.

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special Conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Rachael Cullins
(202) 898-0668
Rachael.Cullins@aacr.org

Practice-changing Cancer Research Presented at 33rd Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium

registration@aacr.org () — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Experts present the latest research in breast cancer treatments and lifesaving strategies.

SAN ANTONIO — More than 9,000 people from more than 90 countries will gather Dec. 8-12, 2010, at the Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas, for the 33rd Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.

The symposium is the largest of its kind anywhere in the world. Each year it draws academicians, clinicians, survivors, patient advocates, industry and others interested in the advancement of breast cancer research to discuss and learn about new and late-breaking research, which includes experimental biology, etiology, prevention, diagnosis, and therapy of breast cancer and pre-malignant breast disease, as well as new findings from clinical trials.

The CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium is a partnership between the Cancer Therapy and Research Center (CTRC) at UT Health Science Center San Antonio, the American Association for Cancer Research and Baylor College of Medicine.

“The driving force behind this collaboration is the shared mission of the organizations to advance progress against breast cancer,” said Program Chairperson C. Kent Osborne, M.D., director of the Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center at the Baylor College of Medicine. “By combining their respective strengths, the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium encompasses the full spectrum of breast cancer research and facilitates the rapid transition of new knowledge into improved care for breast cancer patients.”

The symposium begins on Wednesday, Dec. 8, with a full schedule of educational events. The opening plenary session begins the next day at 8:30 a.m. CT in Exhibit Hall D of the Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center.

In addition to the ongoing plenary session, there is a full industry exhibit hall and a program for survivors and breast cancer advocates. Press conferences will be held for registered members of the media.

# # #

Follow the AACR on Twitter @AACR, and throughout the meeting using the hash tag #SABCS.

Recordings of the teleconferences and video interviews with researchers will posted to the AACR website throughout the meeting: www.aacr.org/page23506.aspx.

The mission of the CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium is to produce a unique and comprehensive scientific meeting that encompasses the full spectrum of breast cancer research, facilitating the rapid translation of new knowledge into better care for breast cancer patients. The Cancer Therapy & Research Center (CTRC) at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) and Baylor College of Medicine are joint sponsors of the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. This collaboration utilizes the clinical strengths of the CTRC and Baylor, and the AACR’s scientific prestige in basic, translational and clinical cancer research to expedite the delivery of the latest scientific advances to the clinic. The 33rd annual symposium is expected to draw nearly 9,000 participants from more than 90 countries.

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
In San Antonio, Dec. 8-12:
(210) 582-7036

AACR and University of Catania Establish the Margaret Foti Award for Best Thesis in Translational Oncology

registration@aacr.org () — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 12:00:00 GMT

PHILADELPHIA — The American Association for Cancer Research, in cooperation with the University of Catania Ph.D. Oncology Program and the Italian League Against Cancer of Catania, announces the establishment of the "Margaret Foti Award" for the best thesis in translational oncology. The first awards will be given on Dec. 2, 2010, in Catania, Italy.

In recognition of her commitment to cancer research and funding for cancer research, AACR CEO Margaret Foti, Ph.D., M.D., (h.c.) will receive the first award.

"Dr. Foti and the AACR have been instrumental in supporting the careers of cancer scientists and the important work they do," said Massimo Libra, M.D., Ph.D., of the department of biomedical sciences at the University of Catania. "Dr. Foti's international vision has enabled the AACR to unite a worldwide community of cancer researchers by sponsoring important scientific meetings and publishing high quality scientific journals."

(Pictured above: Ferdinando Nicoletti, M.D., Ph.D. [left] and Margaret Foti, Ph.D., M.D. (h.c.).)

"The efforts of Dr. Foti and the AACR to accelerate the pace of discovery in basic and clinical research have laid the foundation for improvements in cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment," added Ferdinando Nicoletti, M.D., Ph.D., director of the laboratory of translational immunopharmacology in the department of biomedical sciences at the University of Catania.

The annual Margaret Foti Award will recognize an outstanding postdoctoral candidate from the University of Catania who has completed a doctorate in the field of translational oncology. The winner will receive funds in the form of a "Young Investigator Scholar-in-Training" travel award to attend the AACR Annual Meeting.

"We established this award in the name of Dr. Foti in recognition of her work on cancer research. Dr. Foti's leadership with the AACR has brought scientists, political figures and the public at large together in the collective fight against cancer," said Franca Stivala, M.D., Coordinator of the Ph.D. Oncology Program, University of Catania.

After receiving the first award, Foti will present the second award to Bibiana Bruni, Ph.D. Bruni's thesis, Osteopontin/Matrixmetalloproteinasis Pathway Activation in Head and Neck Cancer, underlines the relevance of osteopontin/matrix metalloproteinase-9 pathway as a marker for head and neck cancer progression and provides a promising therapeutic strategy to interfere with signaling pathway(s) that regulate OPN-mediated MMP-9 activation in this cancer type.

(Pictured above: Bibiana Bruni, Ph.D., receiving the Margaret Foti Award from Margaret Foti, Ph.D., M.D. (h.c.).)

"I feel very honored to present the Margaret Foti Award to Dr. Bruni," said Foti. "Funding the next generation of promising young investigators will lead to breakthroughs in cancer research. Moreover, this award encourages international collaboration, which is so critical to moving the science forward at a rapid pace and sustaining the pipeline of cancer scientists for the future."

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world's oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. Including Cancer Discovery, the AACR publishes seven major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. AACR journals represented 20 percent of the market share of total citations in 2009. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists.

Media Contact:
Michele Sharp
(267) 646-0622
michele.sharp@aacr.org

Wide Genetic Testing for Lynch Syndrome Cost Effective

registration@aacr.org () — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Identifying Lynch Syndrome could prevent colon/endometrial cancer.

• AACR hosted teleconference on Nov. 18, 2010, at 3:00 p.m. ET.
• Henry Lynch, discoverer of the syndrome, participated.

PHILADELPHIA — Widespread genetic testing for Lynch Syndrome appears to be a cost-effective strategy for identifying those at risk for colorectal and endometrial cancer, according to a report in Cancer Prevention Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

“Genetic testing was always assumed to be cost effective for those at high risk based on their family history, but this shows it would be cost effective in a wider population, similar to the cost effectiveness of mammography,” said Stephen Gruber, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., director for cancer prevention and control at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, and a lead researcher on the study.

Gruber and colleagues used a mathematical model developed by Archimedes Inc., which showed when risk, based on family history, was assessed starting at ages 25, 30 or 35, followed by genetic testing for those who had risk exceeding 5 percent, colorectal cancers could be reduced by 12.4 percent and endometrial cancers by 8.8 percent. The average cost effectiveness ratio, a measure of expenditure per life year gained by the new strategy would be $26,000, a value favorably below the often-quoted benchmark of $50,000.

The American Association for Cancer Research hosted a teleconference on these findings on Thursday, Nov. 18, 2010, at 3:00 p.m. ET.

Download * the mp3 of the teleconference (10.5 MB, 46 minutes and 13 seconds)

*On a PC, right mouse click on the "Download" link and select "Save link as..." in Firefox or "Save Target as..." in Internet Explorer.

AACR President-elect Judy Garber, M.D., M.P.H., director of the Center for Cancer Genetics and Prevention at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, hosted the teleconference.

“This will affect a wide population by changing our thinking about risk for colon cancer. Young individuals will be able to have an assessment of their personal and family history using a computerized model that can help guide their colon cancer risk management for decades, and make it possible to prevent significant numbers of colon and associated cancers, especially in young people, for a very reasonable cost. It is a huge step forward in terms of bringing the benefits of cancer genetics to the broader population using tests that have, in the past, been considered too expensive,” said Garber.

The following panelists participated in this teleconference:

Stephen Gruber, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., director for cancer prevention and control at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, and a lead researcher on the study

Heather Hampel, M.S., associate director of the division of human genetics and professor in the department of internal medicine at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute

“Genetic testing is the most expensive way to test for Lynch Syndrome, but it is also the most effective. Lynch Syndrome is under-recognized and anything we can do to raise awareness and encourage diagnosis will help save lives,” said Hampel.

Henry Lynch, M.D., professor of medicine and director of the Hereditary Cancer Center at Creighton University School of Medicine in Omaha, Nebraska, who discovered Lynch Syndrome

“I first presented this hereditary concept in 1964, and since then it has become more accepted. However, cost has always been a hurdle. With this new information about cost, we’ll be able to save a lot of lives and as a medical oncologist I feel very good about that,” said Lynch.

Randall W. Burt, M.D., professor of medicine and director of prevention and outreach, Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah, and co-researcher on the paper

Tuan A. Dinh, Ph.D., head of cancer modeling at Archimedes Inc., and developer of the modeling system to calculate anticipated health benefits and cost effectiveness

# # #

Follow the AACR on Twitter: @AACR #AACR
Follow the AACR on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aacr.org

Subscribe to the AACR Scientific Podcasts via iTunes OR an RSS Reader to download the video podcasts and recordings of the press conferences.

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. Including Cancer Discovery, the AACR publishes seven major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. AACR journals represented 20 percent of the market share of total citations in 2009. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists.

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org

AACR Congratulates José Baselga, M.D., Ph.D., for Receiving the Queen Sofia Spanish Institute Gold Medal

registration@aacr.org () — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 12:00:00 GMT

PHILADELPHIA — The American Association for Cancer Research congratulates José Baselga, M.D., Ph.D., recipient of the 2010 Queen Sofía Spanish Institute’s Gold Medal. Baselga was selected for this prestigious award for representing Spain’s leadership in the area of cancer research.

“This incredible honor is testament to the international impact Dr. Baselga’s research has had on the field,” said AACR Chief Executive Officer Margaret Foti, Ph.D., M.D. (h.c.). “But more so, it spotlights Dr. Baselga’s leadership in the global effort to eradicate cancer. Through his work in Spain and at Massachusetts General Hospital, as well as with the AACR, he unites researchers worldwide and encourages collaborative efforts that move the field forward.”

Since 1978, the Queen Sofía Spanish Institute’s Gold Medal has been awarded annually to Americans and Spaniards in recognition of their contributions to the betterment of relations between the United States and Spain. Past winners have included President William Jefferson Clinton, Dr. Henry Kissinger, New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, signer Julio Iglesias, and actress Penelope Cruz.

Baselga is founding editor-in-chief of the AACR’s newest journal Cancer Discovery along with Lewis C. Cantley, Ph.D. He is chief of the division of hematology/oncology and associate director of the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, and professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. Baselga was previously the director of medical oncology, hematology and radiation oncology and chairman of medical oncology service at Vall d’Hebron University Hospital. He was also the director of the Vall d’Hebron Oncology Research Institute and a professor of medicine at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona in Spain.

Baselga’s research focuses on the clinical development of novel, molecular-targeted agents for the therapy of cancer, particularly breast cancer. He conducted the initial clinical trials with the monoclonal antibodies cetuximab and trastuzumab and has been involved in the clinical development of several new agents including pertuzumab and PI3K inhibitors. His main focus in the laboratory and clinic is in the area of novel anti-HER2 agents and in the identification of mechanisms of resistance to anti-HER2 agents.

Baselga has served the AACR in many key capacities. He is a member of the Board of Directors and has served on the Council of Scientific Advisors. He was co-chairperson for the 2009 Annual Meeting Education Committee, chairperson of the Landon Foundation-AACR INNOVATOR Award for International Collaboration in Cancer Research Committee, and has served as a Senior Editor for Clinical Cancer Research.

The Queen Sofía Spanish Institute was founded as The Spanish Institute in 1954 to promote greater awareness and understanding of the culture of the Spanish-speaking world in the United States, and was renamed in November 2003 to recognize the support given to the Institute through the years by Her Majesty Queen Sofía of Spain.

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. Including Cancer Discovery, the AACR publishes seven major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. AACR journals represented 20 percent of the market share of total citations in 2009. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists.

Media Contact:
Michele Sharp
(267) 646-0622
michele.sharp@aacr.org

William S. Dalton, M.D., Ph.D., Receives Leadership Award, Cites Approach to Cancer as a Model for Personalized Medicine

registration@aacr.org () — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 12:00:00 GMT

PHILADELPHIA — The American Association for Cancer Research is proud to recognize one of its prestigious leaders, William S. Dalton, M.D., Ph.D., for receiving the 2010 Leadership in Personalized Medicine Award from the Personalized Medicine Coalition (PMC). Dalton, who accepted the honor yesterday at the Harvard Personalized Conference in Boston, has been an AACR member for more than 20 years and chairs the association’s Science Policy and Legislative Affairs Committee.

Dalton, who also serves as the president/chief executive director and center director at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Fla., was instrumental in establishing an approach to personalized cancer care that began at the cancer center almost eight years ago. During his speech upon accepting the award, he described the initiative, called Total Cancer Care, and said the goal is, in essence, “to stop focusing on treating the cancer, and instead focus on caring for the patient.”

“By focusing on solutions to individual needs, we believe we will reduce death and suffering due to cancer,” Dalton pointed out.

He went on to explain that this approach requires strategic partnerships to:
• create a system to identify the needs of individual patients;
• identify markers that would predict needs and risks so that interventions could become preemptive;
• identify molecular signatures for patients who are not likely to respond to the standard of care;
• utilize clinical characteristics and molecular profiling techniques to match the right patient, to the right treatment, at the right time, and the right place; and,
• raise the standard of care for all patients by integrating new technologies in an evidenced-based approach to maximize benefits and reduce costs.

“Dr. Dalton’s cutting-edge efforts give true meaning to the term personalized medicine,” said Margaret Foti, Ph.D., M.D. (h.c.), chief executive officer of the AACR. “He plays such a crucial leadership role in cancer research on many levels, and he has been integral to its forward momentum. We congratulate him on receiving this important award.”

Dalton received his doctoral degree in toxicology and medical life sciences and his medical degree from Indiana University. He completed his internship in internal medicine at Indiana University, his residency in medicine and his fellowships in oncology and clinical pharmacology at the University of Arizona, Tucson. He is board certified in internal medicine and medical oncology and is an expert in multiple myeloma.

The PMC Award recognizes an individual whose contributions in science, business and/or policy have helped advance the frontiers of personalized medicine.

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. Including Cancer Discovery, the AACR publishes seven major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. AACR journals represented 20 percent of the market share of total citations in 2009. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists.

Media Contact:
Rachael Cullins
(202) 898-0668
rachael.cullins@aacr.org

American Association for Cancer Research Hosts 102nd Annual Meeting in 2011

registration@aacr.org () — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 12:00:00 GMT

FOREMOST INTERNATIONAL MEETING HIGHLIGHTS BREAKTHROUGHS IN CANCER RESEARCH
ORLANDO, FLA., APRIL 2-6, 2011

What:
The AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011 will feature the latest findings in laboratory, translational, prevention, epidemiological and clinical cancer research. This year’s Annual Meeting focuses on innovative research, novel technologies, lifesaving therapies in the pipeline, clinical trials and new approaches to cancer prevention.

To help you plan your coverage of the Annual Meeting, the program schedule and related scientific abstracts will be available online at www.aacr.org/page23084.aspx in early March. An electronic press kit containing the press releases and highlighted abstracts will be available to subscribing reporters one week prior to the meeting via EurekAlert and Newswise, and by request through the AACR Communications Department.

More than 6,000 abstracts will be presented at the meeting, complementing an outstanding program of scientific and educational events. The AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011 attracts world leaders in cancer research and treatment, including clinical oncologists, basic scientists, translational researchers and epidemiologists, who are working to improve prevention, diagnosis and patient care with the ultimate goal of eradicating cancer.

When:
April 2-6, 2011

Where:
Orange County Convention Center
Orlando, Fla.

Press Registration and Hotel Accommodations:
The advanced registration deadline is Friday, March 11. The deadline for housing requests is Friday, Feb. 25. A limited number of rooms have been set aside for reporters; however, we cannot guarantee hotel availability after this date. Please visit the following link to download a registration and housing form: www.aacr.org/page23073.aspx.

Wide Genetic Testing for Lynch Syndrome Cost Effective

registration@aacr.org () — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Identifying Lynch Syndrome could prevent colon/endometrial cancer.
AACR to host teleconference on Nov. 18, 2010, at 3:00 p.m. ET.
Henry Lynch, discoverer of the syndrome, will participate.

PHILADELPHIA — Genetic testing for Lynch Syndrome has always been the most effective strategy for identifying those at risk for colorectal or endometrial cancer, but cost has been a major hurdle. New findings in Cancer Prevention Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, address those questions of cost effectiveness.

The American Association for Cancer Research will host a teleconference on these findings on Thursday, Nov. 18, 2010, at 3:00 p.m. ET. Reporters and other interested parties can participate by using the following information:

Dial-in (U.S. and Canada): (888) 282-7404
Dial-in (International): (706) 679-5207
Access Code: 20084557

AACR President-elect Judy Garber, M.D., M.P.H., director of the Center for Cancer Genetics and Prevention at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, will host the teleconference.

The following panelists will also participate in this teleconference:

Henry Lynch, M.D., professor of medicine and director of the Hereditary Cancer Center at Creighton University School of Medicine in Omaha, Nebraska, who discovered Lynch Syndrome

Randall W. Burt, M.D., professor of medicine and director of prevention and outreach, Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah, and co-researcher on the paper

Tuan A. Dinh, Ph.D., head of cancer modeling at Archimedes Inc., and developer of the modeling system to calculate anticipated health benefits and cost effectiveness

Stephen Gruber, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., director for cancer prevention and control at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, and a lead researcher on the study.

# # #

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org

CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium to Hold 33rd Annual Symposium

registration@aacr.org () — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 12:00:00 GMT

FOREMOST INTERNATIONAL BREAST CANCER SYMPOSIUM HIGHLIGHTS BREAKTHROUGHS IN RESEARCH AND TREATMENT

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, DEC. 8-12, 2010
TWITTER #SABCS

What:
The 33rd CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium will feature the latest findings in prevention, epidemiological, laboratory, translational and clinical breast cancer research. This year’s symposium will highlight new therapies in the pipeline, new approaches with existing agents and emerging biology that will affect the quest for personalized medicine.

To help you plan your coverage of the symposium, the program schedule is available at www.sabcs.org. An electronic press kit containing the press releases and highlighted abstracts will be available to subscribing reporters one week prior to the symposium via EurekAlert and Newswise, and by request through the AACR Communications Department.

This year’s CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium will highlight:

• results of the AZURE trial, which will define the role of zolendronic acid;
• new data on the effect of obesity on risk and patient management;
• how clinicians might move beyond Herceptin in managing HER2 positive breast cancer;
• the role of circulating tumor cells in patient management and risk; and
• mammography compliance data in the general population.

The CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium attracts world leaders in cancer research and treatment, including clinical oncologists, basic scientists, translational researchers and epidemiologists, working to improve prevention, diagnosis and patient care with the ultimate goal of eradicating breast cancer.

When:
Dec. 8-12, 2010

Where:
Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center
San Antonio, Texas

Press Registration:
Forms can be downloaded here: http://www.sabcs.org/Documents/PresRegistrationForm2010.pdf

AACR Praises the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for its Tobacco Prevention Efforts

registration@aacr.org () — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 12:00:00 GMT

PHILADELPHIA — The American Association for Cancer Research applauds the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for its newly launched comprehensive tobacco control program.

Kathleen Sebelius, HHS secretary, along with Howard K. Koh, M.D., M.P.H., HHS assistant secretary for health, and Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D., commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, announced a new department-wide tobacco initiative at a press conference held at George Washington University this morning.

The larger, more graphic warning labels that HHS will soon require on all cigarette packs were unveiled as part of a wider plan aimed at creating a society free of tobacco-related death and disease. The four-pronged strategy backing this goal includes evidence-based tobacco interventions; change of social norms around tobacco use; reform of HHS systems and resources to lead by example; and, acceleration of research to expand the science base.

As emphasized in a 2010 AACR policy statement on tobacco and cancer, tobacco kills more than 5 million people per year worldwide and nearly half a million people in the United States alone.

Tobacco use takes an economic toll, too. The estimated total annual economic burden of cigarette smoking, including direct health care expenditures and productivity losses, is more than $190 billion in the United States alone.

“Although tobacco use in the United States has decreased remarkably over the last half century, an estimated one in five U.S. adults still uses tobacco on a regular basis,” said Roy S. Herbst, M.D., Ph.D., chair of the AACR’s Task Force on Tobacco and Cancer. “It’s as if the American public has become immune to anti-tobacco efforts. To see the HHS undertake this initiative is very encouraging and will, we hope, make new progress in combating this enormous public health problem.”

The AACR and HHS both stress that preventing the initiation of tobacco use is as important as fostering cessation efforts. The AACR’s Ninth Annual Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference concludes today in Philadelphia and featured several sessions pertaining to the underlying science of tobacco addiction, use, cessation and carcinogenicity.

“Science has established that tobacco use can cause an astonishing 18 different cancers — not just lung cancer,” said Margaret Foti, Ph.D., M.D. (h.c.), chief executive officer of the AACR. “Tobacco-related cancers are preventable. We must work together to build upon the renewed efforts of the HHS to implement effective evidence-based policies where they exist and to galvanize research activities where evidence is slim.”

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. Including Cancer Discovery, the AACR publishes seven major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. AACR journals represented 20 percent of the market share of total citations in 2009. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists.

Media Contact:
Rachael Cullins
(202) 898-0668
rachael.cullins@aacr.org

Use of Androgen Deprivation Therapy Increases Fracture Risk Among Prostate Cancer Patients

registration@aacr.org () — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• History of fracture, comorbid conditions increase risk of fracture after treatment.
• Orchiectomy linked to higher fracture risk than use of gonadotropin-releasing hormone.

PHILADELPHIA — Men with history of fracture and comorbidities are at an increased risk of fracture after long-term use of androgen deprivation therapy, and initiating this therapy should be carefully considered in older men with localized prostate cancer.

In addition, the longer duration of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (Gn-RH) use and history of orchiectomy (removal of the testicles to stop testosterone production, which prostate cancer needs to continue to grow) are also associated with an increased risk of fracture among men with prostate cancer.

These study results were presented at the Ninth Annual AACR Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference, held here Nov. 7-10, 2010.

Grace Lu-Yao, Ph.D., professor of medicine at The Cancer Institute of New Jersey and UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, and colleagues analyzed data in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare program to estimate fracture risk among more than 46,500 men aged 66 years and older who were diagnosed with localized prostate cancer.

Participants in this study survived at least five years after diagnosis and received long-term androgen deprivation therapy. Extended use of androgen deprivation therapy is common among older men.

Older men who have more comorbidities are usually prescribed androgen deprivation therapy as their primary treatment because they are not suitable candidates for radical prostatectomy or radiation therapy, according to Lu-Yao. However, pre-existing conditions are often associated with higher risk of fracture.

“Our results showed that 48 percent of prostate cancer patients who used androgen deprivation therapy received more than 24 months of Gn-RH or orchiectomy,” said Lu-Yao.

Men treated with androgen deprivation therapy had a 20 percent increase in the risk of a first fracture and a 57 percent increased risk of a second fracture after the first two years of treatment. Older age, higher comorbidity, history of fracture and stroke were associated with increased fracture risk.

“Treating men who have pre-existing conditions with longer duration of androgen deprivation therapy exacerbates their risk of fracture, and becomes more pronounced over time” said Lu-Yao. “Careful evaluation of the patient’s risk of fracture, while initiating treatment, is important because fracture has a strong impact on quality of life and mortality.”

Further, men who were 75 years of age or older and received Gn-RH for more than two years or longer were associated with a 3.63 times risk of having fracture, compared with those aged 66 to 74 who received androgen depravation therapy less than two years. In addition, men who underwent orchiectomy had a 75 percent higher risk of a hospitalized fracture.

# # #

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
Press Room, Nov. 7-10:
(215) 418-2076

Home Exposure to Tobacco Carcinogens High in Children of Smokers

registration@aacr.org () — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Ninety percent of children had tobacco carcinogens in their urine.
• Exposure was linked to lack of smoking restrictions in the home.
• Black children were especially affected.

PHILADELPHIA — Ninety percent of children who lived in a house where an adult smoked had evidence of tobacco-related carcinogens in their urine, according to research presented at the Ninth AACR Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference, held here from Nov 7-10, 2010.

The average amount of tobacco metabolites in children aged one month to 10 years old was 8 percent of what is found in a smoker, said the lead researcher Janet L. Thomas, Ph.D., assistant professor of behavioral medicine at the University of Minnesota.

“This finding is striking, because while all of the researchers involved in this study expected some level of exposure to carcinogens, the average levels were higher than what we anticipated,” she said. For comparison, carcinogens found in the urine of adult non-smokers exposed to secondhand smoke are about 1 percent to 5 percent that of smokers.

“No one knows the long-term impact of cumulative exposure to these chemicals. It could prime the body in some way that leads to DNA changes in cells that might contribute to lung damage, and potentially lung cancer,” Thomas said.

The researchers also found a direct correlation between the number of cigarettes one or more adults smoked in the house each day and tobacco metabolites in the children who lived there. There was also an association between childhood exposure to secondhand smoke and lower socioeconomic status, employment and parental education.

Additionally, black children had the highest levels of tobacco-related metabolites in their urine, even if their parent or parents smoked comparatively less.

“This suggests, as other researchers have found, that African-Americans metabolize tobacco-related chemicals differently,” she said.

The researchers conducted this study to quantify tobacco-related carcinogens in children, with the hope that the children’s parents might be open to banning smoking inside the home.

“Almost one third of young children in the United States live in a house with at least one smoker,” Thomas said. “My concern is that parents and family members may not truly understand the risk they pose to these children.”

The researchers took urine samples from 79 children who lived in a home where at least one parent smoked. They quantified total NNAL (a biomarker of NNK, which is a nitrosamine produced during tobacco curing and is a known carcinogen), as well as nicotine and cotinine, a metabolite of nicotine that stays longer in the body.

Ninety percent of the children had detectable levels of NNAL and nicotine in their urine; 95 percent had evidence of cotinine.

In addition, the researchers measured carbon monoxide levels in parents and asked about the number of cigarettes smoked per day and smoking restrictions in the home. NNAL levels were significantly lower in homes that had complete smoking restrictions and there was a correlation between cigarettes smoked per day and NNAL in their children.

“Based on these results, there is little doubt that total NNAL in the urine of children could be substantially reduced by home smoking restrictions,” said Thomas. “We need to act now to ensure that all parents have the facts they need to make informed decisions to protect their families from this completely preventable health hazard.”

# # #

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
Press Room, Nov. 7-10:
(215) 418-2076

Very Few Eligible Young Women Opt to Take HPV Vaccine

registration@aacr.org () — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Only one-third of female teens complete the three-dose vaccine series.

• Young women and black women are least likely to complete the series.

PHILADELPHIA — Despite strong evidence of its effectiveness, few of the young women who are eligible for the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine take it, according to research presented at the Ninth Annual AACR Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference, held Nov. 7-10. What’s more, many of the teens who begin treatment do not complete the recommended three-dose regimen.

“Only about one-third of young women who begin the three-dose series actually complete it; this means that large numbers of teenagers are unprotected or under-protected from strains of HPV that lead to cervical cancer,” said J. Kathleen Tracy, Ph.D., assistant professor, epidemiology and public health, University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM), Baltimore.

HPV is the most common sexually transmitted disease among adolescent girls in the United States. At any given time, 29.5 percent of sexually active 14- to 19-year-old teenagers are infected. Persistent infection with certain HPV types may lead to cervical cancer.

Tracy and colleagues gathered information from the University of Maryland Medical Center’s (UMMC) clinical data repository on the 9,658 teenagers and young women who were eligible for HPV vaccination between August 2006 (when UMMC began offering the vaccine) and August 2010. In all 2,641 young women started HPV vaccination; 39.1 percent received a single dose, 30.1 percent received two doses and 30.78 percent completed the recommended three-dose regimen.

Two-thirds of the teenagers who initiated vaccination were black. Age was a factor in vaccine adherence; young women aged 18 and older were the least likely to take more than a single dose. Young black women and teens were less likely than white women and teens to complete the three-dose series.

From a public health perspective, these findings highlight several critical issues, Tracy said. Scientists and public health advocates must identify strategies for increasing vaccination initiation. For instance, practitioners may have to play a more active role in encouraging patients to complete the doses, she said. Parents can be valuable partners, encouraging vaccination and ensuring that their daughters complete all three doses. Finally, strategies are needed to increase completion among all young adult women.

Technology may be one answer. Tracy and her team are preparing to launch a clinical trial to determine whether text message reminders increase completion of the three-dose series.

# # #

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
Press Room, Nov. 7-10:
(215) 418-2076

Long-term Statin Use is Unlikely to Increase Cancer Risk

registration@aacr.org () — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Decreased risk of lymphoma, melanoma and endometrial cancer found.
• More research is needed to confirm lower risk of these cancers.

PHILADELPHIA — Researchers have further established that long-term use of statins is unlikely to substantially increase or decrease overall cancer risk, according to study results presented at the Ninth Annual AACR Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference, held Nov. 7-10, 2010, in Philadelphia.

Statins are a class of drugs commonly used in the United States to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. While study results to date have shown that short-term use of statins has little effect on risk of developing cancer, not much is known about long-term statin use and incidence of many cancers.

Eric J. Jacobs, Ph.D., strategic director of pharmacoepidemiology at the American Cancer Society, and colleagues examined the association between use of cholesterol-lowering drugs, predominantly statins, and the incidence of the 10 most common cancers, as well as overall cancer incidence.

The study included 133,255 participants in the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort.

Participants completed several questionnaires that included information about a range of lifestyle and medical factors, including use of cholesterol-lowering drugs, and were followed over a period of about 10 years, according to Jacobs. During this time frame, more than 15,000 participants were diagnosed with cancer.

Using cholesterol-lowering drugs for five years or longer was not associated with overall cancer incidence, or incidence of bladder, breast, colorectal, lung, pancreatic, prostate, or renal cell cancer, but was associated with lower risk of melanoma, endometrial cancer and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

“The lower risk of endometrial cancer and melanoma among long-term users has not been seen in most previous studies and was surprising,” Jacobs said. “The lower risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma among statin users has been seen in some, but not all, previous studies.”

# # #

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
Press Room, Nov. 7-10:
(215) 418-2076

Exercise May Reduce Risk of Endometrial Cancer

registration@aacr.org () — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Association was seen in all women, regardless of weight.
• Exercising more than 150 minutes per week showed benefit.
• Endometrial cancer risk was reduced by 34 percent.

PHILADELPHIA — Women who exercise for 150 minutes a week or more may see a reduced risk of endometrial cancer, despite whether or not they are overweight, according to data presented at the Ninth Annual AACR Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference, held here Nov. 7-10, 2010.

“This study is consistent with other studies that strongly support the association between physical activity and lower risk of endometrial cancer,” said Hannah Arem, a doctoral student at Yale School of Public Health.

Arem and colleagues examined data collected from a case-control study led by Herbert Yu, M.D., M.Sc., Ph.D., associate professor at Yale School of Public Health. The study included 668 women with endometrial cancer and compared them to 665 age-matched control women.

Those who exercised for 150 minutes a week or more had a 34 percent reduced risk of endometrial cancer compared with those women who were inactive.

This association was more pronounced among active women with a body mass index (BMI) less than 25, or underweight women, where the reduction in risk was 73 percent compared with inactive women with a BMI more than 25, or what is commonly considered overweight.

Although BMI showed a strong association with endometrial cancer, even women who were overweight, but still active, had a 52 percent lower risk.

“Clearly, programs should be in place to increase the level of physical activity in women,” said Arem.

# # #

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
Press Room, Nov. 7-10:
(215) 418-2076

Side Effects of Hormonal Breast Cancer Therapy Increased; May Affect Treatment Adherence

registration@aacr.org () — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Aromatase inhibitors result in an estrogen-deficient state.
• Estrogen-deficient state increases occurrence of side effects.
• Side effects may decrease treatment adherence.

PHILADELPHIA — Women being treated for breast cancer with aromatase inhibitors may experience extremely low estrogen levels resulting in a wide variety of side effects that a typical postmenopausal woman without cancer may not experience.

Data presented at the Ninth Annual AACR Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Conference, held here Nov. 7-10, 2010, showed that women assigned to take aromatase inhibitors had increases in side effects such as hot flashes, decreased appetite, fatigue, fever, breast sensitivity, etc.

“Aromastase inhibitors represent one of the most major advances in breast cancer treatment,” said Lisa Gallicchio, Ph.D., an epidemiologist at The Prevention and Research Center at Mercy Medical Center, Baltimore. “Their incorporation into the breast cancer treatment armamentarium has led to impressive reductions in breast cancer recurrence and mortality rates.

“Despite this, many breast cancer patients stop taking their aromatase inhibitor treatment —which is usually prescribed for five years — or do not adhere to their treatment prescription,” she said, adding that this may be due to, at least in part, the side effects associated with the drugs.

To better define the full spectrum of side effects associated with aromatase inhibitor treatment, Gallicchio and colleagues surveyed 100 women with breast cancer who were about to start treatment with aromatase inhibitors. Their side effects were compared with those of 200 similarly-aged women without a history of breast cancer.

Questionnaires about symptoms were completed prior to treatment initiation by women with breast cancer and at the start of the study for the healthy women. Women were followed for six months and completed additional questionnaires at three months and at the completion of the study.

Women taking aromatase inhibitors were five times more likely to report having hot flashes, breast sensitivity and chest pain than healthy women. In addition, they were four times more likely to report night sweats, cold sweats and hair loss and about three times more likely to report leg cramps, weight gain, sleep disturbance, tendency to take naps and forgetfulness. Other increased symptoms included intestinal gas, cough, depression, interrupted sleep and irritability.

“We know that aromatase inhibitors are effective in treating breast cancer,” Gallicchio said. “Knowing the side effects of aromatase inhibitor treatment and how to treat them is critical for keeping women on their aromatase inhibitor treatment and improving their chances of surviving and living cancer free.”

# # #

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
Press Room, Nov. 7-10:
(215) 418-2076

Menopausal Hormone Therapy May Increase Risk of Ovarian Cancer

registration@aacr.org () — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Observed risk present in those who currently use hormone therapy.

• Risk levels did not differ by type of hormone therapy.
• Former hormone therapy use not linked to increased risk.

PHILADELPHIA — Women planning on taking hormone therapy for the treatment of menopausal symptoms should be aware of a possible increased risk for ovarian cancer, according to data presented at the Ninth Annual AACR Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference, held here Nov. 7-10, 2010.

“This study is consistent with previous recommendations that say if women are going to take hormones they should only take them in the short term,” said Konstantinos Tsilidis, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow at the Cancer Epidemiology Unit at the University of Oxford.

Tsilidis and colleagues analyzed the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition, which included 126,920 women, of whom 424 were diagnosed with ovarian cancer over nine years of follow-up.

Although former use of hormone therapy was not associated with increased risk, current use of hormone therapy was linked with a 29 percent increased risk.

Risk levels did not differ by type of hormone therapy (estrogen only vs. estrogen plus progestin), specific hormonal constituents, regimens and routes of administration of hormone therapy, or by ovarian cancer histology.

# # #

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
Press Room, Nov. 7-10:
(215) 418-2076

Results of NSLT to be Presented at AACR Meeting

registration@aacr.org () — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Results of the NCI's National Lung Cancer Screening Trial will be presented at the Ninth Annual American Association for Cancer Research Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference.

As seen on the news last week, Christine Berg, M.D., of the Early Detection Research Group at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, will be presenting the initial results of the National Lung Cancer Screening Trial, which showed a clear benefit with CT scans for lung cancer screening.

The press conference will take place at 2:00 p.m. ET in room 203A of the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

Reporters who cannot attend in person can dial in using the following information:

DIAL IN: (US & Canada): 1-888-282-7404
DIAL IN: (International): 1-706-679-5207
ACCESS CODE: 24532861

# # #

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
Press Room, Nov. 7-10:
(215) 418-2076

Obesity Not Linked to Breast Cancer in Mexican-American Women

registration@aacr.org () — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Adult weight gain reduced risk for breast cancer.
• Association may be due to shorter duration of estrogen exposure.

PHILADELPHIA — Obesity was not associated with breast cancer risk in Mexican-American women, even when measured at numerous ages throughout a woman’s lifetime, according to data presented at the Ninth Annual AACR Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference, held here Nov. 7-10, 2010.

However, data did show that weight gain during adulthood seemed to reduce breast cancer risk, regardless of menopausal status.

“We found that for every 5 kg of weight gain there was a significant 8 percent decrease in the risk for breast cancer,” said Krystal Sexton, Ph.D., a Susan G. Komen Fellow in breast cancer disparities research at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health. “However, it is important that we do not send a message that gaining weight prevents breast cancer.”

Instead, Sexton and colleagues in the department of epidemiology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, are hypothesizing that the reduced risk for breast cancer among overweight and obese Mexican-American women may be due to a shorter lifetime exposure to estrogen, which is associated with breast cancer.

Previous research has shown that in Mexican-American women there is an association between obesity and earlier age of menopause.

“Women in our study who did not have breast cancer were actually experiencing menopause at an earlier age — especially women who were overweight and obese — compared with women who were overweight and obese and did have breast cancer,” Sexton said.

This earlier onset of menopause exposed overweight and obese women to two fewer years of estrogen throughout their lifetimes, possibly putting them at a lower risk for breast cancer, according to Sexton.

The researchers identified 155 Mexican-American women with breast cancer and compared them with 333 women of similar ages without breast cancer. Patients reported their weights at ages 15, 30 and at cancer diagnosis. They also reported weight gain between age 15 and diagnosis.

Unlike research in non-Hispanic white women, which has shown an increased risk for breast cancer in obese postmenopausal women, there was no association between body mass index and breast cancer in Mexican-American women, regardless of menopausal status.

“We know that Hispanic women have a lower incidence of breast cancer, but they continue to be diagnosed with breast cancers that have larger tumor sizes, more advanced cancer stages and poorer prognostic factors, leading to lower survival rates compared to non-Hispanic white women,” Sexton said. “There is a real need to continue to try to understand why these disparities exist.”

# # #

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
Press Room, Nov. 7-10:
(215) 418-2076

Smoking Increased Risk of Death in Women With Breast Cancer

registration@aacr.org () — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Connection between smoking and breast cancer death had been unclear.
• Risk existed independent of socioeconomic, clinical and life-style factors.
• BMI, molecular breast cancer subtype and menopausal status modified risk.

PHILADELPHIA — Being a current smoker or having a history of smoking significantly increased the risk of breast cancer progression and overall death among a group of multiethnic women with breast cancer, according to the results of a large prospective cohort study.

“We found that women who are current smokers or have history of smoking had a 39 percent higher rate of dying from breast cancer, even after we took into account a wide array of known prognostic factors including clinical, socioeconomic and behavioral factors,” said Dejana Braithwaite, Ph.D., assistant professor, division of cancer epidemiology, department of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of California, San Francisco.

Researchers presented these results at the Ninth Annual AACR Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference, held Nov. 7-10, 2010.

Although smoking is associated with lung cancer and implicated in several other cancers, it is unclear what effect smoking has on breast cancer, according to Braithwaite.

“Specifically, it is unclear how long women live following breast cancer diagnosis and whether smoking increases the risk of death because of breast cancer progression or whether there is an association between smoking and life expectancy following breast cancer diagnosis that works through affecting non-breast cancer causes of death,” she said.

Therefore, Braithwaite and colleagues set out to examine the relationship between smoking and the risk of death due to breast cancer progression or non-breast cancer causes of death in a large group of women.

They enrolled 2,265 multi-ethnic women diagnosed with breast cancer between 1997 and 2000. The women were followed for an average of nine years. Researchers examined whether smoking affected death from breast cancer, non-breast cancer related causes and death from all causes.

Results showed that 164 deaths from breast cancer and 120 deaths from non-breast cancer causes occurred during follow-up.

Those women who had a history of smoking or who were current smokers also had a twofold increased risk for dying from non-breast cancer related causes compared with women with breast cancer who had never smoked.

An analysis was also conducted to examine whether body mass index, molecular breast cancer subtype or menopausal status modified risk. Women who were current or past smokers and also had a HER2-negative tumor subtype had a 61 percent increased risk for breast cancer death compared with those who never smoked. Smokers with a body mass index less than 25 kg/m² had an 83 percent increased risk for breast cancer death, and postmenopausal women had a 47 percent increased risk for breast cancer death compared with those who never smoked.

“The implication of this research is that it is important for physicians to improve smoking cessation efforts, especially among women newly diagnosed with breast cancer, in order to improve breast cancer specific outcomes and overall health outcomes,” Braithwaite said.

# # #

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
Press Room, Nov. 7-10:
(215) 418-2076

Soy Isoflavones May Modify Risk of Breast Cancer

registration@aacr.org () — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Soy isoflavones are found in deli meats, breads and vegetables.

• Decreased risk of low-grade and large tumors found with use.

PHILADELPHIA — Increased phytoestrogens commonly found in dietary soy may modify the risk of some types of breast cancer, according to findings presented at the Ninth Annual AACR Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference, held Nov. 7-10, 2010.

“This study was unique in that we looked at specific subtypes of breast cancer, and found a suggestion that menopausal status may play a role in risk,” said Anne Weaver, a graduate student at the University at Buffalo and research apprentice at Roswell Park Cancer Institute.

Weaver and colleagues evaluated 683 women with breast cancer and compared them with 611 healthy women. Dietary data patterns were observed using a food frequency questionnaire and isoflavones were measured as a dietary, rather than supplemental, intake. Isoflavone intake was divided into three groups.

Those women with the highest isoflavone intake had an approximately 30 percent decreased risk of having an invasive breast tumor, and an approximately 60 percent decreased risk of having a grade 1 tumor.

Observations by menopausal status revealed the following: Among premenopausal women, the highest intake of isoflavones had a 30 percent decreased risk of stage I disease, a 70 percent decreased risk of having a tumor larger than 2 cm, and a 60 percent decreased risk of having stage 2 breast cancer. These connections were not seen among postmenopausal women.

Like most dietary studies, Weaver said these findings are not definitive and need to be considered in the context of further follow-up and confirmation.

“Still, we definitely saw a reduction that deserves further investigation,” she said.

# # #

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
Press Room, Nov. 7-10:
(215) 418-2076

Could Lung Cancer in Smokers vs. "Never-smokers" be Different Diseases?

registration@aacr.org () — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Lung tumors in never-smokers harbor alterations distinct from smokers.
• EGFR mutations are not the only ones driving never-smoker lung cancer.
• Smokers’ tumors may arise through different molecular mechanisms.

PHILADELPHIA — Lung tumors in those who smoke and those who never smoked have different DNA alterations in the tumor genomes, according to results of a pilot study presented at the Ninth Annual AACR Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference, held Nov. 7-10, 2010, in Philadelphia.

Based on the results of this study, Kelsie Thu, a Ph.D. candidate at the BC Cancer Agency Research Centre in Vancouver, Canada, suggested that “lung cancer in never-smokers should be studied as a separate group,” and that lung cancers in smokers and never-smokers may represent two different diseases.

Thu and colleagues investigated the biology of lung cancer to determine how it is different in 30 patients who never smoked vs. 53 patients who were current or former smokers. The goal: to improve the current understanding of lung cancer development.

“A better understanding of the biology underlying lung cancer development will lead to improved detection and therapeutic strategies, and ultimately, will result in improved patient prognosis,” she said.

Using genomic technologies, the researchers found regions of DNA that were altered in both the smoker and never-smoker groups, as well as regions of DNA altered preferentially in one group.

Besides having more epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations, which is typical, never-smoker tumor genomes had more DNA alterations than smokers altogether. This suggests there may be more genomic instability in never-smoker lung tumors and that they could develop through different molecular mechanisms, according to Thu.

“Hopefully, our findings will stimulate the research community to further investigate the differences between lung cancer in these two cohorts, which could ultimately lead to the discovery of novel molecular targets for the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer in never-smokers,” Thu said.

# # #

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
Press Room, Nov. 7-10:
(215) 418-2076

Statins Did Not Reduce Colorectal Cancer in WHI Analysis

registration@aacr.org () — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Duration and type of statin did not affect risk.
• Statin use did not affect tumor location or stage.

PHILADELPHIA — The use of statins among a group of postmenopausal women did not reduce the risk for colorectal cancer, according to the results of a prospective analysis of data from the large population-based Women’s Health Initiative (WHI).

“The results of our study are consistent with the majority of the literature suggesting no significant reduction in colorectal cancer risk among users of statins,” said Michael S. Simon, M.D., professor of oncology in the department of oncology at Wayne State University and Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit.

Simon presented these study results at the Ninth Annual AACR Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference, held here from Nov. 7-10, 2010.

According to Simon, the results from several case-control studies have shown a moderate reduction in colorectal cancer risk in people who use statins. However, a majority of the literature researching the association, including data from randomized controlled trials and cohort studies, show no association between statin use and reduced colorectal cancer risk.

“Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer incidence and death in the United States,” he said. “While regular screening has been shown to be effective in decreasing mortality, the majority of the population receives no screening, or inadequate screening, which supports the need to focus on chemoprevention to lower death rates.”

One method of colorectal cancer chemoprevention being researched is the use of statins. In this study, Simon and colleagues used data from the WHI to determine if there was a link between colorectal cancer prevention and statins. The study included 159,219 postmenopausal women aged 50 to 79 years. There were 2,000 cases of colorectal cancer identified during an average of 10 years of follow-up.

Women participating in the study were asked to bring all medications to their screening interviews and the use of any statin, or other lipid-lowering medication, was entered into the WHI database. About 8 percent of women in the study were using statins.

The yearly rate of colorectal cancer did not differ between women taking statins and those not taking statins. There was also no difference in risk for colorectal cancer based on the duration of statin use, type of statin, statin potency or use of other lipid-lowering medications. In addition, the researchers identified no link between statin use and tumor location, stage, grade or histology.

According to Simon though, the effect of statins on colorectal cancer risk deserves some additional study in certain patient populations.

“A recent study suggested a possible greater effect of statins in reducing both cardiovascular and colorectal cancer risk among individuals with a genetic variation of the enzyme inhibited by statins,” he said. “This finding suggests that future studies should focus on individuals at high risk based on family history or genetic predisposition.”

# # #

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
Press Room, Nov. 7-10:
(215) 418-2076

Gefitinib May Have Chemopreventive Benefits in Pancreatic Cancer

registration@aacr.org () — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Researchers measured the effect on neoplasm, or early-stage disease.
• Chemopreventive may be of use in high-risk patients.

PHILADELPHIA — Gefitinib may be a promising chemoprevention agent for pancreatic cancer, according to a study published in Cancer Prevention Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

The study is published in the November issue, and was discussed during a press conference at the Ninth Annual Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference, held here Nov. 7-10, 2010.

Pancreatic cancer has a dismal prognosis because it is often asymptomatic and not detected until it is in late stages. Strategies to combat pancreatic cancer have focused on earlier and earlier treatments, and this is the first time that a chemoprevention strategy has been tried.

Chinthalapally V. Rao, Ph.D., director of the Center for Chemoprevention and Cancer Drug Development at the University of Oklahoma Cancer Institute, tested the strategy in mice.

The mice were bred to be at high risk for pancreatic cancer and then fed gefitinib in escalating doses of 0, 100 and 200 ppm for a period of 35 weeks, at which time the tumor incidence was analyzed.

Compared to the group that received no gefitinib, the mid-dose group experienced 77 percent fewer pancreatic tumors and the high-dose group had 100 percent fewer tumors.

In the 100 ppm group, 67.6 percent of the mice were free of pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasms, a known pre-cursor to pancreatic cancer, compared with 77.3 percent in the 200 ppm group.

“These findings are dramatic enough that human trials should begin soon,” said Rao. “The clear message is that the earlier we start, the better the outcome is, and we can already measure neoplasm levels in humans so there is a potential here for clinical benefit.”

# # #

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
Press Room, Nov. 7-10:
(215) 418-2076

Anti-gout Drug May Decrease Risk for Colorectal Adenoma Progression

registration@aacr.org () — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• The drug has a long-standing safety profile.
• It could be an inexpensive chemoprevention method.
• Decreased levels of colorectal cancer biomarker Ki67 was observed.

PHILADELPHIA — Allopurinol, a relatively inexpensive anti-gout medication that has been on the market for more than 20 years, may have some activity against colorectal adenomas, according to data presented at the Ninth Annual AACR Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference, held here Nov. 7-10, 2010.

Specifically, the presence of a colorectal tumor tissue biomarker, Ki67, was markedly decreased in the preliminary results of a study of patients with colorectal polyps assigned to take allopurinol.

“Allopurinol has a well-known and good safety profile, and a cost of approximately one euro for one month of treatment,” said Andrea De Censi, M.D., director, medical oncology unit, Galliera Hospital, Genoa, and advisor, division of cancer prevention and genetics, EIO, Milan, Italy.

“In the era of very expensive target-therapy in oncology, it is important to search for cheap agents that could be active in cancer prevention and thus have huge public health implications,” he said.

In colorectal tumor tissue there are high levels of ROM, or reactive oxygen metabolites.

“These ROMs are thought to be important for development of tumor tissue and carcinogenesis. It is known today that ROMs activate crucial processes involved in cell growth, and in processes that inhibit programmed cell death, one of the main mechanisms involved in cancer control,” De Censi said.

Therefore, researchers are testing the effect of ROM scavengers, such as allopurinol, to measure their effects on chemoprevention. According to De Censi, previous research from a large case-control study conducted in Israel showed that patients under chronic allopurinol use for gout had a lower risk for colorectal cancer than a matched control group not using allopurinol.

In the current study, De Censi and colleagues conducted a Phase I/II double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of patients with colorectal adenomatous polyps. Between 2006 and 2010, 73 patients were enrolled and assigned placebo or either a 100-mg or 300-mg dose of allopurinol for four to six weeks prior to removal of polyps.

They collected normal and adenomatous tissue samples and measured changes in the biomarker Ki67 in the normal tissue and the adenomatous tissue to measure the effect of allopurinol. At an interim analysis, conducted in November of 2008, only three mild adverse gastrointestinal events had occurred, confirming the high safety profile of allopurinol.

Tissue analysis in the first 13 patients indicated that levels of Ki67 in normal tissue had doubled in patients taking placebo, but had only increased by 5 percent in patients taking either dose of allopurinol.

In adenoma tissue, levels of Ki67 increased by 70 percent in patients taking placebo compared with only 6 percent in patients taking 100 mg allopurinol and 12 percent in patients taking 300 mg allopurinol.

“Our findings need to be confirmed on a larger number of subjects. However, if the positive trend noted on Ki67 is confirmed, we will conclude that allopurinol has some activity against colon carcinogenesis that may explain the favorable trend noted in the epidemiological studies. These results will provide the background for a large trial of adenoma recurrence reduction with allopurinol,” De Censi said.

# # #

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
Press Room, Nov. 7-10:
(215) 418-2076

Chemoprevention Biomarker for Breast Cancer Identified

registration@aacr.org () — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Chemoprevention trials currently lack biomarker measures.
• Researchers tested protein network signaling in women.

PHILADELPHIA — Researchers at Duke University Medical Center have identified a possible biomarker for measuring progress in breast cancer chemoprevention trials, according to data presented at the Ninth Annual AACR Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference, held here Nov. 7-10, 2010.

Although breast cancer treatments are constantly being tested, the progress in chemoprevention has been slower because of a lack of reasonable outcomes that can be measured, according to lead researcher Victoria Seewaldt, M.D., director of the prevention program at the Duke University Comprehensive Cancer Center.

“No one expects to get cancer, so we can’t measure the rate of people who do not get cancer as a measure of success,” said Seewaldt. “The trials would need to be at least 20,000 patients. By identifying this biomarker, we can set up trials that would need only 200 patients.”

Seewaldt and colleagues tested for protein network signaling in breast cells from women at high risk for breast cancer. This analysis identified three signaling pathways that would indicate increased risk of breast cancer: Akt/mTOR/PI3K/cSrc, EGFR/MEK/ERK and HER2/bcl-2. Drugs that could lower the rate of these molecular signals could, therefore, prevent increased risk of breast cancer.

“One of the great struggles of chemoprevention is that we cannot crack what happens inside the breast,” said Seewaldt. “Using protein signaling, we will be able to figure out which pathways are active before and after a chemoprevention agent.”

# # #

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
Press Room, Nov. 7-10:
(215) 418-2076

Prolonged Maternal Separation Increased Breast Cancer Risk in Neonatal Mice

registration@aacr.org () — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Study adds to evidence that psychosocial stress affects cancer risk.
• Brief maternal separation did not have the same effect.
• Prolonged separation increased ER alpha expression in mammary glands.

PHILADELPHIA — Young mice that experienced the psychosocial stress of prolonged separation from their mothers had a higher incidence and faster onset of breast tumors compared with young mice who did not experience this stressful life event. Specifically, neonatal mice separated from their mothers for a prolonged period of time developed mammary tumors twice as fast as mice that experienced short or no maternal separation.

The results of this study, conducted by Leslie Kerr, Ph.D., associate professor of biology and psychology at Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, and colleagues, add to the increasing amount of research examining the effects of stress and other social experiences on cancer development. Much of this research has been published in Cancer Prevention Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

“So far, we have not really understood, or really sifted through and found factors in the environment that cause a predisposition to the development of breast cancer, or any cancers,” Kerr said. “For example, how does the environment or experiences of an animal, including humans, affect physiological function and how might that influence risk for developing breast cancer?”

Examining environmental effects related to breast cancer development is of increased interest because, like the brain, breast tissue develops postnatally. This means that changes in developmental environment including changes in hormonal activity may increase an animal’s risk for developing breast tumors, Kerr said.

Social experiences are one of the keystones of life, according to Kerr. Two other studies published in Cancer Prevention Research within the last year explored whether social isolation-another psychosocial stress-affected breast cancer risk.

“The studies by Conzen et al and Schuler et al compared social housing vs. individual housing and its effect on breast cancer risk,” Kerr explained. “Animals are born and reared in a group, so when they are isolated as an individual it is an environmental stress.”

Both studies looked at mice at puberty that were housed individually compared with mice housed in groups. Conzen and colleagues found that social isolation altered the expression of certain genes, increasing tumor growth. Schuler and colleagues found that social isolation affected breast cancer development, but that the connection between environmental stressors and cancer may not be as clear as initially hypothesized.

Although the results of the two studies differed slightly, Kerr said that important result is that the environment, specifically the psychosocial environment, likely affects cancer risk.

“In contrast to these studies, ours was designed to show whether neonatal experiences, including either mild or moderate stress because of maternal separation experiences, affect normal breast development or predisposed the animal to carcinogen-induced breast cancer,” Kerr said.

Kerr and colleagues examined how either brief maternal separation – for 15 minutes daily – or prolonged separation – for four hours daily – during the first three weeks of life influenced the development of normal and cancerous mammary gland development in female mice. These mice were compared with mice that did not experience any maternal separation.

When the mice reached puberty and young adulthood, the researchers measured the levels of estrogen receptor alpha and p53, the levels of which have been linked to breast cancer development in prior research. All the mice were then exposed to a known carcinogen in order to assess breast tumor incidence and invasiveness.

The researchers found that 300 days after exposure to the carcinogen 53 percent of the mice exposed to prolonged separation had developed palpable breast lesions compared with 20 percent of mice exposed to brief or no maternal separation. The cancers in mice with prolonged separation were also more invasive.

In addition, mice exposed to prolonged separation had 200 percent greater expression of estrogen receptor alpha levels compared with mice that had no separation, and 30 percent higher levels than mice exposed to brief separation. No differences in p53 expression were found between mice that were exposed to different neonatal conditions.

# # #

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
Press Room, Nov. 7-10:
(215) 418-2076

Deadline for Stand Up To Cancer’s Innovative Research Grant Letters of Intent Fast Approaching

registration@aacr.org () — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 12:00:00 GMT

$10 Million Available to Support Innovative Cancer Research Projects

PHILADELPHIA — The American Association for Cancer Research reminds the cancer research community that the Letters of Intent deadline for Stand Up To Cancer’s Innovative Research Grants (IRG) is less than two weeks away.

The IRG Letters of Intent submission deadline is 12:00 p.m. ET on Monday, Nov. 15, 2010.

IRGs will support the next generation of extraordinary cancer research leaders in their quest to conquer cancer by providing funding of up to $750,000 over a three-year period.

Those interested should submit Letters of Intent detailing their best ideas for cutting-edge research projects on all forms of cancer, using the proposal website, which can be found at: https://proposalcentral.altum.com.

IRGs offer financial support to scientists pursuing novel, high-risk, but potentially high-reward cancer research proposals that have significant potential for translational application and hold great promise for advancing SU2C’s goal of improving and saving lives. Proposals may focus on any discipline within basic, translational or clinical research, provided that these criteria are met.

The Innovative Research Grants program was established in honor of the late Judah Folkman, M.D., to recognize him as one of the great innovators in cancer research, an outstanding teacher of young investigators, and an early contributor to the SU2C project.

The AACR, as SU2C’s sole scientific partner, is responsible for administering these grants and, through the Scientific Advisory Committee and Innovative Research Grants Committee, provides ongoing scientific oversight to ensure that progress is being made.

IRG recipients will be announced in April of 2011.

For general information on eligibility criteria, the nomination process and other details about the Innovative Research Grants, please visit: www.aacr.org/IRG. Or direct your inquiries to the SU2C Grants Office at: (267) 765-1049 or su2c@aacr.org.

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. Including Cancer Discovery, the AACR publishes seven major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. AACR journals represented 20 percent of the market share of total citations in 2009. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists.

Media Contact:
Tara Yates
(267) 646-0558
tara.yates@aacr.org

AACR Conference to Focus on Prevention, Management of Cancer in Women

registration@aacr.org () — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Cancer affects one in three women in the United States.

• Media conference to focus on new research that affects women.

PHILADELPHIA — The American Association for Cancer Research will host a media forum focusing on new advancements in the prevention and patient management of cancer among women. This forum will be held here as part of the AACR’s Ninth Annual Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference, which is Nov. 7-10, 2010.

"Cancer affects one in three women in the United States, and even as we understand more about potential treatments, the best strategy remains preventing cancer in the first place," said Judy E. Garber, M.D., M.P.H., director of the Center for Cancer Genetics and Prevention at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and president-elect of the AACR.

"The needs of women are unique in this area, and the American Association for Cancer Research is at the forefront of the search for answers," she added.

The media forum will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2010, at 12:00 p.m. ET in room 203A of the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

Reporters who cannot attend in person can participate using the following information:

• Dial-in (U.S. and Canada): 1-888-282-7404
• Dial-in (International): 1-706-679-5207
• Access Code: 18308730

# # #

Follow the AACR on Twitter: @AACR #AACR
Follow the AACR on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aacr.org

Subscribe to the AACR Scientific Podcasts via iTunes OR an RSS Reader to download the video podcasts and recordings of the press conferences.

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world's oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. Including Cancer Discovery, the AACR publishes seven major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. AACR journals represented 20 percent of the market share of total citations in 2009. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists.

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
Press Room, Nov. 7-10:
(215) 418-2076

Cancer Prevention Conference Underscores Need for Congress to Pass Appropriations Bill That Funds NIH

registration@aacr.org () — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 12:00:00 GMT

PHILADELPHIA — Despite innovative cancer research being presented at the Ninth Annual AACR Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference, as well as numerous other conferences organized by the American Association for Cancer Research each year, the pace of scientific discovery in cancer research will slow if Congress does not pass the pending appropriations bill for fiscal year 2011.

The Labor-Health and Human Services-Education (Labor-HHS) bill, as currently written in both the House and Senate, would provide a 3.2 percent increase in fiscal year 2011 for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The proposed $1 billion increase for the NIH in fiscal year 2011 will sustain the pace of progress in the fight against many diseases, including cancer, and will create new scientific opportunities.

“The breadth of current opportunities in cancer research and the excitement surrounding the potential for advancing the science for patient benefit are astounding,” said AACR Chief Executive Officer Margaret Foti, Ph.D., M.D. (h.c.). “Sustained increases in appropriations for the NIH will ensure that promising research in all aspects of cancer investigation will bring hope to millions of Americans who are suffering from this disease and also stimulate new thinking about cancer prevention.”

While the increase scarcely covers the cost of inflation, it will prevent cuts to numerous programs and projects that are furthering the understanding of cancer. If Congress passes a year-long continuing resolution instead of the appropriations bill, the NIH — along with other federal agencies — would remain at fiscal year 2010 levels through September 2011.

The AACR is sending an action alert to its members, asking them to contact their members of Congress in support of passing the Labor-HHS appropriations bill during the upcoming lame duck session.

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. Including Cancer Discovery, the AACR publishes seven major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. AACR journals represented 20 percent of the market share of total citations in 2009. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists.

Media Contact:
Rachael Cullins
(202) 898-0668
rachael.cullins@aacr.org

AACR to Host Annual Cancer Prevention Conference

registration@aacr.org () — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Conference held Nov. 7-10, 2010, at the Philadelphia Convention Center.

• Press conference on Nov. 8 will focus on chemoprevention.
• Press conference on Nov. 9 will highlight research in women’s health.

PHILADELPHIA — The American Association for Cancer Research will host its Ninth Annual Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference Nov. 7-10 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia.

Experts estimate that nearly half of all cancers can be prevented based on what we know about smoking cessation, healthy lifestyles and the emerging science of chemoprevention. This annual international conference is a one-of-a-kind meeting that draws hundreds of physicians, scientists and other health professionals.

The AACR Communications Department will host two media events:

On Monday, Nov. 8, at 12:30 p.m. ET, Scott Lippman, M.D., editor-in-chief of Cancer Prevention Research and professor and chair in the department of thoracic head and neck medical oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, will host a press conference entitled, “The Emerging Science of Chemoprevention.”

This press conference will be held in room 203A of the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Reporters who cannot attend in person can participate using the following information:

Dial-in (U.S. and Canada): (888) 282-7404
Dial-in (International): (706) 679-5207
Access Code: 18308727

On Tuesday, Nov. 9, at 12:00 p.m. ET, Judy E. Garber, M.D., M.P.H., president-elect of the American Association for Cancer Research and leader of the Center for Cancer Genetics and Prevention at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute will host a press conference called, “Cancer Prevention For Women.”

This press conference will be held in room 203A of the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Reporters who cannot attend in person can participate using the following information:

Dial-in (U.S. and Canada): (888) 282-7404
Dial-in (International): (706) 679-5207
Access Code: 18308730

All press releases from this conference will be posted to the Public & Media area of the AACR website.

In addition to these media events, the AACR Communications Department will also be conducting video interviews with select speakers. These video podcasts will be posted to the AACR website and can be accessed through the following link: www.aacr.org/page23016.aspx

To receive complimentary press registration for the Ninth Annual AACR Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference, use the following link: www.aacr.org/page22843.aspx

# # #

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
Press Room, Nov. 7-10:
(215) 418-2076

AACR Announces New Journal, Cancer Discovery

registration@aacr.org () — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 12:00:00 GMT

PHILADELPHIA — The American Association for Cancer Research announces the launch of its newest journal, Cancer Discovery, which will publish high-impact, peer-reviewed articles describing major advances in basic and clinical research. Its unique format will feature game-changing research, review articles, perspectives and commentaries, news, and "Research Watch" summaries of important journal articles. Cancer Discovery is a new addition to the AACR’s robust publication program.

Cancer Discovery combines the expertise and experience of founding Editors-in-Chief Lewis C. Cantley, Ph.D., and José Baselga, M.D., Ph.D., along with full-time professional editors. Mark W. Landis, Ph.D., has been appointed executive editor.

"Cancer Discovery will make major contributions to the growing body of knowledge and be a touchstone for the diverse professional community in the cancer field," said Cantley.

Baselga added, "Topics will span the spectrum of cancer science and medicine; from the laboratory to the clinic to epidemiologic and prevention studies. This is a vital resource for everyone working on the problem of cancer."

"Facilitating communication and cross-disciplinary interactions in the field by publishing excellent journals is a core mission of the American Association for Cancer Research," said AACR Chief Executive Officer Margaret Foti, Ph.D., M.D. (h.c.). "We are thrilled that Cancer Discovery will provide a new publication outlet that captures the most significant work in the field and inspires thinking that will accelerate the pace of breakthroughs."

Cantley is director of the cancer center and chief of the division of signal transduction at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. He is also professor of systems biology at Harvard Medical School. Cantley’s laboratory discovered PI3 Kinase (PI3K) and revealed its role in a pathway that controls cell growth and cell transformation. PI3K is implicated in many cancers as well as in other diseases. As a result, pharmaceutical intervention in the PI3K pathway is being explored.

Baselga is chief of the division of hematology/oncology and associate director of the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center. He is also professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. Baselga’s research focuses on the clinical development of novel, molecular-targeted agents for the therapy of cancer, particularly breast cancer. He conducted the initial clinical trials with the monoclonal antibodies cetuximab and trastuzumab and has been involved in the clinical development of several new agents including pertuzumab and PI3K inhibitors. His main focus in the laboratory and clinic is in the area of novel anti-HER2 agents, in the identification of mechanisms of resistance to anti-HER2 agents.

Landis was previously with Cell Press, most recently as senior editor for the journal Molecular Cell. Landis holds a doctorate in biological chemistry and molecular pharmacology from Harvard University, where his work focused on breast cancer. He has held research and teaching assistantships at Dartmouth College, the University of Massachusetts Medical School and Children’s Hospital in Boston.

Cancer Discovery is now receiving manuscripts for consideration for publication, and will publish electronically in April 2011 and in print in July 2011. For more information or to submit a manuscript, please view the following link: http://cancerdiscovery.aacrjournals.org/

Watch the AACR’s immediate Past President Tyler Jacks, Ph.D., interview Drs. Cantley and Baselga about what makes Cancer Discovery unique vis-à-vis other journals.

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. Including Cancer Discovery, the AACR publishes seven major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. AACR journals represented 20 percent of the market share of total citations in 2009. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists.

Media Contact:
Michele Sharp
(267) 646-0622
michele.sharp@aacr.org

New Test Measures DNA Methylation Levels to Predict Colon Cancer

registration@aacr.org () — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Test found 64 percent of colorectal pre-cancers and 85 percent of cancers.
• Validation study included 1,100 patient samples.
• Ease of use could increase screening rates.

PHILADELPHIA — An investigational DNA methylation test could alter the screening landscape for colorectal cancer, according to data presented at the American Association for Cancer Research special conference on Colorectal Cancer: Biology to Therapy, held here Oct. 27-30, 2010.

Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer, and the second leading cause of cancer mortality. While celebrities continue to undergo public colonoscopies in an effort to increase awareness, only 60 percent of adults age 50 and older have undergone recommended screening, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

David Ahlquist, M.D., professor of medicine and a consultant in gastroenterology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, said much of that low rate may be due to inconveniences associated with conventional approaches.

“There is definitely an incentive and legitimate justification to be designing a screening approach that is user friendly, affordable and has the ability to detect pre-cancers,” said Ahlquist. “The noninvasive stool DNA test we have developed is simple for patients, involves no diet or medication restriction, no unpleasant bowel preparation, and no lost work time, as it can be done from home. Positive tests results would be followed up with colonoscopy.”

The test that Ahlquist and colleagues evaluated is under development by Exact Sciences, a molecular diagnostics company in Wisconsin.
The test, which is not yet approved by the FDA, is conducted using a stool sample and works by detecting tumor-specific DNA alterations in cells that are shed into the stool from pre-cancerous or cancerous lesions.

In this first clinical validation study presented at the AACR conference, which included 1,100 patients, the researchers detected 64 percent of precancerous adenomas greater than 1 cm and 85 percent of cancers. Polyps over 1 cm are considered the most likely to progress. Furthermore, cancers and precancerous adenomas were detected equally well on both sides of the colon.

Colorectal cancer rate detection was 87 percent for cancers considered to be in the most curable stage (stage I-III) and 69 percent for the most advanced stage (stage IV).

Further clinical trials are planned for next year, according to Exact Sciences.

Under an exclusive license agreement with Mayo, Exact has rights to intellectual property developed by Ahlquist and Mayo Clinic. Exact will make up-front, milestone and royalty payments to Mayo Clinic, which will be shared with Ahlquist in accordance with Mayo Clinic’s Royalty Sharing Policy and will also provide funding for future work in Ahlquist’s lab.

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
Loews Hotel, Phila., Oct. 27-30:
(267) 256-7172

FAK Inhibitor Effectively Blocked Colon Cancer Cell Growth and Viability

registration@aacr.org () — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Y15, a novel FAK inhibitor, may be useful for treating colon cancer.
• Y15 targets a specific site on the Y397 molecule.

PHILADELPHIA — Researchers are one step closer to providing a new therapy for colon cancer, after findings revealed that a small molecule focal adhesion kinase (FAK) inhibitor known as Y15 effectively blocked cell viability, promoted detachment and apoptosis, and decreased tumor growth in mice. These findings were presented at the American Association for Cancer Research special conference on Colorectal Cancer: Biology to Therapy, held Oct. 27-30, 2010.

“We believe that these types of novel small molecule inhibitors may be the future direction for cancer therapy,” said Melissa Heffler, M.D., a research associate at Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, N.Y. “We are excited that Y15 showed efficacy in decreasing colon cancer cell growth. This is just the first step in pushing these molecules closer to clinical use.”

Because more than 80 percent of colon cancers overexpress FAK, Heffler and colleagues investigated whether inhibiting FAK action would affect the growth of colon cancer cells in the laboratory. They first evaluated whether Y15 would decrease the growth of SW620, a highly aggressive colon cancer cell line, in vitro. They then administered the drug to mice to evaluate whether it would decrease tumor growth in vivo. According to Heffler, Y15 is unique because it blocks the site of Y397, which is not specifically targeted by other drugs.

In vitro results showed that Y15 decreased FAK expression and activation in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Compared with control, a 1 µM dose of Y15 inhibited cell viability. Cell detachment also decreased as dosage increased, with nearly 100 percent of cells detached at 50 µM of Y15.

In mice treated with Y15 after being injected with SW620 cells, tumor volume was significantly less after 19 days of treatment than that of mice treated with Y15A derivative or a negative control.

“Although we have shown the efficacy of this inhibitor in treating other types of cancers, like neuroblastoma and breast and pancreatic cancers, metastatic colon cancer can be especially difficult to treat,” Heffler said. “Our inhibitor has worked on these cells, and early data have suggested that it might even work better than the standard colon cancer chemotherapy, 5-fluorouracil.”

The researchers plan to further study Y15 in comparison to and in combination with 5-fluorouracil and plan to investigate its effect on the inhibition of metastases in vivo using a mouse model. They recently submitted untreated and treated cells to a microarray facility for gene analysis and hope to use those data to identify the detailed mechanism by which Y15 influences tumor growth.

“Our preclinical results are promising and will, hopefully, lead to further investigation of this FAK inhibitor in a clinical setting,” Heffler said. “Ideally, we ultimately hope to provide novel therapies for clinicians to employ for the benefit of their patients fighting cancer.”

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
Loews Hotel, Phila., Oct. 27-30:
(267) 256-7172

Telomere Length Affects Colorectal Cancer Risk

registration@aacr.org () — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Telomeres of some young-onset colorectal cancer patients showed accelerated aging.
• Other patients had telomeres longer than those of young healthy people.

PHILADELPHIA — For the first time, researchers have found a link between long telomeres and an increased risk for colorectal cancer, according to research presented at the American Association for Cancer Research special conference on Colorectal Cancer: Biology to Therapy, held here Oct. 27-30, 2010.

Telomeres are small strips of DNA that cover the ends of chromosomes — they are similar to the plastic coverings on shoelace tips. They prevent chromosome tips from fraying during cell division. If the telomeres shorten, then cells age. Shortened telomeres have been associated with an increased risk of cancer development, said Lisa A. Boardman, M.D., associate professor of medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.

Boardman and colleagues sought evidence of biological aging in people who develop colorectal cancer at a young age. The researchers hoped to determine what was causing these young patients to develop a disease that is typically associated with aging, she said.

“We anticipated that we would see some people who had young-onset colon cancer and shorter telomeres compared to people of the same age group who did not have cancer,” said Boardman.

They were surprised, however, to find a group with longer telomeres.

“Even for people their age, their telomeres were longer than you’d expect for healthy people. This suggests that there may be two different mechanisms that affect telomere length and that set up susceptibility to cancer,” she said.

The researchers measured peripheral blood leukocyte DNA telomere length in 772 patients diagnosed with microsatellite stable colorectal cancer. Patients were younger than 60 years at diagnosis and had no history of chemo-radiotherapy. The researchers compared this group’s telomere length with 1,660 nonrelated, age-matched, healthy controls.

Patients with the longest telomeres — those patients in the 95th percentile of telomere length — were 30 percent more likely to develop colorectal cancer than those in the 50th percentile, the results showed. Overall, the individuals with the shortest and the longest telomere lengths were at an increased risk for colorectal cancer, Boardman said.

These results indicate that there may be two distinct groups of colorectal cancer in young-onset patients. One that involves telomere shortening and this subset of young-onset of colorectal cancer patients may have accelerated aging. The other may be a distinct subgroup of patients with longer telomeres.

In future studies, researchers will examine the telomere maintenance genes in the peripheral blood DNA. In order to determine if these subsets of patients with younger-onset colorectal cancer have tumors that are mechanistically distinct, we are in the process of comparing the telomere lengths in the peripheral blood DNA with that in the tumor.

“It may be that if they truly go through different mechanisms in the development of cancer, then they may respond to different types of treatment and have a different molecular profile,” said Boardman.

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
Loews Hotel, Phila., Oct. 27-30:
(267) 256-7172

Small-molecule Inhibitors Effectively Targeted Active Colon Cancer Enzyme

registration@aacr.org () — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• More specific target increases efficacy, decreases toxicity.
• Small-molecule inhibitors could be developed into oral-based therapies.

PHILADELPHIA — Researchers have identified two small-molecule inhibitors that effectively targeted the focal adhesion kinase (FAK), an enzyme present in certain cancers that helps tumors thrive and survive.

If the drugs are developed into oral therapeutic agents in the future, they could open up the potential for more effective and less toxic cancer therapies, according to research presented at The American Association for Cancer Research special conference on Colorectal Cancer: Biology to Therapy, held Oct. 27-30, 2010.

“It is well known that FAK is overexpressed in more than 89 percent of colon cancer tumors, helping these cancer cells survive and spread,” said Vita M. Golubovskaya, Ph.D., associate professor in the department of surgical oncology at Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, N.Y., and co-founder and senior scientist of CureFAKtor Pharmaceuticals. “We have found that targeting a specific site of FAK, called the autophosphorylation site, is an effective way to kill colon cancers cells, as it blocks FAK activation and its survival signaling.”

Through prior research, Golubovskaya and colleagues identified a novel cancer therapy approach that targets the autophosphorylation site of FAK, known as Y397. Once it is “activated” the Y397 site acts as a controller that can “activate” additional cells of the FAK enzyme.

“Thus, our goal was to inhibit this Y397 site to block FAK activity,” Golubovskaya said.

To do that, the researchers screened more than 140,000 small molecules from the National Cancer Institute database and identified several small molecules that could effectively target Y397. They then tested all of these molecules and found two that were the most potent at stopping colon cancer-cell growth: Y11 and Y30.

The effect of Y11 and Y30 were then tested on colon cancer cells. Compared with a commercially available inhibitor, Y11 and Y30 decreased the viability of all colon cancer cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner.

“Most companies target a site called the ATP binding site, which is very conservative, thus drugs developed to target this site are less specific and more toxic,” Golubovskaya said. “Our inhibitors are very specific, inhibiting colon cancer survival and decreasing its viability and inhibiting tumor formation.”

According to Golubovskaya, the next step is to test Y11 and Y30 in mice, eventually conducting pre-clinical studies with the goal in the future to use these drugs in patients after clinical trials.

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
Loews Hotel, Phila., Oct. 27-30:
(267) 256-7172

Jekyll-Hyde MicroRNA Binding Variant Linked to Improved Outcome in Early-stage Colorectal Cancer

registration@aacr.org () — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• MicroRNA variant also predicts worse survival in later stages of cancer.
• Variant leads to ineffective regulation of KRAS.
• Another pathway may be regulating tumor growth.

PHILADELPHIA — A variant site linked to poor outcome in advanced colorectal cancer has now been found to predict improved prognosis in early stages of cancer, according to research presented at the American Association for Cancer Research special conference on Colorectal Cancer: Biology to Therapy, held Oct. 27-30, 2010.

Researchers said they don’t know why this variant site, a microRNA binding site that should allow appropriate regulation of the KRAS gene, exhibited a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde duality. Further study could show that patients with this miRNA variant might benefit from therapy early-on to forestall aggressive tumor behavior.

“Our results suggested that patients with this variant have a good prognosis, but only in early stages. We need to make sure we identify them in an early stage before the cancer progresses,” said lead researcher Kim M. Smits, Ph.D., a molecular biologist and epidemiologist in the GROW-School for Oncology and Developmental Biology at Maastricht University Medical Center, in the Netherlands.

The binding site responds to a molecule that belongs to the lethal-7 (let-7) family of microRNAs that has been linked to control the KRAS gene, which, if unregulated or mutated, can lead to growth of colorectal cancers. But the “G” variant at this site has been shown to lead to poorly regulated KRAS because it does not allow appropriate binding of let-7 to the gene, thus leading to increased KRAS expression. The G variant has previously been associated with an increased risk of lung cancer in moderate smokers, increased risk of ovarian cancer, reduced survival among patients with oral cancers and reduced survival in late-stage colorectal cancer independent of KRAS mutations.

In this study, the researchers evaluated the effect the G variant had on early-stage colorectal cancer compared to the more common “wild type” T variant.

Researchers examined preserved tissue from 409 early-stage colorectal cancer patients who were part of the Netherlands Cohort Study from 1989 to 1994. Median survival was 7.6 years, but patients with the G variant had a 54 percent improved survival compared to patients with T variant. This survival benefit was enhanced if KRAS mutations were taken into account, Smits said.

“None of the patients with a KRAS mutation and the T variant died,” she said.

In later stages of the cancer, this survival advantage was reversed, which Smits said was unexpected.

“You would intuitively think that the G variant would be associated with a poorer prognosis, as it is in late-stage colorectal cancer, but that is not the case,” said Smits.

Smits believes that in patients with the G variant, “KRAS control has been taken over by another, still unidentified pathway. These patients may be born with reduced KRAS control and I think the body has taken action on this, and another pathway controlling KRAS is overexpressed or activated to compensate for the imbalance.”

“This would explain why these patients have a good prognosis, even if KRAS has an activating mutation — KRAS is controlled by another pathway,” she said. “In late-stage patients, this alternative pathway might be impaired, thereby losing KRAS control.”

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
Loews Hotel, Phila., Oct. 27-30:
(267) 256-7172

Researchers Build Colony of Colon Cancer Stem Cells to Test New Approach to Therapy

registration@aacr.org () — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Colon cancer stem cells may be the root of therapy resistance.
• Idea is to shut down cells that continually revive tumors.
• First model that shows how a single colon cancer stem cell behaves.

PHILADELPHIA — University of Pittsburgh researchers have devised a three-dimensional system in laboratory culture that mimics the growth patterns of colon cancer stem cells in patients. Their findings were presented at the American Association for Cancer Research special conference on Colorectal Cancer: Biology to Therapy, held Oct. 27-30, 2010.

The assay, which uses green fluorescent “reporter” proteins to watch the process of stem cell differentiation, is designed to understand how these cancer stem cells behave, and to identify and test therapies that could halt production of the endless generations of new cancer stem cells that continually revive a tumor.

“Colon cancer stem cells are thought to be the root of therapy resistance, metastases and recurrence in colon cancer, so our approach is to find a way to remove the ability of these stem cells to self-renew,” said the study’s lead investigator, Julie Chandler, a graduate student in pathology.

“While many labs have investigated notch inhibitors and others have investigated cancer stem cells, our unique approach combines both in a three-dimensional culture that mimics what happens in patients,” she said. Animal models, which are immunodeficient and use human xenografs, may not provide accurate information about colon cancer stem cell behavior, Chandler added.

Colon cancer stem cells have the ability to repopulate a tumor after treatment, using stem cells that are resistant to treatment. Such treatment forces a response in these cells, which are genetically unstable, forcing the cells to adapt and pass on resistance to daughter stem cells.

In the same way that adult intestinal stem cells self-renew, colon stem cells give rise to different kinds of cells, including daughter stem cells and fully differentiated cells, such as the goblet epithelial cells that line the colon. Researchers would like to force cancer stem cells to differentiate and behave like goblet cells because these cells do not self renew. Chandler said the notch pathway that controls differentiation in stem cells is inactivated in goblet cells. One way to possibly do that is to use agents that shut down the notch pathway, such as gamma secretase inhibitors, she said. Cancer treatment may then be able to destroy tumors that are now populated by fully differentiated goblet cells.

In their new assay, Chandler used a three-dimensional culture matrix in which she could watch a single cancer stem cell divide and produce progeny, which is called an “independent organoid.”

To see the kind of cells a colon cancer stem cell produces, they labeled a protein that is specific only to goblet cells. To date, the researchers have found that some colon cancer stem cells produce many differentiated cells, such as goblets and others, while others produce more primitive, self-renewing cells.

In this way, the researchers can test the ability of notch pathway inhibitors to force progeny cancer stem cells to differentiate into harmless goblet cells.

“Green goblet cells are no longer capable of promoting cancer growth,” Chandler said. “It may be that a certain notch inhibitor or similar drug is all that is needed to prevent cancer recurrence and metastasis that so often follows an initial response to treatment. This new tool will help us determine if that is so.”

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
Loews Hotel, Phila., Oct. 27-30:
(267) 256-7172

AACR Colorectal Cancer Conference to Focus on Screening, New Treatments

registration@aacr.org () — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Press conference held on Thursday, Oct. 28 at 1:00 p.m. ET at the Loews Hotel.
New DNA methylation test may change screening landscape.
Emerging targeted treatments show promise in hard to treat cases.

PHILADELPHIA — The American Association for Cancer Research hosted its first special conference on Colorectal Cancer: Biology to Therapy from Oct. 27-30, 2010, at the Loews Hotel, Philadelphia.

Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer in men and women. While screening has brought mortality rates down, much work remains to be done.

"Colorectal cancer is still one of the deadliest cancers, and our current screening methods are not yet always efficient or complete," said Anil Rustgi, M.D., chief of gastroenterology, T. Grier Miller Professor of Medicine and Genetics, and American Cancer Society Professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and a program chairperson of the AACR special conference.

Rustgi hosted a press conference featuring new research on Thursday, Oct. 28 at 1:00 p.m. ET in the Adams Room on the third floor of the Loews Hotel in Philadelphia.

Listen to a recording of the teleconference:

Download* the mp3 of the teleconference (11.5 MB, 52:19 minutes)

*On a PC, right mouse click on the "Download" link and select "Save link as..." in Firefox or "Save Target as..." in Internet Explorer.

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
Loews Hotel, Phila., Oct. 27-30:
(267) 256-7172

AACR Calls for SU2C Innovative Research Grant Letters of Intent

registration@aacr.org () — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 12:00:00 GMT

$10 Million Available to Support Innovative Cancer Research Projects

PHILADELPHIA — The American Association for Cancer Research calls upon the cancer research community to submit Letters of Intent for Stand Up To Cancer’s Innovative Research Grants (IRG), which support the next generation of extraordinary cancer research leaders in their quest to conquer cancer.

The grants will provide funding of up to $750,000 over a three-year period.

IRGs offer financial support to scientists pursuing novel, high-risk, but potentially high-reward cancer research proposals that have significant potential for translational application and hold great promise for advancing SU2C’s overarching goal of improving and saving lives. Proposals may focus on any discipline within basic, translational or clinical research, provided that these criteria are met.

Those interested should submit Letters of Intent detailing their best ideas for cutting-edge research projects on all forms of cancer, using the proposal website which can be found at: https://proposalcentral.altum.com.

The IRG Letters of Intent submission deadline is 12:00 p.m. ET on Monday, Nov. 15, 2010.

The SU2C Scientific Advisory Committee will review each Letter of Intent, at which point finalists will be selected to submit full research proposals.

The Innovative Research Grants program was established in honor of the late Judah Folkman, M.D., to recognize him as one of the great innovators in cancer research, an outstanding teacher of young investigators, and an early contributor to the SU2C project.

Since the launch of Stand Up To Cancer in 2008, the AACR has played an integral role as SU2C’s sole scientific partner by providing scientific leadership, expert peer review and grants administration. The AACR is responsible for administering these grants and, through the Scientific Advisory Committee and Innovative Research Grants Committee, provides ongoing scientific oversight to ensure that progress is being made.

The Scientific Advisory Committee is chaired by Nobel Laureate Phillip A. Sharp, Ph.D. The Innovative Research Grants Committee is chaired by Richard D. Kolodner, Ph.D., along with Vice-chairpersons William G. Kaelin Jr., M.D., and William G. Nelson, M.D., Ph.D. This prestigious committee conducts a unique, interactive, rapid and rigorous evaluation of the IRG applications via a multi-step scientific review process.

IRG recipients will be announced in April, 2011.

For general information on eligibility criteria, the nomination process and other details about the Innovative Research Grants, please visit: www.aacr.org/IRG. Or direct your inquiries to the SU2C Grants Office at: (267) 765-1049 or su2c@aacr.org.

# # #

About the American Association for Cancer Research
The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

About Stand Up To Cancer
Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) — a program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), a 501(c)(3) charitable organization — raises funds to accelerate the pace of groundbreaking translational research that can get new therapies to patients quickly and save lives. SU2C facilitates collaboration among the best and the brightest in the cancer research community. By galvanizing the entertainment industry, SU2C generates awareness and builds grassroots support for this effort.

To view the recently televised Stand Up To Cancer fundraising special, please visit: www.su2c.org/2010show. For general information, please visit www.su2c.org.

Media Contact:
Tara Yates
(267) 646-0558
tara.yates@aacr.org

The AACR Congratulates Its Members Elected to the Institute of Medicine

registration@aacr.org () — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 12:00:00 GMT

PHILADELPHIA — The American Association for Cancer Research congratulates 12 of its members on their election into the Institute of Medicine. They are among 65 new members and five foreign associates recently elected.

Considered among the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine, the award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievement and commitment to service in the fields of health and medicine.

“This is a great day for cancer research and those who have dedicated their lives to the conquest of cancer. We are thrilled that so many of our prominent members have been honored by the Institute of Medicine,” said Margaret Foti, Ph.D., M.D. (h.c.), chief executive officer of the AACR. “Their selection is fitting — the Institute of Medicine has chosen true leaders in the cancer field who are advancing cancer science and medicine, and are making great strides in the fight to eradicate the more than 200 diseases we call cancer.”

The members of the American Association for Cancer Research selected for this honor are:

Kenneth C. Anderson, M.D., Kraft Family Professor of Medicine, department of medical oncology, Harvard Medical School; and chief, division of hematologic neoplasia, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston;

Riccardo Dalla-Favera, M.D., Percy and Joanne Uris Professor of Clinical Medicine, professor of pathology and genetics and development; and director, Institute of Cancer Genetics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York City;

Titia de Lange, Ph.D., Leon Hess Professor, laboratory of cell biology and genetics, Rockefeller University, New York City;

Susan D. Desmond-Hellmann, M.D., M.P.H., chancellor, University of California, San Francisco;

Charis Eng, M.D., Ph.D., chair and director, Genomic Medicine Institute, Cleveland Clinic; and professor and vice chair, department of genetics, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland;

Zvi Y. Fuks, M.D., professor of molecular pharmacology and chemistry, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York City;

Carol W. Greider, Ph.D., Daniel Nathans Professor and director, department of molecular biology and genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore;

Michael D. Lairmore, D.V.M., Ph.D., professor and chair, department of veterinary biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ohio State University, Columbus;

Caryn Lerman, Ph.D., Mary W. Calkins Professor of Psychiatry and director, Tobacco Use and Research Center, department of psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia;

Ira H. Pastan, M.D., co-chief, laboratory of cell biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md.;

Peter J. Polverini, D.D.S., professor and dean, School of Dentistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor;

Diane M. Simeone, M.D., Lazar Greenfield Professor of Surgery and Molecular and Integrative Physiology and chief, division of gastrointestinal surgery, University of Michigan Health Systems, Ann Arbor.

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Michele Leiberman
(267) 646-0622
michele.leiberman@aacr.org

CR Magazine Sheds Light on the Burden of Cancer on the Streets

registration@aacr.org () — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 12:00:00 GMT

PHILADELPHIA — An article published in the Fall 2010 issue of CR, the AACR’s magazine for cancer survivors and their families and caregivers, details the immense challenges faced by those who suffer with cancer and lack the necessary resources for proper treatment and care — the homeless.

CR magazine contributing writer Cynthia Ryan, Ph.D., who is an associate professor of English at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, took to the streets over the last year to offer a glimpse into the lives of homeless cancer patients struggling to obtain treatment while being confronted by daily uncertainties about life’s most basic necessities.

What makes this story even more unique is that Ryan, a 17-year breast cancer survivor, can relate firsthand to the harbored fears and uncertainties that many patients experience when diagnosed with cancer.

“Those who experience cancer on the streets brave a constant struggle to find a place where they can belong. … And while all survivors embark on a journey unlike any other when diagnosed with cancer, the homeless trudge a more treacherous path,” Ryan wrote in CR.

Along her journey, Ryan learned more about the complexities of this population than she had thought she would. She developed unique bonds with many homeless cancer patients, but one in particular — 46-year-old Edwina Sanders, a stage 4 breast cancer patient — left a lasting impact.

“[The homeless] have challenges beyond just the effects of cancer. People like Edwina simply struggle to find a way to get to their appointments and to get ‘home’ after chemotherapy,” Ryan said in a video podcast with the AACR.

Ryan said that writing this article confirmed her belief that simplifying the experience of cancer to a single narrative of diagnosis, treatment and recovery is not only misleading, but also harmful to those who aren’t represented in purely ‘hopeful’ profiles of survivorship.

“You go into these communities assuming you are going to lift these people up; you’re going to help them. What you find in return is they give a lot back to you,” she said. “When I see Edwina, I see the face of cancer in all its rawness. She reminds me that cancer is a formidable opponent and that our fight is far from over.”

This October celebrates the 25th Anniversary of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Ryan and Sanders are both available for interviews by contacting the AACR.

To read Ryan’s story “Homeless With Cancer,” in the Fall 2010 issue of CR magazine, please visit: www.CRmagazine.org/archive/Fall2010/Pages/HomelessWithCancer.aspx

To listen to CR’s “Cancer on the Streets” audio podcast, please visit: www.CRmagazine.org/archive/podcast/pages/CancerontheStreets

View the video podcast interview with Ryan conducted during the Third AACR Conference on The Science of Cancer Health Disparities:

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special Conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:

Tara Yates
(267) 646-0558
tara.yates@aacr.org

AACR to Honor Leading Researchers at Breast Cancer Symposium

registration@aacr.org () — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 12:00:00 GMT

PHILADELPHIA —The 33rd Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium will honor two leading breast cancer researchers during its meeting, which will be held Dec. 8-12 in the Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center, San Antonio, Texas. Klaus Pantel, M.D., Ph.D., is the recipient of the 2010 AACR Outstanding Investigator Award for Breast Cancer Research, funded by Susan G. Komen for the Cure^®. Alan Ashworth, Ph.D., is the recipient of the 2010 AACR Distinguished Lectureship in Breast Cancer Research and will present a talk.

2010 AACR Outstanding Investigator Award for Breast Cancer Research, funded by Susan G. Komen for the Cure^®

Klaus Pantel, M.D., Ph.D., professor at the Institute of Tumor Biology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, will receive the 2010 AACR Outstanding Investigator Award for Breast Cancer Research, funded by Susan G. Komen for the Cure^®.

This award recognizes an investigator under 50 years of age whose novel and significant work has had or may have a far-reaching impact on the etiology, detection, diagnosis, treatment or prevention of breast cancer.

Pantel is honored for his pioneering and original work on the detection of minimal residual disease and for using this information to provide improved care for breast cancer patients. His research breaks new ground toward a better understanding of the metastatic process and patient treatment.

Pantel will deliver his award lecture entitled, “Cancer Micrometastasis and Circulating Tumor Cells,” on Thursday, Dec. 9, 2010, from 11:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. CT.

2010 AACR Distinguished Lectureship in Breast Cancer Research

Alan Ashworth Ph.D., director of the Breakthrough Research Centre at the Institute of Cancer Research, is the recipient of the 2010 AACR Distinguished Lectureship in Breast Cancer Research.

Supported by Bristol-Myers Squibb, this AACR lectureship has been established to recognize outstanding science that has inspired or has the potential to inspire new perspectives on the etiology, diagnosis, treatment or prevention of breast cancer. The lectureship is selected by the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium Program Committee.

Ashworth is recognized for his contribution to the discovery of the BRCA2 gene and his team’s identification of the synthetic lethality between BRCA mutations and PARP inhibitors. The high sensitivity of BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutant cells to PARP inhibitors forms the rationale behind clinical trials that are now assessing the potential of these agents.

Ashworth will deliver his lecture entitled, “Synthetic Lethal Approaches to Cancer Therapy” on Friday, Dec. 10, 2010, from 11:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. CT.

The CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium is a four-day program that presents a balance of clinical, translational and basic research. It provides a forum for interaction, communication and education for a broad spectrum of researchers, health care professionals and those with a special interest in breast cancer.

Registration for the symposium is currently open, and more information can be found at: www.sabcs.org.

# # #

Media Contact:
Michele Leiberman
(267) 646-0622
michele.leiberman@aacr.org

Breast Density Linked to Increased Risk of Subsequent Breast Cancer

registration@aacr.org () — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Higher breast density may increase risk of second cancer.
• Second cancers include ductal carcinoma in situ and invasive disease.
• Increase appears strongest for the uninvolved breast.

PHILADELPHIA — Researchers at Kaiser Permanente have found that patients with a very early form of breast cancer (ductal carcinoma in situ or DCIS) who have higher mammographic density may be at increased risk for subsequent breast cancer, especially in the breast opposite to the one with the initial cancer.

These study results are published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

Mammographic density refers to the proportion of the breast that appears dense on a mammogram; it is one of the strongest risk factors for primary invasive breast cancer. On a mammogram, dense tissue looks white while non-dense tissue looks dark grey. The dense area consists primarily of breast ducts and connective tissue, while the non-dense tissue is mostly fat.

Results of a previous study showed that patients with DCIS who had higher mammographic density had about two to three times increased risk for a second breast cancer.

To confirm her earlier findings, Laurel A. Habel, Ph.D., research scientist at Kaiser Permanente’s Division of Research, and colleagues conducted a larger cohort study that consisted of 935 women diagnosed with DCIS who were treated with breast-conserving surgery (i.e., not a mastectomy) between 1990 and 1997 at Kaiser Permanente of Northern California.

After reviewing medical records, evaluating mammograms at diagnosis and then calculating the risk of subsequent breast cancer events during follow-up, the researchers found that risk of second breast cancer appeared to be elevated among the women with higher density.

“While risk was elevated for both breasts, the increase was greatest and most consistent for the breast opposite to the one with the initial cancer,” Habel said.

Of the patients, 164 had a subsequent ipsilateral breast cancer (breast cancer on the original cancer-affected breast) and 59 had a new primary cancer in the other breast during follow-up. The researchers anticipated finding an increased risk of a subsequent cancer in the breast with the initial cancer, as well as in the opposite breast.

Habel stressed that additional studies will be needed to confirm these risk estimates and determine whether information on density can aid in risk assessment and treatment options.

“Information on mammographic density may help with treatment decisions for ductal carcinoma in situ patients,” she said. “While it’s not a strong enough risk factor on its own, it may be possible to combine it with other factors to improve risk assessment and inform treatment decisions.”

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Tara Yates
(267) 646-0558
tara.yates@aacr.org

AACR Hosts Cancer Prevention Meeting in Philadelphia

registration@aacr.org () — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 12:00:00 GMT

PREMIER INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE WILL HIGHLIGHT BREAKTHROUGHS IN CHEMOPREVENTION, LIFESTYLE AND OTHER PREVENTION STRATEGIES.

PHILADELPHIA — NOV. 7-10, 2010

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @AACR #AACR

What:
Based on what we know about smoking, diet, exercise and available methods of chemoprevention, leading scientists estimate we could prevent approximately half of all cancers nationwide.

This November, the American Association for Cancer Research will host its Ninth Annual International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, located in Philadelphia. Thousands of scientists will gather to discuss new data on lifestyle modifications, chemoprevention and other strategies.

Findings presented at this year’s meeting will include:

• emerging chemoprevention strategies for pancreatic cancer;
• how exercise reduces the risk of cancer in women;
• why soy may prevent some forms of breast cancer;
• the role of vitamin D in cancer prevention; and,
• side effects with prostate and breast cancer prevention strategies.

To help you plan your coverage of the conference, the program schedule is available online at: www.aacr.org/page 22416.aspx. An electronic press kit containing the press releases and selected highlighted abstracts will be available on Nov. 2, via EurekAlert, Newswise and to members of the media registered through the AACR Communications Department.

When:
Nov. 7-10, 2010

Where:
Pennsylvania Convention Center
Philadelphia, Pa.

Contact/Press Registration:
Natalie Poole
(267) 646-0619 / natalie.poole@aacr.org
www.aacr.org/page22149.aspx

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

AACR Hosts Colorectal Cancer Special Conference in Philadelphia

registration@aacr.org () — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 12:00:00 GMT

PREMIER INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE WILL HIGHLIGHT ADVANCEMENTS IN BIOLOGY AND POTENTIAL NEW THERAPIES.

PHILADELPHIA — OCT. 27-30, 2010

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @AACR #AACR

What:
Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States, with an estimated 51,370 deaths expected this year alone.

This October, the American Association for Cancer Research will host the special conference Colorectal Cancer: Biology to Therapy at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel. Hundreds of scientists, physicians and allied health professionals will gather and discuss new data on new screening methods and emerging therapies.

Findings presented at this year’s meeting will include:
• validation studies of new genetics-based screening methods;
• how scientists are targeting stem cells as a therapeutic option;
• the role of inflammation in colorectal cancer;
• new colon cancer inhibitors in development; and
• earlier detection methods that will prevent mortality.

To help you plan your coverage of the conference, the program schedule is available online at www.aacr.org/colorectalprogram. An electronic press kit containing the press releases and selected highlighted abstracts will be available on Oct. 20 via EurekAlert, Newswise and to members of the media registered through the AACR Communications Department.

When:
Oct. 27-30, 2010

Where:
Loews Philadelphia Hotel
Philadelphia, Pa.

Contact/Press Registration:
Natalie Poole
(267) 646-0619 / natalie.poole@aacr.org
Registration: www.aacr.org/page22756.aspx

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Breast Cancer Diagnostic Delay Depended More on Race/Ethnicity than Insurance

registration@aacr.org () — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Time to diagnosis twice as long for insured minorities vs. insured white women.
• Diagnostic delay twice as long for uninsured vs. insured black women.

MIAMI — Race and ethnicity appeared to affect diagnostic delay more than insurance status for women with breast abnormalities, as revealed by data presented at the Third American Association for Cancer Research Conference on The Science of Cancer Health Disparitie s, being held Sept. 30-Oct. 3, 2010.

Heather J. Hoffman, Ph.D., assistant professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services, and colleagues at the George Washington Cancer Institute, conducted a retrospective cohort study of 983 women examined for breast cancer between 1998 to 2009 at six hospitals and clinics in Washington, D.C.

Findings revealed that non-Hispanic black and Hispanic women with government or private insurance waited more than twice as long for a definitive diagnosis than non-Hispanic white women with government or private insurance.

Diagnostic delay time, or the amount of time between when abnormalities were found until a diagnosis was reached, for uninsured black women was more than twice as long as that of black women with private insurance. Although having private insurance reduced time to diagnosis for black women, they still waited significantly longer for a diagnosis than white women with private insurance.

“We were surprised by the fact that non-Hispanic black and Hispanic women with health insurance experienced greater delays than non-Hispanic white women with health insurance,” Hoffman said. “We thought having health insurance would even the field among all women. Insured women should have had the same rapid evaluation regardless of race and ethnicity.”

Among those with private insurance, diagnostic delay time, or the number of days from abnormal screening to definitive diagnosis, was 15.9 days for white women, 27.1 days for black women and 51.4 days for Hispanic women. Diagnostic delay times among those with government insurance were 11.9 days for white women, 39.4 days for black women and 70.8 days for Hispanic women. Finally, among those without insurance, diagnostic delay times were reported as 44.5 days for white women, 59.7 days for black women and 66.5 days for Hispanic women.

“Non-Hispanic black and Hispanic women should be the focus of breast cancer screening outreach and follow-up since they experience greater delays in diagnosis than non-Hispanic white women, regardless of type of insurance,” Hoffman said. “In particular, we need to investigate the barriers to rapid workup in insured non-Hispanic black and Hispanic women first and then investigate barriers in all uninsured women.”

“Health care professionals must stress follow-up with all non-Hispanic black and Hispanic women with breast abnormalities to assure they are diagnosed as soon as possible,” she added.

This work was conducted as part of the George Washington Cancer Institute’s involvement with the NCI-funded national Patient Navigation Research Program, which is designed to assess whether patient navigation can reduce the time between diagnostic finding and resolution and time between diagnosis and treatment.

# # #

Follow the AACR on Twitter: @AACR #AACR
Follow the AACR on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aacr.org

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
In Miami, Sept. 30-Oct. 3:
(305) 695-3368

Social Support Post-Cancer Lacking Among Minority Women

registration@aacr.org () — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Fewer nonwhite female cancer survivors spoke with a friend or family member about their health.
• Social support often key to continued health.

MIAMI — Nonwhite women reported receiving less social support than white women after cancer treatment, according to data presented at the Third AACR Conference on The Science of Cancer Health Disparities, held Sept. 30-Oct. 3, 2010.

“This is an important finding when designing and promoting social support resources for female cancer survivors to better include cancer survivors of color,” said study author Jennifer M. Jabson, M.P.H., Ph.D., a postdoctoral research fellow in the department of community health sciences at Boston University. “This might be useful when interventionists and community support groups are conducting outreach as they may want to focus special attention on learning the support needs and desires of cancer survivors who are also women of color in their communities.”

Jabson and colleagues evaluated data from the 2005 Health Information National Trends Survey, a probability survey of health communication and information among U.S. adults aged 18 years and older. Participants were randomly recruited and included 577 female cancer survivors, of which 75 were ethnic minority cancer survivors.

Overall, 87 percent of the entire sample of cancer survivors reported receiving social support from a friend or family member to whom they could talk about their health. However, 99 percent of white cancer survivors reported having a friend or family member as social support compared with 86 percent of nonwhite female cancer survivors.

When participants were asked about engagement in moderate-intensity physical activity, 99 percent reported some moderate-intensity physical activity in a typical week. Broken down by race/ethnicity, 78 percent of white female cancer survivors and 75 percent of nonwhite female cancer survivors reported some moderate-intensity physical activity.

“A preponderance of literature has focused on the relative lack of physical activity among many groups, and knowing of the multiple benefits of physical activity, we were encouraged to find women reporting physical activity,” Jabson said.

Future research should examine the role of physical activity, social support and other reinforcing factors that may influence nonwhite women to participate more or less than other cancer survivors, according to Jabson.

“We need to continue our work to better understand the complexities of cancer survivorship for women of color in an effort to maximize on the opportunity for positive cancer survivorship,” she said.

# # #

Follow the AACR on Twitter: @AACR #AACR
Follow the AACR on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aacr.org

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
In Miami, Sept. 30-Oct. 3:
(305) 695-3368

Lack of Private Health Insurance Impacted Cancer Survival

registration@aacr.org () — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Study conducted among patients with uterine cancer.

• African-Americans had higher death rates, even with insurance.
• Mortality was higher among patients with public vs. private insurance.

MIAMI — Lack of private health insurance and its consequent lack of access to care appears to affect mortality among patients with uterine cancer and may partly explain the mortality disparity between African-Americans and other racial groups, according to data presented at the Third AACR Conference on The Science of Cancer Health Disparities.

“African-Americans were twice as likely to die within four years compared to white patients after adjusting for age, facility and education level. However, when insurance, treatment and clinical factors were accounted for, this likelihood decreased to 30 percent greater,” said Dana Chase, M.D., a clinical fellow at the University of California, Irvine.

Chase and colleagues presented a retrospective analysis on 178,891 patients in the National Cancer Database. Whites made up approximately 74 percent of the cohort, while Hispanics comprised 5 percent and 9 percent were African-Americans. The remaining patients did not have specific racial information.

The unadjusted four-year survival rate with uterine cancer was 82 percent for whites and Hispanics, but only 63 percent for African-Americans. Some of the differences in survival by race were accounted for by more advanced stage of disease at diagnosis. However, even after accounting for disease severity, African-Americans experienced poorer survival compared to white patients.

The unadjusted four-year survival rates were 80.7 percent among uninsured, 75.93 percent for Medicaid insured, 79.45 percent for younger Medicare patients, 69.35 percent for older Medicare patients and 88.93 percent for privately insured patients.

Patients without insurance were 1.46 times likely to die within four years after adjusting for demographic and clinical factors. Medicaid insured and those insured through Medicare at younger ages (18 to 64 years) were 1.74 and 2.5 times as likely to die within four years compared to privately insured patients, respectively. However, survival patterns among Medicaid and younger Medicare patients are difficult to interpret due to retroactive enrollment in these insurance plans as a result of a cancer diagnosis. Additionally, this study did not account for comorbidity, which may vary by insurance and contribute to poorer survival outcomes.

“Other variables may be playing a role in access to care among minority populations and we’ll have to look at it further, but it’s clear from this study that insurance definitely plays a role,” said Chase.

# # #

Follow the AACR on Twitter: @AACR #AACR
Follow the AACR on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aacr.org

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
In Miami, Sept. 30-Oct. 3:
(305) 695-3368

Decreased Survival for Puerto Rican Women with "Triple-negative" Breast Cancer Subtype

registration@aacr.org () — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Women with this cancer subtype have more than twice the risk of death.
• Poor prognosis linked to age at diagnosis and regional/distant disease.

MIAMI — Puerto Rican women who had breast cancer that lacked estrogen and progesterone receptors and did not overexpress the HER2neu protein (triple-negative) had worse survival than those with other types of invasive breast cancer, according to a study presented at the Third AACR Conference on The Science of Cancer Health Disparities, held Sept. 30 – Oct. 3, 2010.

“As the incidence of breast cancer rises in Puerto Rico, following U.S. trends, it is important to understand the association of disease subtypes with survival,” said Ana P. Ortiz Martinez, M.P.H., Ph.D., associate professor and researcher at the University of Puerto Rico Cancer Center and the department of biostatistics and epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Puerto Rico. “Breast cancer is a complex disease, with distinct subtypes with widely differing therapeutic indications and clinical outcomes.”

This is the first published study on the impact of tumor subtypes and other clinical factors on breast cancer survival in Puerto Rico.

Researchers analyzed data for 974 female patients with invasive breast cancer who were diagnosed and treated in two main hospitals in Puerto Rico from 2000 to 2005.

The risk of breast cancer death for Puerto Rican women who had the triple-negative breast cancer subtype was more than twice as high as women with other tumor subtypes, even after accounting for a woman’s age and cancer stage at diagnosis.

Women who were 50 years old or younger at the time of diagnosis and had regional/distant disease were also more likely to die as a result of their breast cancer.

Of the women studied, 22.5 percent had breast cancer that was HER2neu-positive (meaning that it overexpressed this protein); 60.9 percent of the breast cancers were positive for estrogen or progesterone receptors, but negative for HER2neu; and 16.6 percent were triple negative, neither overexpressing HER2neu nor receptive to estrogen or progesterone.

Findings, which were consistent with results described in previous studies of U.S. populations, will be useful in the development of cancer control strategies in Puerto Rico and may have an impact on future studies of targeted therapies to improve breast cancer survival in other Hispanic populations, said Ortiz Martinez.

# # #

Follow the AACR on Twitter: @AACR #AACR
Follow the AACR on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aacr.org

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
In Miami, Sept. 30-Oct. 3:
(305) 695-3368

Race Not Root of Disparity in Lung Cancer Between Whites and Blacks

registration@aacr.org () — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Biological tumor differences seen in Hispanics and Asians.
• Surgery led to higher survival rates; underwent by fewer black patients.
• Bronchoalveolar lung cancer had a better prognosis.

MIAMI — Race itself was not a prognostic factor of overall survival among black patients with lung cancer, according to data from a retrospective study presented at the Third AACR Conference on The Science of Cancer Health Disparities.

“In simple terms, if 100 patients who are Caucasian and 100 patients who are African-American have the same age, stage of cancer, type of lung cancer and are treated the same way, there should not be differences in their survival just because they are of different races,” said Rajesh Sehgal, M.D., a medical oncologist at the Edwards Comprehensive Cancer Center and an assistant professor of medicine at the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine in Huntington, W.Va.

“African-American patients did have lesser median overall survival, but after compensating for all other factors that affect prognosis, such as age, stage and type of treatment, African-American race was not an independent prognostic factor for poor survival,” added Sehgal.

Results of this study also indicated that those patients of other races — including Asian and Hispanic patients — had a better disease prognosis when compared with African-American and Caucasian patients, indicating that there may be biological differences in the tumors in these races.

Using data from the Cancer Information Resource File, the researchers examined 130,517 patients diagnosed with lung cancer between 2003 and 2008. Patients were grouped according to race: white (91.4 percent), African-American (6.5 percent) and other (2.1 percent), defined as any non-Caucasian and non-African-American patient.

Median overall survival was 10.3 months for Caucasian patients, 9.1 months for African-American patients and 11.8 months for patients of other races. Patients undergoing chemotherapy had about a 43 percent higher chance of survival and those undergoing surgery had about a 60 percent higher chance of survival.

Data indicated that fewer African-American patients underwent surgery to treat their disease and a greater percentage of these patients presented with metastatic lung cancer compared with Caucasian patients (44 percent vs. 41 percent). These factors may have contributed to less favorable median overall survival compared with Caucasian patients and patients of other races, according to the researchers.

Despite these differences, race alone did not affect overall survival. However, race was an independent risk factor for patients of other races compared with Caucasian patients.

“If possible, we would like to look into the tumor biology of ‘other’ races to see when differences exist in their tumors as compared to Caucasian and African-American patients and whether these differences might account for their better prognosis,” Sehgal said.

Other factors identified by researchers as having a negative effect on overall survival were age older than 70 years and male sex. Sixty-seven percent of all African-American patients were younger than 70 years of age when they presented with the disease compared with only 54 percent of Caucasian patients.

Patients undergoing radiation therapy and patients with bronchoalveolar lung cancer histology — a type of non–small cell lung cancer — also had improved prognosis.

Sehgal said that some study limitations did exist, including a lack of data on patients’ smoking status, insurance status and comorbidities, all of which could affect overall survival.

# # #

Follow the AACR on Twitter: @AACR #AACR
Follow the AACR on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aacr.org

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
In Miami, Sept. 30-Oct. 3:
(305) 695-3368

Racial Differences in Breast Cancer Treatment Persist, Despite Similar Economics

registration@aacr.org () — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Despite insurance and incomes, racial disparities in treatment delay exist.

• Disparities have not improved; may have worsened over time.

MIAMI — African-American women with breast cancer living in Washington, D.C., are more likely to experience delays in treatment regardless of insurance type, socioeconomic status and cancer characteristics such as stage and grade.

Heather A. Young, Ph.D., an associate professor of epidemiology at The George Washington University, said these findings underscore the difficulties in measuring the impact of race and socioeconomic status on health outcomes.

“There is likely something about race that we are still not capturing, whether it is different patterns of social support, access to transportation, or family burden, something is causing the disparities in care to persist,” she said.

The data Young presented at the Third AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities was able to capture socioeconomic status, but only by measuring poverty status from U.S. Census data.

“We have yet to fully capture the variety of variables that encompass socioeconomic status,” said Young.

What is clear, from this study and others, is that the time to treatment in Washington, D.C., for African-American women lags behind what is recommended by professional guidelines and is significantly longer than what is seen for white women.

“The situation is likely similar or worse in other urban areas, which may have higher rates of uninsured,” said Young.

Using data from the D.C. Cancer Registry, which captured all cancer cases from 1998 to 2006, the researchers found that African-American women were 2.19-fold more likely to wait more than two months longer than white women from the time of diagnosis to treatment.

African-American women had a mean time to diagnosis of 26.1 days compared with 14.1 days for white women. This disparity appeared to increase over time. If these African-American women were diagnosed between 2001 and 2003, they were significantly more likely to wait for treatment than if they had been diagnosed between 1998 and 2000. The gap widened even further between 2004 and 2006.

# # #

Follow the AACR on Twitter: @AACR #AACR
Follow the AACR on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aacr.org

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
In Miami, Sept. 30-Oct. 3:
(305) 695-3368

Strategies for Overcoming Cancer Health Disparities through Communication Highlighted at AACR Meeting

registration@aacr.org () — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 12:00:00 GMT

MIAMI — Cancer disparities persist across racial, ethnic, cultural and socioeconomic lines. Several factors contribute to the disparity in health care, including differences in culture, education and financial resources. Other factors include language barriers, limited access to health care and lack of health literacy.

As part of the Third AACR Conference on The Science of Cancer Health Disparities, Olveen Carrasquillo, M.D., M.P.H., chief of the division of general medicine at the University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine in Florida, hosted a press conference (listen to the teleconference) on Friday, Oct. 1, at 6:00 p.m. in the Cowrie 2 Room of the Loews Hotel in Miami.

The researchers participating in this press conference discussed contributing factors and successful strategies to address cancer disparities.

“Studies have repeatedly shown that doctors overestimate the health literacy of their patients, and that includes not only reading, but also the understanding of health concepts,” Carrasquillo said. “I think health communication is critical as part of the overall push to tackle some of these disparities.”

“You need to target your message to the end user,” Carrasquillo said. “If you have people that don’t look like you or don’t use the same kind of words you use, you can be turned off of the health message. The concept that one-size-fits-all — one educational message is appropriate for all age groups, all racial-ethnic groups, and all genders — really needs to be reexamined.”

Carrasquillo said the studies presented at this press conference are good examples of tailoring the message to the audience to increase health literacy.

The following abstracts were presented during this forum:

B28. Outcomes from a statewide dissemination of an evidence-based, community-engaging wellness program for African-American churches

Churches have played an important role in the history of African-Americans, and researchers from Fox Chase Cancer Center are looking at whether churches can help their congregations with their physical as well as their spiritual health.

“There is a lot of research that shows that a faith-based approach in the African-American community is very important because of the importance of the church within the social fabric of that community,” said Linda Fleisher, M.P.H., assistant vice president of the office of health communications and health disparities at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia.

The researchers wanted to promote healthier eating habits, namely eating more fruits and vegetables, among African-Americans by disseminating a program called Body and Soul, a faith-based intervention, among 39 churches in 13 counties throughout Pennsylvania. The size of the churches varied from 12 to 2,700 members, and they were located in rural and urban areas of the state.

Body and Soul is an evidence-based program that is built of four pillars for success: a committed pastor, church-sponsored activities that involve healthy eating, a policy to promote healthy eating, and peer counselors to provide dietary advice to church members, according to Fleisher.

In phase two of the study, which will be reported at the press conference, church leaders were initially trained in the program and the importance of using all four pillars in their own programs, but each church had the autonomy to decide how they would implement the pillars, explained Fleisher, which helps the members take ownership of the project.

The researchers linked the churches to a local organization to provide training, ongoing technical assistance, and mini-grants of $500 to implement the program.

The goal was to get churches to include fruits and vegetables at various events. Some churches really embraced the program, she said, while others did not. Activities included a series of sermons from pastors, healthy snack giveaways at church services and heart-healthy meal options for large church gatherings.

“We are now exploring how you can identify church characteristics that might lend themselves to more fully adopting the programs,” Fleisher added.

Fleisher said many good programs have been developed, and if organizations want to improve the health of minority members of the community, then “start with an evidence-based program, something that is already tested and shown to be effective. I think that helps because the work has already been done.”

She recommended that organizations spend time and effort planning the program to improve its implementation.

“We did a lot of work up front to see who would have an interest in this, and I think that would be beneficial,” Fleisher said.

In addition, funding to help smaller organizations succeed would be beneficial.

“A lot of times, we ask those community groups to get involved in our projects, and they get little out of it. I think that having mini-grants was important. The money allowed some of them to go out and buy the fruits and vegetables to have at their events,” she said.

B6. Social marketing intervention to increase HPV vaccine utilization among Hispanic girls: Preliminary data

All women are at risk for cervical cancer, but Hispanic women have the highest incidence of cervical cancer, followed by African-American, white, Asian/Pacific Islander, and American Indian/Alaska Native women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Moreover, African-American and Hispanic women are more likely to die from this cancer than other women.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) causes most cervical cancers. There are now two vaccines against the strains of HPV that cause 70 percent of cervical cancer cases, explained Pamela C. Hull, Ph.D., associate director of the Center for Health Research at Tennessee State University. Yet, many Hispanics are unaware of this prevention strategy.

Hull reported the results of a study using social marketing interventions to increase HPV vaccination among Hispanic girls.

“The goal is to speed up the dissemination of the vaccine among the Hispanic population to help reduce and cut some of that disparity between Hispanics and whites,” said Hull.

“We developed an intervention using the social marketing approach, combining that message with traditional marketing techniques for selling products,” she said. “But instead of selling products, we are telling people to do something. And in this particular intervention, we are trying to encourage parents to take their daughters to get vaccinated with the HPV vaccine.”

They created partnerships with community organizations and other universities to develop and implement the research. Before they developed the message and the medium, they held focus groups and found that public service messages on Spanish-language radio would be the best way to reach their target audience — parents of Hispanic girls that are 11 to 18 years old.

In addition, they distributed printed posters and flyers within the Hispanic community.

The message appealed to the protective role of parents, as well as their desire to see their children lead a better life, she explained. The story line featured a couple sending their 11-year-old daughter off to school and talking about how quickly she has grown. One parent tells the other that the mother of the daughter’s girlfriend got her vaccinated against cervical cancer, and they considered the vaccine for their daughter.

The CDC developed the message on the brochures and flyers and the researchers added a local phone number for more information about the vaccine.

“We found in the focus group that many of the parents came to this country for a better life for themselves and their families. That is what we addressed in the message,” she said, “the fact that you come to this country to give your child a better life and a better future and part of that [mission] is ensuring her good health so she can achieve those goals.”

Hull said the message has resonated with the audience.

“When we did the focus groups, we found that most people [in the Hispanic community] didn’t even know that the vaccine existed,” she said. “Few people even knew what HPV was. Just getting the word out there should make a big impact.”

A12. You’re putting what, where? Using humor to increase colonoscopy rates among African-Americans
Embargo: 5:00 p.m. ET, Oct. 1, 2010

Before 1980, mortality rates for colorectal cancer were lower in African-American men than in white men and were similar among women of both races, according to the American Cancer Society. Since that time, however, mortality rates have decreased for both groups but have decreased more rapidly for whites than for African-Americans.

The five-year relative survival rate for colorectal cancer among African-Americans is about 56 percent, but for whites, it is 66 percent. One of the reasons for this disparity is that the disease tends to be diagnosed at a later stage among African-Americans — 35 percent of colorectal cancers in African-Americans are diagnosed at a localized stage compared with 40 percent in whites.

“We had been exploring ways of communicating prevention and early detection messaging to minority and low-income populations,” said Linda G. Blount, M.P.H., national vice president of health disparities at the American Cancer Society.

They tested a public health message using the “personal narrative” style and recorded a video of Steve Harvey, popular comedian and talk show host, using humor, which is a time-tested method for discussing a serious topic, to discuss his own colonoscopy.

“We combined two elements: storytelling and celebrity. We gave Steve Harvey, who is a well-known celebrity, some key talking points and asked him to build a story around his personal experience leading up to and after his colonoscopy. He used language, cadence, and symbolism that are relevant particularly to African-American men. He was speaking to women as well, to convey the importance of colon cancer screening as part of his responsibility for taking care of his family,” said Blount, who reported her research at the press conference.

Organizations involved in community education, “need to understand their audience and tailor the materials to address the myths and beliefs and culture of that audience,” Blount said. “Culture plays a huge role in medical and health care decision making.”

In addition, she suggested working with community partners to develop program messaging. In this case, the feedback of the community was instrumental in developing the message, she said.

“While we can’t tailor our message to every single slice of a population — because African-Americans are not homogenous; Latinos are not homogenous; Asians are not homogenous — we can get a sense of what might resonate with members of the community by having conversations with members of the community. We can make sure we incorporate imagery, language or context in our materials so that people know we are speaking to them and not at them.”

Blount said the video has been well received and successful.

“The Florida Division of the American Cancer Society worked with the Florida Public Health Department, Avmed, and Blue Cross/Blue Shield in the Miami-Dade area, to distribute 50,000 copies of the video, put up billboards and wrapped buses [with the message] for the month of May. They reported an increase in the number of appointments for colonoscopies for African-Americans,” she said.

“We haven’t looked to see the completion rates [for the test], but it appears the intent to screen has increased. We need to do more testing and evaluation, but that is a good sign,” she said. “If we could replicate that 1,000 times, we could make a real difference. We have quite a long way to go to get to the kind of screening rates we want.”

She said that the health care system “still needs to make a concerted effort to ensure its practice and materials are culturally and linguistically appropriate.”

“The public health community needs to learn marketing techniques from private industry and truly understand the target audience: Who do you want to talk to and what kind of behavior do you want to change?” she said.

A18. To bank or not to bank: Engaging community members in discussions about biobanking
Embargo: 5:00 p.m. ET, Oct. 1, 2010

Cancer treatment is becoming more personalized, said Shalewa Noel-Thomas, Ph.D., M.P.H., the program manager of the Tampa Bay Community Cancer Network at the Moffit Cancer Center.

She believes that biobanking will help achieve that goal, especially among ethnic-racial minorities.

“There is an effort to move toward personalized medicine and individualized cancer care,” she said. “For cancer researchers to move toward that effort, it is important that we have access to these biological samples to further the research on cancer treatment.

“From the individual perspective, you are looking at doing the human good by contributing to cancer research. These specimens are collected so that we can continue to do research on cancer and one day, find a cure.”

Noel-Thomas and her colleagues developed a program to assess community members’ perceptions, knowledge of and attitudes toward biobanking, specifically specimen collection, she said, adding that the researchers are not actually collecting any specimens.

For the study, they defined biobanking as the collection of specimens from the body, which could be tissue, hair, fingernail, blood or urine that are collected from an individual and then is stored in a repository for future research.

“Our project is a community-based project. In the second phase of the study, we will design educational materials and priming tools — booklets and DVDs — to further educate the community about what a biospecimen is and what biospecimen collection involves.”

The researchers are conducting focus groups with community members and have formed a Community Advisory Group comprised of key community stakeholders that provide ongoing feedback about study methods, recruitment strategies, focus group content, educational materials and offered insights into biobanking.

“Before we even started to embark on this project, we engaged the community in a dialog and in the planning process. We have a network that is comprised of 21 community organizations,” she said.

“We provided educational sessions to our group about what biobanking is because we thought perhaps there might be members in the group who were not aware what biobanking was and we wanted to enhance their knowledge.

“In addition to educational sessions for community members, we also conducted a tour of the biobanking facilities at the Moffit Cancer Center and this, as you can imagine, really brought the topic up close and personal for a lot of our community partners. Just giving them the opportunity to see the facility, to see the repositories, to see where tissue and other specimens are stored in the hospital enhanced their understanding of the topic.

“Therefore, my advice is that it is critical to engage the community from the very inception of research projects so that our community will know exactly what we are talking about when we approach topics that are not well known such as biobanking and biospecimen collection.

“Our charge is to address cancer health disparities from a community perspective and so our projects are entrenched in the community and they are informed and guided by the community.”

Listen to the teleconference:

Download* the mp3 of the audio (10.3 MB, 45:23 minutes)

# # #

Follow the AACR on Twitter: @AACR #AACR
Follow the AACR on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aacr.org

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
In Miami, Sept. 30-Oct. 3:
(305) 695-3368

Low Socioeconomic Status Linked With More Severe Colorectal Cancer

registration@aacr.org () — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Association between low socioeconomic status and colorectal cancer is independent of other risk factors.
• Public health programs and practitioners should target these areas.

MIAMI — People living in economically deprived neighborhoods were more likely to be diagnosed with late-stage, non-localized colorectal cancer, even after researchers controlled for known colorectal cancer risk factors, according to data presented at the Third American Association for Cancer Research Conference on The Science of Cancer Health Disparities, being held Sept. 30-Oct. 3, 2010.

“Community clinical practitioners should be encouraged to understand the neighborhood characteristics of their patients and use that information to guide their encounters with patients, to help reduce disparities for colorectal cancer, which is a preventable disease,” said study author Chyke Doubeni, M.D., M.P.H., assistant professor of family medicine and community health at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

Researchers evaluated data from the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study, a prospective cohort of participants from six U.S. states and two metropolitan areas. Data were obtained from 1995 to 2003, and none of the participants had a history of colorectal cancer.

Socioeconomic status was based on an empirically derived neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation index from 2000 U.S. census data.

Findings revealed 6,934 cases of colorectal cancer among 560,288 eligible participants; 59 percent of these cases were non-localized, defined as regional, distant or unstaged tumors. After adjusting for age and sex, the researchers reported a colorectal cancer incidence of 17.5 per 10,000 person-years.

Those participants who resided in the least socioeconomically deprived neighborhoods had an incidence rate of 16.2 percent compared with 19.8 percent for those living in the most disadvantaged neighborhoods.

After further accounting for individual-level education, dietary patterns associated with the risk for colorectal cancer, history of smoking and body mass index, findings revealed that those in the most deprived neighborhoods had a 13 percent higher overall incidence of colorectal cancer and 15 percent higher incidence of non-localized colorectal cancer compared with those in the least deprived neighborhoods.

Doubeni and colleagues plan to evaluate potential differences between men and women and to evaluate underlying reasons for disparities, including failures along the continuum of care and health care utilization histories.

“We need to understand more about the health care utilization patterns of patients in poorer neighborhoods and obstacles to colorectal cancer screening in those neighborhoods,” Doubeni said.

# # #

Follow the AACR on Twitter: @AACR #AACR
Follow the AACR on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aacr.org

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
In Miami, Sept. 30-Oct. 3:
(305) 695-3368

Vigorous Exercise Reduces Breast Cancer Risk in African-American Women

registration@aacr.org () — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• As little as two hours a week of vigorous exercise reduces risk.
• Benefits are seen with regular walking as well.

MIAMI — Vigorous exercise of more than two hours per week reduces the risk of developing breast cancer in postmenopausal African-American women by 64 percent, compared to women of the same race who do not exercise, according to researchers at Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Results were presented at the Third AACR Conference on The Science of Cancer Health Disparities, held Sept. 30 to Oct. 3, 2010.

“People often want to know what they can do to reduce their risk of disease, and we have found that just two or more hours of vigorous activity per week can made a difference in one’s risk of developing breast cancer,” said the lead researcher Vanessa Sheppard, Ph.D., a cancer control scientist and assistant professor in the department of oncology at the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center.

In this study, more than two hours of aerobics, running or similar activity over the span of a week counted as vigorous activity.

“We also know from other studies that being physically active can have benefits in other diseases that occur at high rates in African-American women, such as diabetes and hypertension,” Sheppard said. “Four out of five African-American women are either overweight or obese, and disease control is a particularly important issue for them.”

Evidence showing exercise reduces breast cancer risk has been inconsistent, and there are few that look specifically at African-American women, Sheppard said. The issue is important, she added, because breast cancer has some important differences in this community. Whereas more white women are diagnosed with breast cancer, African-American women have a higher risk of developing premenopausal breast cancer than white women do, and comparatively more African-American women develop the most aggressive form of the disease, known as triple-negative breast cancer.

The researchers identified 97 recently diagnosed African-American breast cancer patients in the Washington, D.C., area and matched them with 102 African-American women without breast cancer. Participants filled out a questionnaire about exercise routines; the responses were analyzed and compared.

Women who exercised vigorously for more than two hours a week in the past year had a 64 percent reduced risk of breast cancer compared to women who did not exercise. Women who engaged in moderate exercise, like walking, had a 17 percent reduced risk, compared to women who were sedentary.

After evaluating those who were pre- and postmenopausal, they found that vigorous exercise only significantly benefitted postmenopausal women — they had a 62 percent reduction in risk.

“I was surprised that we did not find a significant effect in premenopausal women, but it may be because we need a larger sample,” Sheppard said.

However, when the researchers examined the effect of total physical activity, which combined walking with vigorous activity of two or more hours per week, they saw significant gains for both premenopausal and postmenopausal women.

“We suggest that our findings, while promising, should be interpreted with caution. This is a pilot study and a larger, more rigorous study is needed to precisely quantify the effect of exercise on development of breast cancer. I think it is fair to conclude that if African American women exercise they can help take charge of their health,” said Sheppard.

# # #

Follow the AACR on Twitter: @AACR #AACR
Follow the AACR on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aacr.org

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
In Miami, Sept. 30-Oct. 3:
(305) 695-3368

Memory Impairment Common in People with a History of Cancer

registration@aacr.org () — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Large study shows cancer patients have significant memory problems.

• Impairment may be linked to biology, treatments and biological predisposition.
• Strategies to diagnose and treat memory impairments are needed.

MIAMI — People with a history of cancer have a 40 percent greater likelihood of experiencing memory problems that interfere with daily functioning, compared with those who have not had cancer, according to results of a new, large study.

The findings, believed to be one of the first culled from a nationwide sample of people diagnosed with different cancers, mirror findings of cancer-related memory impairment in smaller studies of certain cancers, such as breast and prostate cancer. Results were presented at the Third AACR Conference on The Science of Cancer Health Disparities, held Sept. 30 to Oct 3, 2010.

“The findings show that memory impairment in cancer patients is a national problem that we must pay special attention to,” said Pascal Jean-Pierre, Ph.D., M.P.H., assistant professor at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, department of pediatrics, and the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center.

He added that while there is no curative treatment yet for memory impairment — ongoing studies are testing therapies — physicians can still help these patients.

“One of the most important parts of cancer treatment is management of symptoms, such as impairments in attention, memory and fatigue, in order to improve a patient’s quality of life. This study suggests these memory issues are more common than had been recognized before, and should be assessed in all patients with a history of cancer,” Jean-Pierre said.

Jean-Pierre and colleagues used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a population-based survey sponsored by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention designed to collect information on the health and nutrition in U.S. households. Their sample included 9,819 people, aged 40 years and older, from diverse educational and racial-ethnic backgrounds. Within that group, 1,305 participants reported they had cancer or a history of cancer.

All participants had a physical exam and responded to a survey, which included the question: “Are you limited in any way because of difficulty remembering or because you experience periods of confusion?”

Fourteen percent of participants who had cancer reported memory impairment compared to 8 percent of participants who did not have cancer. Those with cancer were 40 percent more likely to have memory issues than other participants — impairments that interfered with daily functioning.

“The findings indicate that cancer is, therefore, a key independent predictor of memory problems in the sample studied,” said Jean-Pierre.

He calls the condition “cancer related cognitive dysfunction,” suggesting that it goes beyond the “chemobrain” label that has been attached primarily to women treated with chemotherapy for their breast cancer who reported problems in cognitive function (e.g., attention and memory).

“These memory issues can be related to treatment, such as chemotherapy, radiation, and hormone therapies, or to the tumor biology itself, which could change brain chemistry and neurobehavioral function,” said Jean-Pierre.

# # #

Follow the AACR on Twitter: @AACR #AACR
Follow the AACR on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aacr.org

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
In Miami, Sept. 30-Oct. 3:
(305) 695-3368

Breast Cancer Linked to Environmental Smoke Exposure Among Mexican Women

registration@aacr.org () — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Increase seen in both premenopausal and postmenopausal women.
• Women who smoked between puberty and first childbirth had an increased risk.

MIAMI — Mexican women who do not smoke but are exposed to smoking, known as environmental smoke exposure, are at three times higher risk for breast cancer than non-smoking women not exposed to passive smoking, according to findings presented at the Third AACR Conference on The Science of Cancer Health Disparities, being held Sept. 30-Oct.3, 2010.

“Everyone should avoid secondhand smoke,” said Lizbeth López-Carrillo, Ph.D., professor of epidemiology, at the National Institute for Public Health, Mexico City, Mexico.

“Tobacco smoking produces both mainstream smoke, which is drawn through the tobacco column and exits through the mouthpiece during puffing, and environmental, side-stream smoke, which is emitted from the smoldering tobacco between puffs,” she said. “We have found that environmental exposure to tobacco increases a woman’s risk for breast cancer in the same way that active smoking does.”

More than 6 million Mexican women between the ages of 12 and 65, who have never-smoked, are being exposed to environmental tobacco smoke, according to background information from the National Surveys of Addictions. Previous research has shown that active smoking is linked to a 20 percent increase in the risk for breast cancer — the leading cause of cancer in women in Mexico — with the highest incidence among those women in the Mexican states bordering the United States.

However, the association between environmental tobacco smoke and breast cancer risk, particularly among postmenopausal women, is less established.

Therefore, López-Carrillo, and colleagues conducted a study to estimate the risk for breast cancer due to lifetime exposure to passive smoking among pre- and postmenopausal women residing in Mexican states bordering the United States.

They examined 504 women with confirmed breast cancer and compared them with 504 healthy women of similar age. During direct interviews, the women were asked about their active and passive lifetime smoking exposure at the home and the workplace. Women with either active or passive tobacco exposure were compared to those women who had never smoked and had no passive smoking exposure.

Compared with women who had never smoked and had no passive smoking exposure, women with passive smoking exposure had a threefold higher risk for breast cancer. The link between passive smoking and breast cancer remained regardless of menopausal status.

Among women who actively smoked, the researchers found an increased breast cancer risk; however, this association was only significant if women began smoking between puberty and the birth of their first child.

“Active and passive smoke exposure is a modifiable risk factor for breast cancer,” López-Carrillo said. “Reducing not only active smoking, but also passive smoking, will prevent new breast cancer cases in this population.”

# # #

Follow the AACR on Twitter: @AACR #AACR
Follow the AACR on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aacr.org

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
In Miami, Sept. 30-Oct. 3:
(305) 695-3368

Adults in Puerto Rico Aware of Genetic Testing, But Use Remains Low

registration@aacr.org () — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Fifty-six percent of Puerto Ricans have heard about direct-to-consumer genetic testing.
• Only 4.3 percent of Puerto Ricans have used a genetic test.
• Awareness of genetic testing in Puerto Rico is higher, but use is lower, compared with the United States.

MIAMI — Awareness of genetic testing was higher among adults in Puerto Rico compared to previous U.S. population-based studies, while use of genetic testing was lower, according to data presented at the Third AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities, held Sept. 30 to Oct 3, 2010.

Genetic tests are increasingly being offered direct-to-consumers through the Internet and other venues, providing individual access to genetic tests without the involvement or consultation of a health care provider. Researchers analyzed data from the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) conducted in Puerto Rico in 2009. Adults were asked whether they had heard or read about genetic tests offered by companies that analyze DNA, diet and lifestyles for potential health risks.

“This study is the first to measure awareness and use of direct-to-consumer genetic tests among adults in Puerto Rico, and to identify factors associated with awareness in this population,” said Ana P. Ortiz Martinez, M.P.H., Ph.D., associate professor and researcher in the department of biostatistics and epidemiology at the University of Puerto Rico Cancer Center and Graduate School of Public Health, University of Puerto Rico.

“While 56 percent of those surveyed were aware of these tests, only 4.3 percent had ever used one,” said Ortiz, who led the study. “No differences were seen by age or sex, nor was a personal or family history of cancer associated with greater genetic testing awareness.”

By comparison, two previous studies showed lower awareness in the United States. In 2006, only 14 percent of adults said they were aware of genetic testing, according to data from a U.S. HealthStyles national survey. Awareness increased to 29 percent in the 2007 U.S. HINTS survey.

Although causal attributions cannot be determined from these data, the greater awareness and use of genetic testing observed in Puerto Rico relative to mainland estimates coincides with greater push and availability of such tests over time. These data underscore and inform the imperative for population-based outreach and education efforts to provide accurate and balanced information about the risks and benefits of testing.

Use of genetic testing in the 2009 Puerto Rico HINTS survey was lower (4.3 percent) compared with the 2007 U.S. survey (8.1 percent), but higher compared with the 2006 U.S. survey (0.6 percent).

Married people — and those who had ever been married or were living together — were more likely to be aware of direct-to-consumer genetic tests compared with those who never married. Individuals who had sought cancer information were twice as likely to be aware. Smokers were among the least likely to know about genetic testing.

“Further studies will elucidate the use of genetic tests in clinical settings, and evaluate attitudes and beliefs about them,” Ortiz said. “As our understanding of their usefulness increases, we must assure access for everyone who may benefit, so that genetic testing will not become a source of health disparity in the population.”

# # #

Follow the AACR on Twitter: @AACR #AACR
Follow the AACR on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aacr.org

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
In Miami, Sept. 30-Oct. 3:
(305) 695-3368

Vitamin D Levels Lower in African-Americans

registration@aacr.org () — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Lower levels may be linked to aggressive breast cancer.
• Findings suggest possible prevention strategy.
• Vitamin D levels should be monitored closely.

MIAMI — African-American women had lower vitamin D levels than white women, and vitamin D deficiency was associated with a greater likelihood for aggressive breast cancer, according to data presented at the Third AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities.

“We know that darker skin pigmentation acts somewhat as a block to producing vitamin D when exposed to sunlight, which is the primary source of vitamin D in most people,” said Susan Steck, Ph.D., M.P.H., associate professor of epidemiology at the University of South Carolina.

Steck and colleagues observed 107 women who were all diagnosed with breast cancer in the previous five years. Sixty of these women were African-American, while the remaining 47 were white.

All women donated a blood sample, and vitamin D status was determined using circulating 25 hydroxyvitamin D levels as a marker. The mean serum concentration of vitamin D was 29.8 ng/ml in white women and 19.3 ng/ml in African-American women.

Researchers defined vitamin D deficiency as a serum concentration less than 20 ng/ml, and found this to be the case in 60 percent of African-American women compared with 15 percent of white women. Serum levels were lowest among patients with triple-negative breast cancer, and aggressive disease was eight times more likely among patients with vitamin D deficiency.

Steck said the findings of this study provide a foundation for a possible prevention strategy, but further research would be required.

The study was funded by grants from the National Cancer Institute.

# # #

Follow the AACR on Twitter: @AACR #AACR
Follow the AACR on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aacr.org

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special Conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
In Miami, Sept. 30-Oct. 3:
(305) 695-3368

Multipronged Intervention Treated Persistent Fatigue Effectively in Breast Cancer Survivors

registration@aacr.org () — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• A multidimensional holistic approach reduced fatigue in blacks and whites.

• Persistent fatigue may last for years after breast cancer treatment.

MIAMI — A group-based, holistic, mind-body intervention was equally effective in treating persistent fatigue and improving quality of life for breast cancer survivors, regardless of their race.

“All women, black and white alike, reported significant improvement in fatigue post program completion, and improvement was maintained without further intervention,” said researcher Susan E. Appling, M.S., C.R.N.P., nurse practitioner with the Prevention and Research Center at Mercy Medical Center.

These results were presented here, at the Third AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities.

For breast cancer survivors, persistent fatigue has multiple contributing factors including pain, sleep disturbance, depression, anxiety, decreased physical activity, weight gain and treatment-induced menopausal symptoms.

“Persistent fatigue is one of the most common lingering problems affecting breast cancer survivors,” she said. “Programs focused on helping patients transition from active treatment to cancer survivorship are an important component of an overall cancer treatment plan.”

The Mercy Medical Center Prevention and Research Center Team created an intervention program that consisted of relaxation techniques (i.e. deep breathing and guided imagery), optimization of nutrition and physical activity, introduction to restorative yoga techniques, and cognitive behavioral therapy to help make positive lifestyle changes.

Fatigue rates were measured in 206 breast cancer survivors at the beginning of the program, at study completion, and two and six months after completion.

Appling and colleagues also investigated if one race benefited from the intervention more than another. One-third of the study population was black; the rest were white.

Regardless of race, results showed decreased levels of self-reported fatigue among breast cancer survivors, and sustained and improved energy after participation in the intervention program, according to Appling. Black women had slightly higher fatigue scores across all four data collection periods compared to white women, but the difference was not statistically significant.

“In our group of breast cancer survivors, race did not play a role in fatigue improvement,” she said. “Overall, women with the common symptom of persistent fatigue benefited equally from this group-based holistic program.”

Appling believes since fatigue among breast cancer survivors is a common shared experience, regardless of one’s race, the intervention would have a positive impact.

“Breast cancer survivors with fatigue took immediate comfort from knowing that they were not alone in battling this problem,” she said. “Patients need to know that they can take positive steps to help alleviate this symptom.”

# # #

Follow the AACR on Twitter: @AACR #AACR
Follow the AACR on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aacr.org

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special Conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
In Miami, Sept. 30-Oct. 3:
(305) 695-3368

DNA Repair Capacity Identified Those at High Risk for Non-melanoma Skin Cancer

registration@aacr.org () — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Study conducted among Puerto Ricans.

• DNA repair capacity assessment may predict skin cancer risk even at an early age.
• Non-melanoma skin cancer risk could be lowered by increasing DNA repair capacity.

MIAMI — DNA repair capacity (DRC) measurements effectively identified individuals who were at high risk for non-melanoma skin cancer, and may be a useful method to evaluate the efficacy of preventive therapies, according to study results presented at the Third AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities.

“Our study showed that persons with low DRC have three times greater likelihood of having non-melanoma skin cancer as compared to those with high DRC,” said Manuel Bayona, M.D., Ph.D., professor of the Public Health Program at the Ponce School of Medicine, Puerto Rico.

DRC is a complex cellular mechanism involving more than 200 proteins that is used to repair damage to DNA within cells. Bayona explained that DNA damage can be caused by exposure to solar ultraviolet light and other types of radiation, dietary factors and aging. DRC has been linked to several types of cancer development.

The researchers conducted a case-controlled study among participants in Puerto Rico to determine whether a reduced DRC was a risk factor for non-melanoma skin cancer.

After comparing DRC levels in 477 newly-diagnosed, non-melanoma skin cancer cases and 365 controls without cancer, they found that low DRC levels were strongly associated with non-melanoma skin cancer.

Bayona and colleagues also studied key risk factors and their possible association with DRC as predictors for non-melanoma skin cancer:

• demographics (age, gender) and family history of non-melanoma skin cancer;
• skin, hair and eye color, and presence of freckles;
• occupational and recreational sun exposure;
• sunscreen use;
• cigarette smoking;
• vitamins, aspirin and calcium intake;
• DRC levels; and,
• dermatological information and other variables that could provide an estimate of non-melanoma skin cancer risk.

These findings in Puerto Rico are consistent with previous studies conducted elsewhere, according to the researchers. Additionally, participants who did not use sunblock, did not take aspirin and/or did not take multivitamin supplements regularly had increased odds of non-melanoma skin cancer.

“Doctors could use DRC levels to monitor how non-melanoma skin cancer risk decreases in individuals taking cancer preventive therapies,” he said.

# # #

Follow the AACR on Twitter: @AACR #AACR
Follow the AACR on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aacr.org

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
In Miami, Sept. 30-Oct. 3:
(305) 695-3368

Dual-capture CTC Chip Efficiently Captures Breast Cancer Cells

registration@aacr.org () — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• The On-Q-ity C5 chip enables more accurate clinical decision making.

• Chip provides better, more accurate prognosis, diagnosis and treatment prediction.

DENVER — Researchers have identified a novel, dual-platform technology, the On-Q-ity Circulating Cancer Capture and Characterization Chip (C5), which they believe is more efficient than the commonly used single-platform device in identifying circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in breast cancer.

Analyzing CTCs in blood can identify cancer cells and cancer cell mutations to provide physicians with methods for improved cancer diagnosis, prognosis and treatment.

In order to efficiently capture CTCs, two capture mechanisms were used to trap CTCs by antibody affinity and size. Gary Palmer, M.D., chief medical officer of On-Q-ity, Inc., Waltham, Mass., and colleagues assessed whether capturing CTCs by using both technologies at the same time was more beneficial and captured a greater number of CTCs than either technology alone.

These laboratory results were presented at the Fourth AACR International Conference on Molecular Diagnostics in Cancer Therapeutic Development, held here.

“It made sense that using both capture methods would be more efficient than either alone. Some CTCs are smaller and often avoid size capture,” Palmer said. “Other CTCs have less antigen expression and can also avoid antibody affinity capture. Our dual capture platform provides a better system to ensure that fewer CTCs will be lost.”

Using a human breast cancer cell model, the researchers found the On-Q-ity C5 captured a greater number of CTCs; 65 percent of the cells were captured compared to 45 percent of captured cells with the size-based method and 16 percent with antibody affinity.

“Capturing a greater number of CTCs using both mechanisms will hopefully provide better information to help health care providers offer an easier, faster and more accurate diagnosis, treatment prediction and prognosis to their patients,” Palmer said.

On-Q-ity researchers are currently conducting additional studies to confirm the usefulness of capturing these CTCs in the clinic, and are learning how to make the processing more sensitive and easier to use. They are also evaluating this platform’s use in late-stage breast cancer and colon, prostate and lung cancers.

###

Follow the AACR on Twitter: @AACR #AACR
Follow the AACR on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aacr.org

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
In Denver, Sept. 27-30:
(303) 352-2464

MicroRNA Panel Provides a More Precise Lung Cancer Diagnosis

registration@aacr.org () — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Assay allows classification into four distinct subtypes.
• Subtype analysis may enable more effective therapeutic assignment.
• Test works on preoperative fine needle aspirates and biopsies.

DENVER — A test based on a panel of microRNAs under development by Rosetta Genomics, Ltd., in Rehovot, Israel, may allow for more precise diagnosis and better targeted therapy for patients with lung cancer.

Tina B. Edmonston, M.D., director of the clinical laboratory at Rosetta Genomics, Inc., presented data on the assay at the Fourth AACR International Conference on Molecular Diagnostics in Cancer Therapeutic Development, held here.

Lung cancers are traditionally divided into two main groups, either neuroendocrine or non-small cell lung cancer. In 20 to 30 percent of the cases it is difficult to make a definitive diagnosis of the tumor subtype using fine needle biopsy.

“Subclassification has become very important in the determination of patient management,” said Edmonston. “This subclassification leads to treatment decisions, so it is very important to make the diagnosis accurately.”

Using their proprietary assay, which is still under development, Edmonston and colleagues were able to further subclassify non-small cell lung cancer into squamous and non-squamous, and neuroendocrine into small cell lung cancer and carcinoid with a high level of sensitivity and specificity.

Edmonston said this assay would result in better treatment decisions because not all subtypes of lung cancer will respond to certain drugs and some may even pose unique risks

# # #

Follow the AACR on Twitter: @AACR #AACR
Follow the AACR on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aacr.org

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special Conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
In Denver, Sept. 27-30:
(303) 352-2464

Novel Test Following Prostate Surgery Could Detect Cancer Recurrence Earlier

registration@aacr.org () — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Earlier PSA detection could affirm that cancer is “cured” or needs earlier treatment.

• Test is 1,000 to 10,000 times more sensitive than leading PSA tests.
• Able to measure PSA in all blood samples previously categorized as “below detection levels.”

DENVER — A new test could reliably detect early increases in prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels — a biomarker commonly used to measure the recurrence of prostate cancer — in men who have undergone prostate cancer-treating surgery. Earlier detection of these rising levels would allow men with cancer recurrence to undergo earlier, more effective treatment for potentially better outcomes.

Data measuring the efficacy of this new test were presented at the Fourth AACR International Conference on Molecular Diagnostics in Cancer Therapeutic Development.

“AccuPSA is a simple blood test that can tell a physician important information about prostate specific antigen levels after radical prostatectomy,” said David Wilson, Ph.D., senior director of product development at Quanterix Corporation, the manufacturer of the test. “AccuPSA has the potential to eliminate unnecessary treatments and enable earlier detection of recurrence, which may lead to earlier treatment, better outcomes and have a positive impact on health care costs.”

After undergoing radical prostatectomy, many men remain at a significant risk for cancer recurrence. Because of this, patients are monitored very closely for rapid increases in PSA, which may signal cancer recurrence.

Standard PSA tests are primarily used to screen asymptomatic men for prostate cancer. However, once the prostate is surgically removed, PSA levels are usually undetectable using standard tests, according to Wilson. AccuPSA, which uses Quanterix’s proprietary Single Molecule Array (SiMoA™) technology, is able to detect PSA with unprecedented sensitivity, and at much lower levels than standard PSA tests because it can selectively capture and measure individual PSA molecules.

To determine the accuracy of the novel blood test, PSA levels were measured in blood taken from 60 men who had undergone radical prostatectomy. These specimens had all been categorized as being below the detection limit of standard PSA tests. However, using AccuPSA, researchers were able to measure PSA in all of the samples.

“After radical prostatectomy, many important questions remain for the physician and the patient,” Wilson said. “AccuPSA is designed to help the physician and patients to become better informed by measuring PSA after radical prostatectomy and establishing if the cancer is gone or has metastasized or recurred.”

The next step in this research is to conduct a large retrospective clinical study to formally establish the utility of this test.

“We hope to be able to establish with our clinical study that nadir values — the lowest value of PSA that occurs post-surgery — are predictive of prostate cancer recurrence,” he said. “What this might mean for a post-radical prostatectomy patient is that a nadir PSA level below an established threshold could indicate if the patient is effectively considered ‘cured.’”

# # #

Follow the AACR on Twitter: @AACR #AACR
Follow the AACR on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aacr.org

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
In Denver, Sept. 27-30:
(303) 352-2464

Screening Tool Can Detect Colorectal Cancer from a Small Blood Sample

registration@aacr.org () — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Robust profiling of miRNAs from plasma is feasible using LNA™-enhanced technology.

• miRNA profiles in plasma can detect early-stage colorectal cancer.
• Plasma miRNA is a promising new biomarker for diseases, including cancer.

DENVER — A new microRNA (miRNA) screening assay detected the majority of early-stage colorectal cancers with good specificity and sensitivity.

“Our test has the potential to be safe, cheap, robust, accurate and of little or no inconvenience to the individual, and could, therefore, easily be integrated into national screening programs as part of an annual checkup,” said Søren Jensby Nielsen, Ph.D., scientific manager, Diagnostic Product Development, Exiqon A/S.

Nielsen presented the results at the Fourth AACR International Conference on Molecular Diagnostics in Cancer Therapeutic Development, held here.

“We envision that this type of miRNA profile, once developed and marketed as a screening kit, can be used to screen entire populations in order to facilitate a focused selection of individuals who should undergo colonoscopy,” Nielsen said.

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the western world. If diagnosed early, the disease can usually be cured with surgery; however, the prognosis for late-stage cancer is grim. Although several early-detection screening methods are available, “current estimates suggest that less than half of Americans over the age of 50 receive adequate colorectal cancer screening,” Nielsen said.

Nielsen’s team developed a state of the art screening method based on the miRCURY LNA™ Universal RT microRNA PCR. With it, they profiled blood plasma samples collected from patients with early, resectable (Stage II) colorectal cancer and sex- and age-matched healthy volunteers.

The findings suggested that it is possible to distinguish early-stage colorectal cancer from healthy subjects with good sensitivity and specificity from a single plasma sample — less than 1 mL of blood. Nielsen and colleagues are starting a large, prospective clinical trial in symptomatic individuals undergoing colonoscopy to prospectively validate their screening test.

Although Nielsen’s team focused on colorectal cancer screening, their results indicated the technology has broader applicability. They have used the technology in a project to detect early stage colorectal cancer patients who are likely to experience disease recurrence and, therefore, are candidates for more aggressive adjuvant chemotherapy.

# # #

Follow the AACR on Twitter: @AACR #AACR
Follow the AACR on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aacr.org

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
In Denver, Sept. 27-30:
(303) 352-2464

AACR to Host Cancer Health Disparities Meeting in Miami

registration@aacr.org () — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Research to Focus on Better Communication with Minority Populations

Listen to the teleconference:

Download* the mp3 of the audio (10.3 MB, 45:23 minutes)

MIAMI — The American Association for Cancer Research hosted its Third Conference on The Science of Cancer Health Disparities at the Loews Hotel in Miami from Sept. 30 to Oct. 3, 2010.

“We have so much data about the existence of health disparities that the onus is on us to do something about it,” said Olveen Carrasquillo, M.D., M.P.H., chief of the division of general medicine at the University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine in Florida.

Carrasquillo hosted a press conference on Friday, Oct. 1, 2010, at 6:00 p.m. ET, in the Cowrie 2 Room of the hotel. The theme of the press conference is “Improving Communication with Minority Patients.”

Additionally, the AACR Communications Department will interview cancer researchers who are presenting at the conference. The video interviews and a recording of the teleconference will be posted to www.aacr.org/page22626.aspx.

The American Association for Cancer Research Communications Department has identified additional research as newsworthy and will be posting press releases about these abstracts to Public & Media section of the website.

# # #

Download interviews with cancer researchers and recordings of teleconferences by subscribing to the AACR Scientific Podcasts via iTunes (www.aacr.org/itunes) or an RSS Reader (www.aacr.org/rss). Follow the AACR on Twitter: @AACR #AACR Follow the AACR on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aacr.org

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special Conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
In Miami, Sept. 30 - Oct. 3:
(305) 695-3368

c-Met May Be a Biomarker for Metastatic Hepatocellular Carcinoma

registration@aacr.org () — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• c-Met activation linked with poor prognosis.
• c-Met was highly overexpressed in metastatic liver cancer cells.

DENVER — Targeting c-Met may be a promising personalized treatment method for approximately 45 percent of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who have c-Met-positive tumors, according to study results presented at the Fourth AACR International Conference on Molecular Diagnostics in Cancer Therapeutic Development.

HCC is the most common primary malignant tumor of the liver; c-Met is a receptor for hepatocyte growth factor that appears to drive liver cancer growth, invasion and metastasis.

“Current therapies for HCC patients are ‘one size fits all.’ We propose that molecular profiling will enable better therapy for HCC patients with a c-Met positive tumor,” said Hanning You, M.D., Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow working in the laboratory of C. Bart Rountree, M.D., in the departments of pediatrics and pharmacology, at the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pa.

Using a preclinical translational study to validate c-Met as a target for HCC, You and colleagues found c-Met was highly overexpressed in metastatic liver cancer cells.

“By targeting c-Met we were able to suppress tumor growth in vivo and kill these metastatic liver cancer cells,” said You.

Since c-Met inhibitor stopped proliferation and tumor growth of metastatic HCC cells, the researchers concluded that c-Met might be a potential personalized target of metastatic HCC. In addition, they found that results of a separate meta-analysis of six studies and 1,051 patients showed that c-Met activation is associated with poor prognosis in HCC.

# # #

Follow the AACR on Twitter: @AACR #AACR
Follow the AACR on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aacr.org

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
In Denver, Sept. 27-30:
(303) 352-2464

African-Americans Equally Likely to Benefit from Erlotinib and Other Targeted Lung Cancer Therapy

registration@aacr.org () — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Large study shows equal prevalence of EGFR mutations.

• EGFR mutations among African-Americans more likely to be found on exon 19, rather than exon 21.
• Patients with EGFR mutations are more likely to respond to erlotinib.

DENVER — African-American patients with non-small cell lung cancer are just as likely to display an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation in tumors as Caucasians, which suggests they are as likely to benefit from targeted therapies such as erlotinib.

“This study has immediate implications for patient management. Patients with EGFR mutations have a much better prognosis and respond better to erlotinib than those who do not,” said Ramsi Haddad, Ph.D., director of the Laboratory of Translational Oncogenomics at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, and assistant professor at Wayne State University School of Medicine.

Haddad’s study, which he presented at the Fourth AACR International Conference on Molecular Diagnostics in Cancer Therapeutic Development, also showed that African-Americans were more likely to have mutations on exon 19, rather than exon 21, which suggests they would be even more responsive to erlotinib.

Erlotinib, currently marketed as Tarceva by Genentech, has shown remarkable benefits in non-small cell lung cancer patients with EGFR mutations. Other therapies are in development and the genetic testing is clinically available.

Previous studies had suggested that African-Americans had lower rates of EGFR mutation, which researchers had offered as a possible explanation for their generally poorer prognosis.

However, Haddad’s study was larger than previous reports. His research team observed 149 patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), including 80 Caucasians and 69 African-Americans.

Using state-of-the-art technology that allowed for simultaneous detection of hundreds of oncogene mutations in clinical samples, they identified EGFR mutations in 20 of these patients, including 12 Caucasians and eight African-Americans. The difference was not statistically significant.

Moreover, 100 percent of the EGFR mutations in African-Americans were in exon 19, compared with only two-thirds of the mutations found in Caucasian patients.

“It is well-documented that the incidence of lung cancer is higher among African-Americans, particularly men, and that their survival is generally poorer compared to their white counterparts,” said Haddad. “Our data suggest that African-Americans with NSCLC harbor mutations in EGFR at rates similar to whites. Thus, African ancestry should not be a factor when deciding whether to test a tumor for these mutations, as doing so could widen the disparity seen in survival. Physicians treating these patients may want to consider this new information in their treatment decisions.

# # #

Follow the AACR on Twitter: @AACR #AACR
Follow the AACR on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aacr.org

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
In Denver, Sept. 27-30:
(303) 352-2464

Method to Detect Bladder Cancer Earlier is Under Development

registration@aacr.org () — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Scientists are using a microRNA panel to determine presence of disease.

• Bladder cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer in men.
• Most bladder cancer is detected in later stages.

DENVER — Scientists may have discovered a way to diagnose bladder cancer at its earliest and, therefore, most treatable stages by measuring the presence or absence of microRNA using already available laboratory tests.

“Measuring expressions of microRNA in bodily fluid represents a very promising tool with widespread implications for screening,” said Liana Adam, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor in urology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Adam presented her findings at the Fourth AACR International Conference on Molecular Diagnostics in Cancer Therapeutic Development.

Bladder cancer is the fourth most common solid malignancy in men and the fifth most common overall, with an estimated 70,000 new cases and more than 14,000 deaths expected this year alone in the United States. Unfortunately, the majority of patients are asymptomatic.

Scientists are working with microRNAs, the non-coding part of DNA, because they are often tissue specific, stable and their presence or absence can be linked to known clinical parameters.

In this case, Adam and colleagues identified 79 separate microRNAs that had been previously shown to be dysregulated in the blood of individuals with bladder cancer. They took blood samples from 20 individuals with preoperative bladder cancer and 18 in a control group.

Using a collection of standard statistical models, they determined that measurement of these microRNAs was as accurate as the current gold standard of testing.

“This needs further validation, but we could reasonably use this method for widespread screening of bladder cancer,” said Adam.

# # #

Follow the AACR on Twitter: @AACR #AACR
Follow the AACR on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aacr.org

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
In Denver, Sept. 27-30:
(303) 352-2464

AACR Congratulates Member Napoleone Ferrara, M.D., on Receiving the Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award

registration@aacr.org () — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 12:00:00 GMT

PHILADELPHIA — The American Association for Cancer Research congratulates its member Napoleone Ferrara, M.D., on receiving the 2010 Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award. Ferrara, a member of the AACR since 2000, received this prestigious award for the discovery of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) as a major mediator of angiogenesis and the development of an effective anti-VEGF therapy for wet macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness in the elderly.

“Dr. Ferrara’s discovery of VEGF has wide-ranging applications,” said AACR Chief Executive Officer Margaret Foti, Ph.D., M.D. (h.c.). “It led to a novel treatment for macular degeneration as well as the development of bevacizumab, which provides new treatment options for cancer patients. Dr. Ferrara’s work illustrates the vast utilizations of scientific research, and we applaud his selection for the Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award.”

Ferrara and colleagues at Genentech, Inc., reported the isolation and cloning of VEGF. Ferrara leveraged that knowledge to develop anti-VEGF antibody fragment, Lucentis® (ranibizumab injection) as a potential therapy for wet age-related macular degeneration. In 2006, Lucentis was approved for the treatment of neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

He was also instrumental in the development of bevacizumab (Avastin), the first antibody directed at VEGF, which suppresses angiogenesis and tumor growth. In 2004, the FDA approved bevacizumab for the treatment of advanced lung, colon and breast cancers in combination with chemotherapy. For his work on the mechanisms of tumor angiogenesis, Ferrara was awarded the 2009 Pezcoller Foundation-AACR International Award for Cancer Research and in 2005 he received the 24th AACR Bruce F. Cain Memorial Award.

Ferrara received his medical degree from the University of Catania Medical School, Catania, Italy, in 1981. He completed a research fellowship at the Endocrinology Center and another at the Cancer Center of the University of California, San Francisco. In addition to the above-mentioned, he has received many other awards including the Macula Society Arnall Patz Award; the ASCO Science of Oncology Award; the General Motors Cancer Research Award; the Passano Award; the Lefoulon-Delalande-Institut-de-France Prize; and the American-Italian Cancer Foundation Prize. In 2006, Ferrara was elected as a member of the National Academy of Sciences. Ferrara holds more than 40 patents for his seminal contributions to cancer and other biomedical research.

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special Conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Michele Leiberman
(267) 646-0622
michele.leiberman@aacr.org

Biomarker Panel Identifies Prostate Cancer with 90 Percent Accuracy

registration@aacr.org () — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Panels of up to 15 biomarkers identify patients with cancer with high accuracy.
• Performance is considerably better than current clinical tests.
• Test could flag cancer years before symptoms begin.

DENVER — Researchers in England say they have discovered a set of biomarkers that can distinguish prostate cancer from benign prostate disease and healthy tissue with 90 percent accuracy. This preliminary data, if validated in larger ongoing studies, could be developed into a serum protein test that reduces the number of unnecessary biopsies and identifies men who need treatment before symptoms begin.

The researchers, from Oxford Gene Technology (OGT) and its subsidiary, Sense Proteomic, Ltd., presented their findings at the Fourth AACR International Conference on Molecular Diagnostics in Cancer Therapeutic Development.

“This pilot study shows the potential for a new diagnostic test for prostate cancer. The measure of clinical specificity — the measure of false positives — is much improved in this study compared to that seen with the current prostate specific antigen and digital rectal examination test procedures used in diagnosis of prostate cancer,” said John Anson, Ph.D., vice president of biomarker discovery at OGT.

Prostate cancer caused an estimated 258,000 deaths worldwide in 2008, and is the second most common cause of cancer deaths in males in the United States with approximately 32,000 deaths estimated for 2010. The most effective screening tests now available are based on a single biomarker, prostate specific antigen (PSA). PSA, however, is known to have a specificity of less than 50 percent, which generates high false positive rates, resulting in many unnecessary surgical and radiotherapy procedures, Anson said.

The researchers developed a “functional protein” microarray to detect autoantibodies in prostate cancer serum samples. By identifying the antigens to which these autoantibodies are raised, these autoantibodies can be used as biomarkers of disease.

Although more commonly linked to autoimmune diseases, the immune system also produces autoantibodies in response to other diseases, including cancer, due to pathological changes that occur during the course of the disease.

“The appearance of autoantibodies may precede disease symptoms by many years,” Anson said. “This means that autoantibody-based diagnostic tests can enable presymptomatic and early diagnosis of disease. Early diagnosis of cancer, especially aggressive forms, could significantly increase cure rates.”

The researchers developed a microarray of 925 proteins, and then used blood samples to test arrays. They compared the results from 73 samples from patients diagnosed with prostate cancer to 60 samples from a control group of cancer-free individuals to find proteins on the arrays that were bound by autoantibodies present in the blood samples.

Panels of up to 15 biomarkers were identified that distinguished prostate cancer from both benign prostate disease and healthy tissue. The researchers are now testing the biomarker panel in 1,700 samples drawn from prostate cancer patients, cancer-free controls, and patients with other cancers or with other prostate diseases. Identifying prostate cancer from other prostate disease will be the real test of the biomarker panel, according to Anson.

“The latter can present similar symptoms to prostate cancer and can, in many cases, raise PSA levels and trigger a biopsy. OGT expects its biomarker panel to discriminate between prostate cancer and these ‘interfering’ diseases,” said Anson.

In addition to prostate cancer, OGT’s “functional protein” microarray can be applied to discover biomarker panels and ultimately develop better diagnostic tests for other cancers and autoimmune diseases. Early results in systemic lupus erythematosus and non-small cell lung cancer are encouraging.

# # #

Follow the AACR on Twitter: @AACR #AACR
Follow the AACR on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aacr.org

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special Conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
In Denver, Sept. 27-30:
(303) 352-2464

Triple-negative Breast Cancers May Have Unique Therapeutic Target

registration@aacr.org () — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Some patients with triple-negative breast cancer overexpressed IGF-1R.
• Expression of IGF-1R is associated with longer survival.
• Data provides potential target for new drugs.

DENVER — Patients with triple-negative breast cancer, one of the hardest subtypes to treat, may have a unique biomarker that would enable them to receive more targeted therapy, according to data presented at the Fourth AACR International Conference on Molecular Diagnostics in Cancer Therapeutic Development.

Triple-negative breast cancers are breast cancers that have tested negative for estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors and HER2. Because of this biology, these cancers do not respond to endocrine therapies or trastuzumab.

“In other subsets of breast cancer, you can use these drugs with some success. However, triple-negative breast cancers currently lack therapeutic targets and are managed with conventional chemotherapy,” said Agnieszka K. Witkiewicz, M.D., an associate professor of pathology at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia.

Witkiewicz examined 97 patients with triple-negative breast cancer, of whom 73 were white and 24 were African-American. Insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R) protein expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry and IGF-1R gene copy number was assessed by chromogenic in situ hybridization.

They found that IGF-1R was overexpressed in 25 percent of the cases. The IGF-1R protein overexpression correlated with gene amplification.

Moreover, low expression of the receptor was associated with greater risk of lymph node metastasis and high expression showed borderline association with lower tumor size. Among patients younger than 55 years, IGF-1R overexpression was associated with longer survival.

Since IGF-1R blockade has been a successful therapeutic approach in sarcomas, Witkiewicz suggested that there may be potential to target this receptor in this breast cancer subtype as well.

“For now, we know that it is there and we know it is a marker of better prognosis,” said Witkiewicz. “The next step is to learn if triple-negative breast cancer patients benefit from targeting IGF-1R.

# # #

Follow the AACR on Twitter: @AACR #AACR
Follow the AACR on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aacr.org

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
In Denver, Sept. 27-30:
(303) 352-2464

New Biomarkers Discovered for Pancreatic Cancer and Mesothelioma

registration@aacr.org () — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Novel biomarkers will enable early detection of aggressive cancers.

• Results verify initial discoveries; validation studies underway.
• Discoveries result from breakthrough aptamer-based proteomic array technology.

DENVER — Using a novel aptamer-based proteomics array technology, researchers and collaborators have identified biomarkers and protein signatures that are hallmarks of cancer at an early stage for two of the most aggressive and deadly forms of cancer — pancreatic and mesothelioma.

This technology would enable better clinical diagnosis at an earlier stage and may provide insight into new therapeutic targets, said Rachel Ostroff, Ph.D., clinical research director of Somalogic Inc.

“Currently these cancers are detected at an advanced stage, where the possibility of cure is minimal,” said Ostroff. “Detection of these aggressive cancers at an earlier stage would identify patients for early treatment, which may improve their survival and quality of life.”

Ostroff presented results of this ongoing study at the Fourth AACR International Conference on Molecular Diagnostics in Cancer Therapeutic Development.

Discovered about 20 years ago, aptamers are nucleic acid molecules that bind to specific proteins. SomaLogic has developed the next generation of aptamers, SOMAmers (Slow Off-rate Modified Aptamers), which have superior affinity and specificity. SOMAmers enable a highly multiplexed proteomic platform used for simultaneous identification and quantification of target proteins in complex biological samples.

The goal of this study was to determine if this proteomics technology could identify blood-based biomarkers for pancreatic cancer or mesothelioma in people diagnosed, but not yet treated, for cancer.

Participants in the control group had symptoms that resembled these cancers, but were benign (i.e. pancreatitis or lung fibrosis).

Ostroff and colleagues tested blood from participants to discover the biomarkers specific to those with cancer, which would then be used to identify these diseases at an early stage, where the potential for effective treatment is much higher than in disease that has progressed.

For both forms of cancer, the researchers discovered biomarkers and developed a signature with high accuracy for detection of each form of cancer. Equally important, they found high specificity, meaning few people without disease will be incorrectly diagnosed and thus avoid unnecessary tests or treatments.

“Validation studies are underway, which we hope will lead to the development of diagnostic tests that hold clinical benefits for patients,” Ostroff said.

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States. Mesothelioma is an asbestos-related pulmonary cancer that causes an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 deaths per year worldwide.

# # #

Follow the AACR on Twitter: @AACR #AACR
Follow the AACR on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aacr.org

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
In Denver, Sept. 27-30:
(303) 352-2464

Circulating Tumor Cells Can Provide 'Real-time' Information on Patient's Current Disease State

registration@aacr.org () — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Similar CTC capture efficiency observed in CellSearch and biochip platforms.

• Biomarker status in CTCs is reflective of status in tumor tissue.
• Evidence of using CTCs as "tissue source" in predictive diagnostics.

DENVER — Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) may be a promising alternative, noninvasive source of tumor materials for biomarker assessment, according to data presented at the Fourth AACR International Conference on Molecular Diagnostics in Cancer Therapeutic Development.

"The basic idea is that CTCs can provide real-time information about a patient's current disease state, acting as a 'liquid biopsy,'" said Siminder Kaur Atwal, Ph.D., senior research associate at Genentech. "They are much less invasive than tumor biopsies because they can be detected from a blood draw and don't require surgical intervention."

For this study, Atwal and colleagues compared the CTC capture efficiency of the Food and Drug Administration-approved CellSearch platform with two biochip platforms, using tumor cell lines spiked into whole blood. They tried to detect epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) protein expression in CTCs from patients with lung cancer and HER2 expression or amplification in CTCs in patients with metastatic breast cancer.

Under the tested conditions, CellSearch and the newer biochip platforms offered similar efficiency. Further, capture efficiency was dependent on EpCAM (epithelial cell adhesion molecule) expression.

"This may be a limitation in capturing CTCs from certain tumor types, notably triple-negative breast cancers," Atwal said.

Captured CTCs were amenable to biomarker analyses such as HER2 status, qRT-PCR for breast cancer subtype markers, KRAS mutation detection and EGFR staining by immunofluorescence, the researchers found. In patients with HER2-positive breast cancer, HER2 status in CTCs and tumor tissue generally correlated; however, in one patient subset, HER2 status changed from the primary tumor at diagnosis. This finding indicates that in some cases, CTCs may offer a real-time view of a patient's biomarker status that is different from diagnostic tissue, Atwal said.

Some improvements are necessary in CTC detection and capture before the technology can be generally useful in clinical biomarker analysis, Atwal said. Future studies will focus on evaluating different detection and capture methods with a particular emphasis on tumor types with a low EpCAM expression. In addition, future research will look for other biomarkers in CTCs to determine if they represent a patient's tumor, she said.

# # #

Follow the AACR on Twitter: @AACR #AACR
Follow the AACR on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aacr.org

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world's oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special Conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
In Denver, Sept. 27-30:
(303) 352-2464

Novel Biomarker May Predict Response to New VEGF Receptor Inhibitor

registration@aacr.org () — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Tivozanib being tested in multiple tumor types.
• Research includes Phase III trial in kidney cancer.

DENVER — Researchers believe there may be a way to predict, based on individual tumors, those patients who are more likely to respond to the investigational new drug tivozanib.

This is possible, the researchers from AVEO Pharmaceuticals, Inc. said, because they have used a new way of creating animal tumor models that mimic tumor variation seen in humans. Based on the results of these studies, they have found a single biomarker that may predict resistance to tivozanib, an oral, triple-VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) receptor inhibitor.

Tivozanib is in an ongoing Phase III registration trial in kidney cancer, which recently completed enrollment of 500 patients ahead of schedule, and is in multiple early trials in patients with breast, colon and lung cancer.

In a study being presented at the Fourth AACR International Conference on Molecular Diagnostics in Cancer Therapeutic Development, the researchers said that the biomarker reflects the presence of certain white blood cells inside a tumor.

“Predictive biomarkers that can be used to assess activity of treatments are what we are all striving for in cancer therapy today,” said Murray Robinson, Ph.D., senior vice president, translational medicine, at AVEO Pharmaceuticals, Inc., in Cambridge, Mass. “We want to know in advance which patients are most likely to respond to an anticancer therapy, and in this way, spare patients who cannot respond from ineffective therapy.”

In its ongoing trials, the company is collecting biomarker data in order to correlate the presence of the biomarker with clinical activity. “This is a necessary step that we must do to validate the predictive value of the biomarker,” Robinson said.

To date, the researchers have evaluated 600 human tumor samples across eight different tumor types.

“We saw the biomarker in subsets of all the human tumor types we looked at. Based on these findings, we believe that the biomarker discovered in our animal models may be replicated in human tumors, and may be an important discovery relevant to patient care,” said Robinson.

At the AACR conference, Robinson showed that the same biomarker identified in AVEO’s breast tumor model was associated with clinical activity in a set of kidney tumor patients from a previous Phase II kidney cancer trial. This biomarker is associated with white blood immune cells that are recruited into the tumor to produce angiogenic growth factors.

“This produces an intrinsic resistance to tivozanib, which is an anti-angiogenesis agent,” Robinson said.

The researchers inserted specific oncogenes and other engineered genes altered in numerous cancer types into the tissue of animals and then studied the variety of tumors that were produced. For example, genetically altering the HER2 gene resulted in tumors that naturally expressed different pathways for growth, Robinson said.

“That mimics what happens in women with HER2-positive breast cancer because across patients, there is a significant variation in these HER2 tumors that dramatically alters their response to treatment,” he said.

After molecularly characterizing each tumor, they tested what happened when the cancer was treated.

“Because we have the molecular character of the tumor, we can associate biology with response. We have an ongoing effort to discover and develop predictive biomarkers that will aid our clinical development strategies and, we believe, maximize the benefit for specific patient populations,” Robinson said.

In this way the researchers isolated tumors that do not respond to tivozanib, and from this they were able to identify the resistant biological phenotype. Further study revealed a correlation between the biomarkers and tivozanib clinical activity.

# # #

Follow the AACR on Twitter: @AACR #AACR
Follow the AACR on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aacr.org

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
In Denver, Sept. 27-30:
(303) 352-2464

Nominations Open for 2011 Scientific Achievement Awards

registration@aacr.org () — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 12:00:00 GMT

PHILADELPHIA — The American Association for Cancer Research is currently accepting nominations for the following awards, which will be presented at the AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011 in Orlando, Fla., from April 2 to 6. The nomination deadline for the awards below is Oct. 15, 2010.

2011 AACR Joseph H. Burchenal Memorial Award
This award was established in 1996 to recognize outstanding achievements in clinical cancer research. It is named for the late Joseph H. Burchenal, M.D., honorary member and past president of the AACR, and a major figure in clinical cancer research and chemotherapy. The recipient of the 16th Annual AACR Joseph H. Burchenal Memorial Award for Outstanding Achievement in Clinical Cancer Research will give a 50-minute lecture during the AACR Annual Meeting 2011, receive an honorarium of $10,000, and receive support for the recipient and a guest to attend the Annual Meeting.

2011 AACR G.H.A. Clowes Memorial Award
The AACR and Eli Lilly and Company established this award in 1961 to honor G.H.A. Clowes, Ph.D., who was a founding member of the AACR and a research director of Eli Lilly. The Clowes Memorial Award recognizes an individual with outstanding recent accomplishments in basic cancer research. The recipient of the 51st Annual AACR G.H.A. Clowes Memorial Award will receive a $10,000 honorarium, give a 50-minute lecture during the AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011, and will be given support for the recipient and a guest to attend the Annual Meeting. The recipient will also speak at the Eli Lilly and Company headquarters in Indianapolis, Ind., at the invitation of the company later in 2011.

2011 AACR Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cancer Research
Through the generous contribution of an anonymous donor, the AACR established this award in 1979 to recognize a young investigator on the basis of meritorious achievement in cancer research. In accordance with the wishes of the donor, the recipient must be no more than 40 years of age by the time the award is received. The recipient of the 31st Annual AACR Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cancer Research will receive an honorarium of $5,000, present a 50-minute lecture, and receive full support for the recipient and a guest to attend the AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011.

2011 AACR Richard and Hinda Rosenthal Memorial Award
The AACR and the Rosenthal Family Foundation established this award in 1977 to recognize research that has made, or promises to soon make, a notable contribution to improved clinical care in the field of cancer. In its desire to honor and provide incentive to investigators relatively early in their careers, the Foundation has stipulated that recipients not be more than 50 years of age at the time the award is received. The recipient of the 35th Annual AACR Richard and Hinda Rosenthal Memorial Award will receive an honorarium of $10,000, give a 50-minute lecture during the AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011, and receive support for the recipient and a guest to attend the Annual Meeting.

2011 AACR Outstanding Achievement in Chemistry in Cancer Research
The AACR and its Chemistry in Cancer Research Working Group established this award in 2007 to recognize the importance of chemistry to the advancements in cancer research. The award is given for outstanding, novel and significant chemistry research, which has led to important contributions to the fields of basic cancer research; translational cancer research; cancer diagnosis; the prevention of cancer; or the treatment of patients with cancer. Such research may include, but is not limited to, drug discovery and design; structural biology; proteomics, metabolomics and biological mass spectrometry; chemical aspects of carcinogenesis; imaging agents and radiotherapeutics; and chemical biology. The recipient of the Fifth Annual AACR Award for Outstanding Achievement in Chemistry in Cancer Research will give a 50-minute lecture during the AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011, will receive a commemorative plaque and a $10,000 honorarium, and receive support for the recipient and a guest to attend the Annual Meeting.

2011 AACR-Minorities in Cancer Research Jane Cooke Wright Lectureship
The AACR-Minorities in Cancer Research Jane Cooke Wright Lectureship was first presented in 2006. The lectureship is intended to give recognition to an outstanding scientist who has made meritorious contributions to the field of cancer research and who has, through leadership or by example, furthered the advancement of minority investigators in cancer research. The recipient will present the Sixth Annual AACR-Minorities in Cancer Research Jane Cooke Wright Lectureship during the AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011, receive an honorarium and commemorative plaque, and receive support for the recipient and a guest to attend the Annual Meeting.

2011 AACR-Women in Cancer Research Charlotte Friend Memorial Lectureship
The AACR-Women in Cancer Research Charlotte Friend Memorial Lectureship was established in 1998 in honor of renowned virologist and discoverer of the Friend virus, Charlotte Friend, Ph.D., for her pioneering research on viruses, cell differentiation and cancer. The lecture is intended to give recognition to an outstanding female or male scientist who has made meritorious contributions to the field of cancer research and who has, through leadership or by example, furthered the advancement of women in science. The recipient of this 14th annual lectureship will present a 50-minute lecture during the AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011, receive an honorarium and commemorative plaque, and receive support for the recipient and a guest to attend the Annual Meeting.

Nominations for all the awards must be submitted online at https://proposalcentral.altum.com by no later than Oct. 15, 2010, 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

For more information on eligibility criteria, the nomination process and other details about scientific awards, please visit www.aacr.org/ScientificAwards. Additional inquiries should be directed to Monique P. Eversley at monique.eversley@aacr.org.

###

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special Conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Michele Leiberman
(267) 646-0622
michele.leiberman@aacr.org

AACR Applauds Appointment of Ellen V. Sigal, Ph.D., to the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute Board of Governors

registration@aacr.org () — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 12:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The American Association for Cancer Research applauds the appointment of Ellen V. Sigal, Ph.D., chairperson and founder of the Friends of Cancer Research, to the board of governors for the new Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI).

Sigal is an important member of the AACR community. She serves as a trustee of the AACR Foundation for the Prevention and Cure of Cancer, and provides valuable insight and advice as a longstanding member of the AACR Science Policy and Legislative Affairs Committee.

"We are delighted that Ellen Sigal has been appointed to the PCORI board. She has been an unwavering champion for cancer patients," said Margaret Foti, Ph.D., M.D. (h.c.), chief executive officer of the AACR. "Our organizations have a long history of working together and we are grateful to her for her sustained efforts to further cancer research. In particular, her work in regulatory science and policy is undoubtedly saving lives."

The new research institute was created last spring by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to further comparative effectiveness research with the goal of advancing the quality and relevance of evidence needed to assist patients, clinicians, purchasers, and policy-makers in making informed health decisions.

"The science surrounding cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment is rapidly advancing, and we need to ensure that patients receive the most effective treatments possible," said Foti. "We look forward to working closely with the PCORI board as it sets the framework for determining priorities and develops needed research methodologies."

Yesterday, the Government Accountability Office announced the appointment of 19 members to the board, representing diverse stakeholder groups as mandated by law. Sigal is one of three patient and consumer representatives who have been included to ensure that the focus remains on cancer research that will benefit patients. The directors of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the National Institutes of Health are also members of the board. A full list of members can be found here.

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special Conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Rachael Cullins
(202) 898-6499
Rachael.Cullins@aacr.org

Nanotechnology Brings Personalized Therapy One Step Closer to Reality

registration@aacr.org () — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Nanoscale proteomic method identifies potential biomarkers.

• Specific isoforms of signaling proteins associated with clinical response to agents that target cancer pathways.
• Nanoscale profiling can help distinguish malignant and non-malignant cells.

DENVER — A novel technology can make nanoscale protein measurements, which scientists can use in clinical trials to learn how drugs work.

“We are making progress toward the goal of understanding how drugs work in different individuals,” said Alice C. Fan, M.D., instructor in the division of oncology at Stanford University School of Medicine. “Using new technologies makes it possible to measure effects of therapeutic agents in tumor cells and different cell populations within our patients. Now that we can make these measurements, we are one step closer to being able to tailor therapy for each patient.”

This research was presented at the Fourth AACR International Conference on Molecular Diagnostics in Cancer Therapeutic Development.

Currently, research on cancer agent activity requires patients to undergo several invasive biopsies to generate enough cells for testing. Fan and colleagues developed a highly sensitive test called the nano-immunoassay (NIA) that can make nanoscale protein measurements in cells from minimally invasive blood draws or fine-needle aspirates. The researchers used a microfluidic instrument called the Nanopro1000 (Cell Biosciences).

After studying NIA in several clinical trial settings, diagnostic testing results showed that protein profiles in the RAS and MAP kinase pathways could distinguish tumor cells from normal cells. Researchers could use these profiles to group different tumor types.

The researchers analyzed proteins in cells from patients with lymphoma or myelodysplastic syndrome. Two novel treatments for these diseases had a measurable effect on protein activity in tumor cells, Fan said.

Finally, the team used NIA in conjunction with flow cytometry to determine a drug’s differential effects in tumor cells vs. normal cells within each patient.

“These results have immediate application because they can identify which drugs actually hit protein targets in patient cells,” Fan said.

In the long-term, nanoscale approaches may eventually affect all stages of cancer care.

“The ability to make meaningful protein measurements using minute quantities of tissue will allow for earlier discovery of tumors, characterization of small amounts of residual disease and detection of recurrence,” Fan said.

NIA could be particularly useful in studying rare cell populations such as circulating tumor cells and cancer stem cells.

# # #

Follow the AACR on Twitter: @AACR #AACR
Follow the AACR on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aacr.org

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
In Denver, Sept. 27-30:
(303) 352-2464

AACR President-elect Testifies Before President's Cancer Panel

registration@aacr.org () — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 12:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. — AACR President-elect Judy E. Garber, M.D., M.P.H., testified on Sept. 22 before the President's Cancer Panel, "The Future of Cancer Research: Accelerating Scientific Innovation." The panel is exploring progress achieved since the National Cancer Act of 1971, and envisioning the course of cancer research in the coming decades.

In her testimony, Garber discussed the future applications of personalized cancer medicine, and the paradigm shift from classifying cancer based on organ site to examining the disease based on its genetic mutation, in order to identify the most appropriate drugs for each patient. She emphasized the importance of increased funding for groundbreaking basic, translational and clinical cancer research, and investing in the next generation of cancer researchers.

The President's Cancer Panel, established in 1971, monitors the development and execution of the National Cancer Program and submits periodic progress reports. Additionally, the panel annually evaluates the efficacy of the program and makes suggestions for improvements.

Read Dr. Garber's biography (Adobe Acrobat Reader required.)

Listen to Dr. Garber discuss the challenges of cancer research and the goals of her upcoming presidency at the AACR.

###

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowship and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists. CR provides a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:

Michele Leiberman
Phone: 267-646-0622
E-mail: michele.leiberman@aacr.org

The AACR Hosts Molecular Diagnostics Conference

registration@aacr.org () — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Conference focused on the latest in personalized medicine
• New clinical data on diagnostic methods and therapeutics presented
• Press conference held Sept. 28 at 1:00 p.m. MT

DENVER — The American Association for Cancer Research hosted its Fourth AACR International Conference on Molecular Diagnostics in Cancer Therapeutic Development from Sept. 27-30, 2010, at the Sheraton Denver Downtown in Denver, Colo.

Recent advances in genomics, proteomics, molecular imaging and other new technologies are leading to a molecularly based reclassification of cancer. These approaches allow for a more precise understanding of a patient’s tumor and a more personalized, targeted approach to therapy.

“This emerging understanding, together with the enhanced ability to characterize tumors from individual patients, creates many opportunities for improved treatment of malignancy and accelerated development of new therapeutics,” said Program Chairperson Gordon B. Mills, M.D., Ph.D., chair of the department of systems biology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Mills will hosted a press conference on some of the new diagnostic methods under development on Sept. 28, at 1:00 p.m. MT. Listen to a recording of the press conference:

Download* the mp3 of the teleconference (11.9 MB, 52.31 minutes)

*On a PC, right mouse click on the "Download" link and select "Save link as..." in Firefox or "Save Target as..." in Internet Explorer.

# # #

Follow the AACR on Twitter: @AACR #AACR
Follow the AACR on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aacr.org

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special Conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
In Denver, Sept. 27-30:
(303) 352-2464

SU2C Announces More Than $80 Million Pledged So Far in Connection with Sept. 10 Fundraising Special

registration@aacr.org () — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Entertainment Industry, Corporate and Organizational Donors, Philanthropists, Volunteer Teams and the General Public Contributed Funds for Collaborative Cancer Research Done by Dream Teams & Innovative Young Scientists

Stand Up To Cancer Telecast is Available Online at www.su2c.org/2010show.
Donations can be made online at www.su2c.org and at 1-888-90-STAND (78263).
Music content available on iTunes.

LOS ANGELES — Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) today announced that in connection with the Sept. 10, 2010, simultaneous commercial-free telecast, more than $80 million has been pledged so far to accelerate groundbreaking research and bring new treatments to patients as quickly as possible. The telecast is available online at www.su2c.org/2010show. Donations can continue to be made online at www.su2c.org and at 1-888-90-STAND (78263).

SU2C returned to primetime TV on Sept. 10, at 8 p.m. ET & PT / 7 p.m. CT. The one-hour fundraising event, hosted by network news anchors Katie Couric, Diane Sawyer and Brian Williams, was simulcast live and commercial-free on ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, Bio, Current TV, Discovery Health, E!, G4, HBO, HBO Latino, MLB Network, mun2, Showtime, Smithsonian Channel, The Style Network, TV One and VH1.

A pre-show promotion hosted by Cat Deeley (FOX’s So You Think You Can Dance), and an after-hours show were featured on numerous online portals and destination sites, which all also streamed the one-hour special online over the weekend: ABC, ABC News, AOL, Bing, CBS, CBS News, Discovery Health, E! Online, FOX, G4, Huffington Post, Hulu, Livestream, MLB Network, MSN, mun2, NBC, Style Network, TV Guide, TV One, Ustream, VEVO, VH1, Wonderwall.MSN.com, omg.yahoo.com and YouTube.

Nielsen reports that the Sept. 10 SU2C telecast was viewed by an audience of 18.3 million, up 15 percent from the inaugural telecast that took place on Sept. 5, 2008.

“From individuals all over the country who called or went online to contribute; to corporations, organizations, philanthropists and foundations who support this work, to the networks and cable channels who donated airtime, to the celebrities who volunteered to participate – we’re building an incredible grassroots movement. We all feel that cancer has taken too much from us, and are rallying to help the teams of scientists working to end this disease. Particularly in these challenging economic times, the support has been phenomenal, and we are profoundly grateful for it,” said Lisa Paulsen, president and CEO of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), the 501(c)(3) charitable organization for the television and film business that serves as the fiduciary behind SU2C.

SU2C was formally launched on May 27, 2008, to raise funds for groundbreaking translational research to accelerate the delivery of new therapies to patients, getting them from the “bench to the bedside” as quickly as possible. SU2C brings together scientists from different disciplines across various institutions to work collaboratively, rather than competitively, at a critical time in the field of cancer research when collaboration can be synergistic.

Major League Baseball was the founding donor to contribute to SU2C, making an initial $10 million pledge in 2008, and announcing an additional one for $20 million during the Sept. 10 broadcast, bringing the total of the MLB donation to more than $30 million. Via taped message, President Barack Obama thanked MLB Commissioner Allan H. “Bud” Selig and SU2C and noted, “I share your passion for conquering this disease once and for all.” SU2C awarded its first named Innovative Research Grant (IRG) on behalf of Selig and his wife Suzanne.

Other existing major SU2C contributors include Sidney Kimmel, Amgen, Bloomberg Philanthropies, GlaxoSmithKline and Wallis Annenberg & The Annenberg Foundation. Cancer Treatment Centers of America, the Gateway for Cancer Research Foundation and Comcast recently joined that group. ABC2, MasterCard, Virgin America, Brains on Bikes, Milken Family Foundation, Sony Computer Entertainment America and The Island Def Jam Music Group are among SU2C’s many other supporters.

The SU2C founding members include Katie Couric; Laura Ziskin, executive producer of the Sept. 5, 2008, and Sept. 10, 2010, broadcasts, who is a cancer survivor; Sherry Lansing, chairperson of the EIF’s Board of Directors and founder of the Sherry Lansing Foundation; EIF President and CEO Lisa Paulsen; EIF Senior Vice President Kathleen Lobb; Rusty Robertson and Sue Schwartz of the Robertson Schwartz Agency; nonprofit executive Ellen Ziffren; and Noreen Fraser, founder of the Noreen Fraser Foundation (NFF) and a cancer survivor.

The 2010 SU2C special was dedicated to the nearly 13 million U.S. cancer survivors and illustrated how the groundbreaking research funded by SU2C can change the tide in the fight against the disease. In addition to updates provided on the work of the five SU2C Dream Teams, the evening featured performances from legendary recording artists and a live phone bank with more than 80 stars answering calls from viewers.

“In addition to the remarkable array of celebrities, there were many other aspects of the show that were incredible highlights for all of us involved in producing it,” said Ziskin. “So many people from all across the country shared with us how they’ve been affected by cancer,” noted Ziskin. “We were delighted to be able to honor them by featuring so many survivors, telling some of their stories, and forcefully making the point that you can triumph over cancer. Being able to share tangible progress being made by the SU2C research Dream Teams in their fight against this disease was thrilling, as was introducing the scientists to our viewers. These men and women work 24/7 trying to end cancer, often with very little public recognition, so we were really pleased to have them onstage for the show’s close. But make no mistake, cancer is a crisis, a disaster and we must do more urgently.”

Lansing added, “The telecast highlighted the scientists who are the true unsung heroes in the battle with cancer, they are the ‘rock stars’ of science. We were gratified to have the support and participation of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Francis Collins, as well as having him play guitar with Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics and other performers. Hopefully, this will encourage more young people to consider careers in science and cancer research.”

“The degree to which donors of all types have embraced supporting SU2C’s model of “translational” cancer research done by Dream Teams of scientists is extremely encouraging,” said Robertson. “How SU2C’s research projects can best benefit patients is always top-of-mind for our investigators, as well as for members of advocacy groups who serve on the Dream Teams with them.”

Participants in the SU2C telecast included Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Tatyana Ali, Dave Annable, Christina Applegate, David Archuleta, Lance Armstrong, Hank Azaria, Elizabeth Banks, Kathy Bates, David Boreanaz, Sir Richard Branson, Abigail Breslin, Ann Marie Calhoun, Chiquis, George Clooney, Dr. Francis Collins, Cindy Crawford, Marcia Cross, Tim Daly, Taylor Dayne, Baron Davis, Cat Deeley, Emily Deschanel, Michael Douglas, Fran Drescher, Elizabeth Edwards, Idris Elba, Donald Faison, Sally Field, Derek Fisher, Jennifer Grey, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Bill Hader, Michael C. Hall, Dorothy Hamill, Mark Harmon, Tony Hawk, Anne Heche, Jon Heder, Marg Helgenberger, Cheryl Hines, Vanessa Hudgens, Randy Jackson, Thomas Jane, Ken Jeong, Rashida Jones, Kathryn Joosten, Minka Kelly, Jaime King, Diane Lane, Dr. Jon LaPook, Eva La Rue, Jay Leno, Zachary Levi, Ray Liotta, Rob Lowe, Seth MacFarlane, Marlee Matlin, Jason and Brandi Maxiell, Dylan McDermott, Tobey McGuire, Shareen Mitchell, Mandy Moore, Olivia Munn, Lisa Niemi, Don Newcombe, Apolo Anton Ohno, Kelly Osbourne, Dr. Mehmet Oz, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jim Parsons, Matt Passmore, Dr. Drew Pinsky, Aubrey Plaza, Dr. Ana Maria Polo, Yarel Ramos, Robin Roberts, Shaun Robinson, Seth Rogen, Adam Sandler, Ryan Seacrest, Kyra Sedgwick, The Simpsons, Will Smith, Brenda Song, Eric Stonestreet, Marcia Strassman, Alison Sweeney, Maura Tierney, Sam Trammell, Gabrielle Union, Nia Vardalos, Sofia Vassilieva, Sofia Vergara, Patrick Warburton, Denzel Washington, Marissa Jaret Winokur, Reese Witherspoon, Dr. Jessica Wu, Aaron Yoo, Renée Zellweger and Ethan Zohn.

Musical guests included Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day, Natasha Bedingfield, Neil Diamond, The Edge, Fitz and the Tantrums, Delta Goodrem, Herbie Hancock, Kris Kristofferson, Lady Antebellum, Leona Lewis, Martina McBride, Aaron Neville, Orianthi, Kelly Price, Dave Stewart, Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart and Stevie Wonder.

“Survivors from all walks of life – celebrities, political figures, sports stars, young and old – participated in a poignant segment called ‘Cancer Doesn’t Care,’ illustrating the degree to which cancer touches us all,” said Schwartz. “One out of three women and one in every two men will be diagnosed in their lifetimes.”

“Patrick Swayze’s remarks, the first he made publicly about his battle with pancreatic cancer, were the emotional centerpiece of the 2008 show. His widow Lisa Niemi’s intro of a Stevie Wonder-led ‘Unchained Melody’ musical tribute to Patrick – and many others taken by this disease – was one of the most moving moments in this year’s show,” said Ziffren.

“Two-and-a-half-year-old Stand Up To Cancer is a new player in the advocacy community, and it was so heartening to see members of more than 40 other groups stand with us, united around a common goal: ending the suffering caused by this terrible disease,” said Lobb.

SU2C’s INNOVATIVE RESEARCH MODEL

The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), SU2C’s scientific partner, conducts expert scientific review of the research projects and administers designated funds raised through the initiative under the direction of a Scientific Advisory Committee. Nobel Laureate Phillip A. Sharp, Ph.D., institute professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and at the David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT chairs the committee, which includes highly accomplished physician-scientists and clinical investigators, senior laboratory researchers and patient advocates.

SU2C’s next phase in the grant selection process will be to issue a call for proposals for a second round of Innovative Research Grants. These grants support high-risk and potentially high-reward projects with significant potential for translational application. Each individual IRG recipient receives up to $750,000 over three years. The AACR will issue this call on behalf of SU2C within the next six weeks. The current 13 IRG projects, totaling $9.68 million, were announced in December of 2009, and address a wide range of cancer types and organ sites, including lung, ovarian and breast cancers, as well as pediatric cancer, leukemia and lymphomas.

In May of 2009, SU2C announced its first round of three-year Dream Team grants to five multi-institutional, cross-disciplinary research teams, totaling $73.6 million. The teams began working in earnest last fall and made their first progress reports during the second quarter of 2010; they were subsequently visited on site by members of the Scientific Advisory Committee. All five teams have met and/or exceeded their six-month milestones, and the progress, while early, is encouraging.

In conjunction with the Sept. 10 broadcast, the AACR and SU2C launched the AACR-SU2C Clinical Trials Finder, a resource for cancer patients and their loved ones to identify clinical trials that may be appropriate for their particular diagnosis, stage and treatment history. Clinical Trials Navigators can be reached toll free at 1-877-769-4829 between the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday.

Every day, cancer kills 1,500 Americans – one person every minute. This year, more than 550,000 Americans and almost 8 million people worldwide will succumb to this vicious disease. With advances in technology and research, scientists are close to pushing cancer from a disease that all too often takes lives to one people largely triumph over.

SU2C’s innovative approach to cancer research is designed to eliminate barriers that have traditionally inhibited creativity and collaboration by enabling the best and brightest investigators from leading institutions across the country and the world to work together and accelerate the conquest of cancer.

About the Stand Up To Cancer Initiative
SU2C – a program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), a 501(c)(3) charitable organization – raises funds to hasten the pace of groundbreaking translational research that can get new therapies to patients quickly and save lives. In the fall of 2007, a group of women who have been profoundly affected by cancer began working together to marshal the resources of the media and entertainment industries in the fight against it.

SU2C major media partners include AOL, Bonnier Corporation, Condé Nast Media Group, Costco Connections, eBay Inc., Facebook, Hearst Corporation, iTunes, MySpace, Rodale, Inc., Los Angeles Times, Martha Stewart Living, Meredith Corporation, Time Inc., CBS Radio, Twitter, VEVO and YouTube.

About the Entertainment Industry Foundation
Stand Up To Cancer is a program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation, the 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that serves as the collective philanthropy for the television and film businesses. EIF has distributed hundreds of millions of dollars to support programs addressing critical health, education and social issues.

About The American Association for Cancer Research
The American Association for Cancer Research, which consists of more than 32,000 scientists engaged in the fight against cancer, is SU2C’s sole scientific partner. The AACR, the oldest and largest scientific organization in the world focusing on every aspect of high-quality, innovative cancer research from the bench to the bedside, is responsible for administering and managing the grants, and providing scientific oversight in conjunction with the SU2C Scientific Advisory Committee, led by Nobel Laureate Phillip A. Sharp, Ph.D., institute professor at the David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

* * *

Media Contacts:
Tom Chiodo, Entertainment Industry Foundation
Tel 212-522-4929 / Cell 917-714-6670
tchiodo@eifoundation.org

Peter Foley, Rubenstein Communications
Tel 212-843-8308 / Cell 917-748-0069
pfoley@rubenstein.com

Abnormal Body Weight Related to Increased Mortality in Colon Cancer Patients

registration@aacr.org () — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Increased risk of death seen in underweight and obese patients.
• Postmenopausal women with higher abdominal obesity at higher risk of death.

PHILADELPHIA — Postmenopausal women diagnosed with colon cancer may be at increased risk of death if they fail to maintain a healthy body weight before cancer diagnosis, according to a study published in the September issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

The researchers found that women considered “underweight” or “obese,” or who had increased abdominal obesity prior to cancer diagnosis seemed to face a greater risk of mortality.

“Maintaining a healthy body weight is beneficial for postmenopausal women. This may also be beneficial for those diagnosed with colon cancer later in life. It looks like abdominal obesity may be a useful indicator of higher colon cancer mortality,” said Anna E. Prizment, Ph.D., M.P.H., a postdoctoral fellow in the division of epidemiology and community health at the University of Minnesota, Masonic Cancer Center. “It is too early to say whether a decrease in weight characteristics after diagnosis will also decrease mortality risk; at that point it may be too late. Therefore, it’s best to maintain a normal, healthy body weight throughout life.”

Prizment and colleagues extracted data from the Iowa Women’s Health Study, which included 1,096 women diagnosed with colon cancer who were observed over a maximum 20-year period. During that time, 493 died, of which 289 died from colon cancer.

Women classified as obese, with a BMI of at least 30 kg/m2, had a 45 percent increased overall mortality rate. The few women classified as underweight, with a BMI less than 18.5 kg/m2, had an 89 percent increased mortality rate compared to those with normal BMI.

Furthermore, women with high waist-to-hip ratio had a 30 to 40 percent greater risk of colon cancer-related death. Prizment said that the “exact mechanisms underlying the link between obesity and higher mortality of colon cancer patients are unknown.”

“Obese people may be diagnosed at later stage, have different treatment or more comorbidities,” she said. However, the facts that the increased abdominal obesity was associated with colon cancer mortality and those associations persisted after correcting for age, stage at cancer diagnosis and comorbidities suggest that obesity could have a direct biological effect. Obese women, especially those with higher abdominal obesity, have higher hormone levels and may have more aggressive cancer. These women have been already known to have a higher risk of developing colon cancer.

Prizment encouraged further investigation of the potential effect of obesity, in particular, abdominal obesity, on the prognosis after colon cancer diagnosis.

Subscribe to the Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention RSS Feed
Subscribe to the AACR RSS News Feed

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special Conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org

AACR Partners with EmergingMed to Link Patients with Clinical Trials During and After SU2C Broadcast

registration@aacr.org () — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 12:00:00 GMT

PHILADELPHIA — The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) announces its collaboration with the clinical trial navigation system EmergingMed, to connect patients with clinical trials during and after the Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) broadcast on Sept. 10, at 8 p.m. EDT & PDT / 7 p.m. CDT. The AACR-SU2C Clinical Trials Finder will provide a resource for cancer patients and their loved ones to identify clinical trials that may be appropriate for their particular diagnosis, stage and treatment history.

“The AACR is thrilled to partner with EmergingMed, in conjunction with the landmark SU2C broadcast on Sept. 10, in order to help patients locate clinical trials for which they qualify,” said Margaret Foti, Ph.D., M.D. (h.c.), CEO of the American Association for Cancer Research. “SU2C’s mission is to provide effective treatments to patients quickly, and this partnership with EmergingMed helps realize that goal. Moreover, the AACR aims to educate the public about what clinical trials can offer, in order to help patients make educated decisions about their treatment options.”

The AACR is the sole scientific partner to SU2C. It is responsible for grants administration and management, and provides ongoing scientific oversight in conjunction with the SU2C Scientific Advisory Committee, led by Nobel Laureate Phillip A. Sharp, Ph.D., institute professor at the David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The SU2C show, featuring cancer researchers as well as luminaries from film, TV, music, news and sports, will be simulcast live on ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, on more than a dozen other networks, and will air in more than 195 countries. Funds raised will fuel groundbreaking translational research around the world to accelerate the delivery of new therapies to patients.

The AACR’s Clinical Trials Navigators can be reached online at the AACR-SU2C Clinical Trials Finder or toll free at 1-877-769-4829. Extended call center hours for clinical trial information are available during the SU2C live fundraising event on Sept. 10, 2010, and throughout the weekend:

Friday, Sept. 10: 8:00 p.m. – 1:00 a.m. ET
Saturday, Sept. 11: 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. ET
Sunday, Sept. 12: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. ET

*Regular telephone hours are 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday.

The mission of EmergingMed is to create a coordinated, seamless connection between patients, clinical trials, and physicians at exactly the right time — when a person’s medical situation is perfectly aligned with a researcher’s effort to find new and better treatments. EmergingMed provides one-on-one patient navigation to clinical trials as well as business process solutions for trial sponsors, medical centers, investigators, and patient advocacy groups. Founded in 2000, EmergingMed’s patented system and method for matching patients to clinical trials currently supports clinical trial education and navigation services for over 50 organizations.

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special Conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Michele Leiberman

(267) 312-8711
michele.leiberman@aacr.org

The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network and AACR to Award Nearly $3 Million in Pancreatic Cancer Research Grants

registration@aacr.org () — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Applications are being accepted for a variety of grants totaling nearly $3 million.

PHILADELPHIA — The American Association for Cancer Research in partnership with the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network is now accepting applications for the 2011 research grants program. The program is administered using the AACR’s rigorous peer-review system to ensure that the highest quality science is supported.

Numerous grants will be awarded in 2011, with a total funding level of nearly $3 million. This represents the largest annual dollar amount disbursed since the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network introduced the program in 2003, and is an almost 30 percent increase in funding over last year.

The grants program is designed to help incubate innovative research projects, grow the number of researchers directly working on pancreatic cancer, nurture collaborations across disciplines and institutions, and expedite scientific progress for patient benefit. In addition to receiving financial support for their research, grantees participate in a mentorship program that connects them with leading scientists in the field. Ongoing career support activities offer opportunities for education and professional development.

“This year’s grants program marks a significant milestone as we will have surpassed $10 million in research funding since the program’s inception in 2003,” stated Julie Fleshman, president and CEO of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. “During this time, we have begun to form a community of researchers dedicated to making progress in the fight against pancreatic cancer. For so many years, the pancreatic cancer research community was sparse and underfunded. We are beginning to see a transformation, due in part, to our research and advocacy efforts.”

“All cancers are in great need of further investigation and increased funding, but because of its low survival rate, pancreatic cancer is particularly challenging and provides us with an urgent call to action,” said Margaret Foti, Ph.D., M.D. (h.c.), CEO of the American Association for Cancer Research. “We are very proud of our strong and ongoing partnership with the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. Together, through cutting edge scientific research, we feel strongly that we will increase our understanding of this deadly form of cancer and, ultimately, conquer it.”

The following grants are open for application:

Pathway to Leadership Grant
The Pathway to Leadership Grant is designed to build future leaders in the pancreatic cancer research community by supporting promising early-career scientists in their postdoctoral positions through the transition to independence. Applicants must have started postdoctoral or clinical research fellowships on or after July 2, 2006 (i.e., must be in the first five years of a fellowship at the start of the grant term). The Pathway to Leadership Grant provides up to five years of support, totaling $600,000.

Fellowship
The Fellowship supports early-career scientists during the mentored research phase. Applicants must have started postdoctoral or clinical research fellowships on or after July 2, 2008 (i.e., must be in the first three years of a fellowship at the start of the grant term). The Fellowship is a one-year grant, totaling $45,000.

Career Development Award
The Career Development Award supports newly independent investigators to develop or strengthen their research programs in pancreatic cancer. Applicants must have completed postdoctoral or clinical research fellowships on or after July 2, 2007 (i.e., must be in the first four years of a full-time faculty appointment at the start of the grant term). This is a two-year grant, totaling $200,000.

Innovative Grant
The Innovative Grant supports creative and cutting-edge ideas and approaches, including those successful in other areas of cancer that have justifiable promise for pancreatic cancer. The two-year grant totals $200,000 and is available to independent junior or senior investigators.

The deadline for Letters of Intent for the Innovative Grant is October 4, 2010. Applications for the Pathway to Leadership Grant, Fellowship and Career Development Award are due October 27, 2010. Submissions must be completed online using the proposalCENTRAL website at https://proposalcentral.altum.com/. Funding decisions will available in March 2011. The grant term begins July 1, 2011.

Since the partnership began with the AACR in 2003, the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network has awarded 56 grants, totaling over $7 million. To learn more about the 2011 grants program, visit: www.aacr.org/research-funding.

# # #

About the American Association for Cancer Research:
The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists, providing a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

About the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network:
The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network is the only national organization creating hope in a comprehensive way through research, patient support, community outreach and advocacy for a cure. The organization raises money for direct private funding of research—and advocates for more aggressive federal research funding of medical breakthroughs in prevention, diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer.

The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network fills the void of information and options by giving patients and caregivers reliable, personalized information they need to make informed decisions. It creates a sense of hope and community so no one has to face pancreatic cancer alone. The organization helps support individuals and communities all across the country to work together to raise awareness and funds to find a cure for pancreatic cancer.

Media Contact:
Michele Leiberman
(267) 646-0622
michele.leiberman@aacr.org

More Celebrities Join the Stand Up To Cancer TV Event

registration@aacr.org () — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:00:00 GMT

DAZZLING ARRAY OF STARS TO LIGHT UP STAND UP TO CANCER SEPTEMBER 10TH BROADCAST

George Clooney, Gwyneth Paltrow, Will Smith, Denzel Washington, Renée Zellweger and more join landmark one-hour event simultaneously broadcast on ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC and a host of cable channels

A Special Half-Hour Pre-Show Promotion Hosted by Cat Deeley Will Air Online; Celebrity Phone Banks Open as of 7:30 PM EST / 4:30 PM PST

A Half-Hour Extended-Play LIVE Online "Jam Session" Rounds Out the Evening

LA & NYC – The extraordinary lineup of actors, musicians, athletes and journalists participating in the Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) primetime roadblock television fundraising event (September 10, 2010, at 8PM EST & PST / 7PM CT) continues to grow. The following supporters have now joined the broadcast: Elizabeth Banks, Kathy Bates, Sir Richard Branson, Michael Chiklis, George Clooney, Baron Davis, Emily Deschanel, Bill Hader, Dorothy Hamill, Anne Heche, Cheryl Hines, Randy Jackson, George Karl, Dr. Jon Lapook, Rob Lowe, Jane Lynch, Marlee Matlin, Shareen Mitchell, Olivia Munn, Lisa Niemi, Kelly Osbourne, Gwyneth Paltrow, Matt Passmore, Will Smith, Sam Trammell, Denzel Washington, Aaron Yoo and Renée Zellweger.

Musical guests scheduled to perform include: Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day, Neil Diamond, The Edge, Delta Goodrem, Herbie Hancock, Kris Kristofferson, Lady Antebellum, Leona Lewis, Orianthi and Ann Wilson and Nancy Wilson of Heart. These artists join previously announced performers including Natasha Bedingfield, Martina McBride, Aaron Neville, Dave Stewart and Stevie Wonder.

The Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) telecast will raise funds that will accelerate innovative cancer research. The live, one-hour fundraising event will be simulcast commercial-free on ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, Bio, Current TV, Discovery Health, E!, G4, HBO, HBO Latino, MLB Network, mun2, Showtime, Smithsonian Channel, The Style Network, TV One and VH1 and hosted by network news anchors Katie Couric, Diane Sawyer and Brian Williams. The broadcast will air in 195 countries, as well as on the Armed Forces Network.

"Plain and simple, cancer takes too much from us," said Laura Ziskin, SU2C co-founder and executive producer of the September 10th broadcast, who is a cancer survivor.

"Loved ones lost to it, pain and suffering endured by those in treatment, even the recent report that cancer has the most devastating economic impact of any cause of death… this disease exacts a very high price.

We want people all over the country to rise up and say, ‘ENOUGH!’

"Tune in on Sept. 10th to see your favorite stars, who’ll ask, ‘Will you stand up with us?’

Person by person, saying ‘yes’ moves us toward a goal completely within our grasp: a world without cancer.

A donation of any size brings scientists one step closer to a cure," Ziskin said.

Cat Deeley of FOX’s So You Think You Can Dance will host the pre-show promotion to kick off the evening as the celebrity phone bank opens at 7:30 PM EST / 4:30 PM PST.

A 30-minute online "after hours" extended play featuring jams with musical guests Fitz and the Tantrums, Orianthi, Natasha Bedingfield and Heart will conclude the night’s events.

The pre-show promotion and extended play will be featured on numerous online portals and destination sites (which will all also stream the one-hour special online) including: ABC, ABC News, AOL, Bing, CBS, CBS News, Crackle, Discovery Health, E! Online, FOX, G4, Hulu, Livestream, MLB Network, MSN, mun2, NBC, Style Network, TV Guide, TV One, Ustream, VEVO, VH1, Wonderwall.MSN.com, omg.yahoo.com and YouTube.

Previously announced participants in the September 10th special include: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Tatyana Ali, Dave Annable, Christina Applegate, Lance Armstrong, David Boreanaz, Abigail Breslin, Cindy Crawford, Fran Drescher, Elizabeth Edwards, Donald Faison, Sally Field, Derek Fisher, Michael C. Hall, Alyson Hannigan, Tony Hawk, Jon Heder, Marg Helgenberger, Terrence Howard, Ken Jeong, Rashida Jones, Minka Kelly, Laura Linney, Zachary Levi, Ray Liotta, Seth MacFarlane, Mandy Moore, Apolo Anton Ohno, Dr. Mehmet Oz, Jim Parsons, Aubrey Plaza, Dr. Ana Maria Polo, Yarel Ramos, Naya Rivera, Robin Roberts, Seth Rogen, The Simpsons, Eric Stonestreet, Marcia Strassman, Alison Sweeney, Maura Tierney, Gabrielle Union, Sofia Vassilieva, Sofia Vergara, Marissa Jaret Winokur, Reese Witherspoon and Ethan Zohn.

Also appearing on the September 10th special as an inspiration to those currently in the fight against cancer are Anne Feeley and Pearce Quesenberry.

A brain cancer survivor, Anne Feeley, at age 55, recently cycled from San Francisco to Washington, D.C., to generate awareness about and funds for the fight against the disease. Pearce Quesenberry is a 13-year-old who was featured in the 2008 Stand Up To Cancer broadcast as she was battling brain cancer.

Pearce is now cancer-free, and will participate in this year’s broadcast as a survivor.

The broadcast is dedicated to the 12 million U.S. cancer survivors, illustrating how groundbreaking research can change the tide in the fight against the disease.

Updates will be provided on the work of the five Stand Up To Cancer Dream Teams, and Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent, will report on other new medical developments.

SU2C’s star-studded television special builds continuing public support and donations for cutting-edge cancer research that translates at a rapid pace from the laboratory to treatments and technologies benefitting patients. One-hundred percent of all donations received from the public will go directly to cancer research. Viewers will have the ability to donate via a dedicated phone line, the web, or through text.

The 2008 telecast helped raise over $100 million. To date, five multi-disciplinary "Dream Teams" of researchers from more than 50 institutions, as well as 13 young innovative scientists who are undertaking high-risk yet potentially high-reward projects have received SU2C funding. SU2C brings together these scientists from different disciplines across various institutions to work collaboratively, rather than competitively, at a critical time in the field of cancer research.

The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), which consists of more than 32,000 scientists engaged in the fight against cancer, is Stand Up To Cancer’s sole scientific partner. The AACR, the oldest and largest scientific organization in the world focusing on every aspect of high-quality, innovative cancer research from the bench to the bedside, is responsible for administering and managing the grants, and providing scientific oversight in conjunction with the SU2C Scientific Advisory Committee, led by Nobel Laureate Phillip A. Sharp, Ph.D., institute professor at the David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

About the Stand Up To Cancer Initiative

Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) – a program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), a 501(c)(3) charitable organization – raises funds to hasten the pace of groundbreaking translational research that can get new therapies to patients quickly and save lives. In the fall of 2007, a group of women who have been profoundly affected by cancer began working together to marshal the resources of the media and entertainment industries in the fight against it.

Stand Up To Cancer will return to primetime TV on September 10, 2010, at 8PM EST & PST / 7PM CT. The one-hour fundraising event will be simulcast live and commercial-free on ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, Bio, Current TV, Discovery Health, E!, G4, HBO, HBO Latino, MLB Network, mun2, Showtime, Smithsonian Channel, The Style Network, TV One and VH1.

The SU2C founding members include Laura Ziskin, executive producer of the Sept. 5, 2008 broadcast and the upcoming one, who is a cancer survivor; Sherry Lansing, chairperson of the Entertainment Industry Foundation’s Board of Directors and founder of the Sherry Lansing Foundation; EIF President and CEO Lisa Paulsen; Katie Couric; EIF Senior Vice President Kathleen Lobb; Rusty Robertson and Sue Schwartz of the Robertson Schwartz Agency; nonprofit executive Ellen Ziffren; and Noreen Fraser, founder of the Noreen Fraser Foundation (NFF) and a cancer survivor. SU2C was formally launched on May 27, 2008.

Major League Baseball was the founding donor to contribute to Stand Up To Cancer. Other major SU2C supporters include Sidney Kimmel, the country’s largest individual supporter of cancer research; Amgen, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Cancer Treatment Centers of America, The Gateway for Cancer Research Foundation, GlaxoSmithKline, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Wallis Annenberg & The Annenberg Foundation, Alliance for Global Good, Milken Family Foundation, Philips Electronics, Steve Tisch, The Island Def Jam Music Group, Comcast and many others. SU2C major media partners include AOL, Bonnier Corporation, Condé Nast Media Group, Costco Connections, eBay Inc., Facebook, Hearst Corporation, iTunes, MySpace, Rodale, Inc., Los Angeles Times, Martha Stewart Living, Meredith Corporation, Time Inc., Twitter, VEVO and YouTube.

About the Entertainment Industry Foundation

Stand Up To Cancer is a program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), the 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that serves as the collective philanthropy for the television and film businesses. EIF has distributed hundreds of millions of dollars to support programs addressing critical health, education and social issues.

Media Contacts:

Michele Leiberman
Phone: 267-646-0622
E-mail: michele.leiberman@aacr.org

Metformin May Protect Against Lung Cancer

registration@aacr.org () — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:00:00 GMT

PHILADELPHIA — Metformin, a drug commonly used to treat type 2 diabetes, shows potential in the prevention of tobacco-induced lung tumors and possibly colorectal tumors, according to two studies published in Cancer Prevention Research.

The first study, conducted by researchers at the NCI, showed that metformin significantly decreased lung tumor burden in mice exposed to a nicotine-derived nitrosamine called NNK, which is the most prevalent carcinogen in tobacco. Researchers treated the mice with metformin either orally or by injection. Those treated orally had between 40 and 50 percent fewer tumors, while those mice treated with injection had 72 percent fewer tumors. Based on these findings, clinical trials of metformin are being considered to determine if this compound could be used as an effective chemoprevention agent for smokers at high risk of developing lung cancer.

A second study, conducted by researchers in Japan, showed, non-diabetics taking metformin had a significantly lower rate of rectal aberrant crypt foci, a surrogate marker of colorectal cancer. Patients in the treatment group had a mean of 5.11 foci compared with 7.56 in the control group.

Results of these studies were discussed at a teleconference hosted by Scott Lippman, M.D., editor-in-chief of Cancer Prevention Research, and professor and chair in the department of thoracic head and neck medical oncology at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center on Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2010, at 10:30 a.m. ET.

Metformin significantly decreased lung tumor burden in mice exposed to a nicotine-derived nitrosamine called NNK, which is the most prevalent carcinogen in tobacco. Metformin has been previously shown to activate an enzyme called AMP-activated protein kinase that is known to inhibit mTOR, a protein that regulates cell growth and survival in tobacco carcinogen-induced lung tumors.

Listen to a recording of the teleconference:

Download* the mp3 of the teleconference (10.7 MB, 46 minutes and 51 seconds)

*On a PC, right mouse click on the "Download" link and select "Save link as..." in Firefox or "Save Target as..." in Internet Explorer.

The following panelists participated in the teleconference:

Philip Dennis, M.D., Ph.D., a senior investigator at the NCI, treated the mice with metformin either orally or by injection. Those treated orally had between 40 and 50 percent fewer tumors, while those mice treated with injection had 72 percent fewer tumors. Based on these findings, clinical trials of metformin are being considered to determine if this compound could be used as an effective chemoprevention agent for smokers at high risk of developing lung cancer.

“Although smoking cessation is the most important step for current smokers, over half of lung cancer cases are diagnosed in former smokers, raising the importance of identifying those at highest risk and identifying effective preventive treatments,” said Dennis.

In addition to Lippman and Dennis, the following panelists will participate in the teleconference:

Michael Pollak, M.D., professor in the department of medicine and oncology at McGill University and author of a mini-review on metformin published in Cancer Prevention Research:

“This important laboratory study, together with prior laboratory and epidemiology research, suggests that metformin may be useful in cancer prevention and treatment. There is new information available about the mechanisms by which this drug, which is based on compounds present in lilac, may be useful for cancer control.”

Jeffrey A. Engelman, M.D., Ph.D., director of the centers for thoracic cancers at Massachusetts General Hospital and co-author of an accompanying editorial published in Cancer Prevention Research:

“Previous epidemiology studies have shown that diabetics taking metformin have a lower risk of developing cancer. In this study, researchers carefully controlled for glucose levels, which suggests that the effect may be seen beyond the diabetic population.”

Lewis Cantley, Ph.D., director of the cancer center at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and the second co-author of the accompanying editorial published in Cancer Prevention Research:

“Targeted therapies have impacted the course of cancer treatments, but they have yet to be widely utilized as agents for chemoprevention. As we work to better understand the mechanisms of action, therapies like metformin hold promise for delaying or preventing cancer progression and having a substantial, beneficial impact on cancer mortality.”

Subscribe to the Cancer Prevention Research RSS Feed
Subscribe to the AACR RSS News Feed

###

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowship and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 17,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists. CR provides a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org

Increasing Selenium Intake May Decrease Bladder Cancer Risk

registration@aacr.org () — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• 39 percent reduced risk seen in a meta-analysis.
• Selenium effects may vary according to individual’s characteristics.

PHILADELPHIA — A common mineral may provide protection against bladder cancer.

According to results of a study published in the September issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, selenium intake is associated with decreased risk of bladder cancer.

“The lower the levels of selenium, the higher the risk of developing bladder cancer,” said lead researcher Núria Malats, M.D., Ph.D., leader of the Genetic and Molecular Epidemiology Group, Human Cancer Genetics Program, Spanish National Cancer Research Center.

Selenium is an essential micronutrient that is incorporated into about 25 proteins, called selenoproteins. Most of these selenoproteins are enzymes with antioxidant properties that prevent cellular damage caused by the by-products of oxygen metabolism, according to Malats.

The main dietary sources of this micronutrient are plant foods grown in selenium-rich soils, animals who graze on these soils and selenium-enriched products.

Using data from seven previously published studies, Malats and colleagues conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate selenium levels measured in serum and toenails and the risk of developing bladder cancer. The data included individuals mostly from the United States, but also from Belgium, Finland and the Netherlands.

The researchers noted a significant protective effect of selenium, mainly among women, which they believe may result from gender-specific differences in the mineral’s accumulation and excretion in women.

“Although our results suggest a beneficial effect of high selenium intake for bladder cancer risk, more studies are needed to confirm these findings before an enforcement of high selenium intake is recommended,” Malats said.

Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention Editorial Board Member Elizabeth A. Platz, Sc.D., M.P.H., said, “these findings provide a valuable lead for what to do next to understand if there is a role for selenium supplementation in bladder cancer prevention.”

The next research step is to address the dose-response relationship. Addressing this relationship is of public health importance for setting recommended daily intakes for selenium and for targeting subsets of the population for selenium supplementation, added Platz, who is a professor in the department of epidemiology at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Subscribe to the Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention RSS Feed
Subscribe to the AACR RSS News Feed

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowship and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 17,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists. CR provides a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Tara Yates
(267) 646-0558
tara.yates@aacr.org

Diverse Diet of Veggies May Decrease Lung Cancer Risk

registration@aacr.org () — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 12:00:00 GMT

The embargo has been lifted on the AACR press release: “Diverse Diet of Veggies May Decrease Lung Cancer Risk,” due to a violation by AOL Health. Reporters may post their stories effective immediately.

• Variety of vegetables and fruits may decrease risk of squamous cell lung cancers.
• Eating a variety appears to produce the benefit regardless of quantity.
• Reduction in cancer risk was only seen among current smokers.

PHILADELPHIA — Adding a variety of vegetables to one’s diet may help decrease the chance of getting lung cancer, and adding a variety of fruits and vegetables may decrease the risk of squamous cell lung cancer, especially among smokers.

Study results are published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

“Although quitting smoking is the most important preventive action in reducing lung cancer risk, consuming a mix of different types of fruit and vegetables may also reduce risk, independent of the amount, especially among smokers,” said H. Bas Bueno-de-Mesquita, M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D., senior scientist and project director of cancer epidemiology at The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, The Netherlands.

Using information from the ongoing, multi-centered European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study, Bueno-de-Mesquita and colleagues evaluated 452,187 participants with complete information, 1,613 of whom were diagnosed with lung cancer.

Information was obtained on 14 commonly eaten fruits and 26 commonly eaten vegetables. The fruits and vegetables evaluated in the EPIC study consisted of a wide variety of fresh, canned or dried products.

Previous results from the EPIC study showed that the quantity of vegetables and fruits may decrease risk of lung cancer; in particular the risk of one specific type of lung cancer, squamous cell carcinoma, decreased in current smokers.

Regardless of the amount, the researchers on the current study found that risk of lung cancer also decreased when a variety of vegetables were consumed. In addition, the risk of squamous cell carcinoma decreased substantially when a variety of fruits and vegetables were eaten. However, Bueno-de-Mesquita said that they “cannot exclude that these results can still be explained by smoking.”

“Fruits and vegetables contain many different bioactive compounds, and it makes sense to assume that it is important that you not only eat the recommended amounts, but also consume a rich mix of these bioactive compounds by consuming a large variety,” he said.

While previous research has shown the influence of the quantity of fruits and vegetables on cancer development, Stephen Hecht, Ph.D., editorial board member for Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, believes this study is one of the first to evaluate diversity of fruit and vegetable consumption, rather than quantity.

“The results are very interesting and demonstrate a protective effect in smokers. There are still over a billion smokers in the world, and many are addicted to nicotine and cannot stop in spite of their best efforts,” added Hecht, who is the Wallin Land Grant Professor of Cancer Prevention at the Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota.

Tobacco smoke contains a complex mixture of cancer-causing agents. Therefore, a mixture of protective agents is needed to have any beneficial effect in reducing one’s chance of lung cancer, Hecht said.

“Nevertheless, the public should be made aware and be reminded that the only proven way to reduce your risk for lung cancer is to avoid tobacco in all its forms,” he said.

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowship and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 17,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists. CR provides a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Subscribe to the Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention RSS Feed
Subscribe to the AACR RSS News Feed

Media Contact:
Tara Yates
(267) 646-0558
tara.yates@aacr.org

Follow the AACR on Twitter: @AACR
Follow the AACR on Facebook: facebook.com/aacr.org

AACR Supports NIH Stem Cell Research

registration@aacr.org () — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 12:00:00 GMT

PHILADELPHIA — The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), the world's oldest and largest cancer research organization, reiterates its support for the responsible conduct of human embryonic stem cell research that, up until this week, was funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and expresses concern that the recent Federal District Court injunction to block federal funding for human embryonic stem cell research is a setback for scientific discovery.

"As stated in our 2005 policy statement on stem cell research, we believe that reasonable, ethical stem cell exploration is a crucial component of scientific discovery," said Margaret Foti, Ph.D., M.D. (h.c.), chief executive officer of the AACR. "Human embryonic stem cell research may lead to new biological insights that offer avenues for the development of promising new therapies for cancer patients. This decision will slow the important research that has the potential to save lives from cancer and will significantly affect the ability of the United States to be a leader in this cutting-edge field of science."

"We believe the NIH's human embryonic stem cell research policies are sound, ethical, and responsible," said Elizabeth H. Blackburn, Ph.D., Nobel laureate and president of the AACR. "Stem cell research is part of a multifaceted approach to understand the biology of cancer and develop new ways to combat the 200 diseases collectively called 'cancer.' It is disconcerting that the scientists who were given the opportunity to pursue important research questions through the investigation of stem cells, not their creation, have now been stopped in their tracks."

Human embryonic stem cell research is an exciting area of science, and the AACR is grateful to the NIH for its significant efforts to ensure that this promising research, like all NIH research, is conducted in a manner consistent with established ethical principles.

###

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowship and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special focused conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and prevention. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists. CR provides a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Rachael Cullins
(202) 898-6499
rachael.cullins@aacr.org

Double-therapy Approach Effectively Inhibited Brain Cancer Recurrence

registration@aacr.org () — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Glioblastoma multiforme is the most common and aggressive brain tumor.
Combining temozolomide with a Notch inhibitor decreased tumor recurrence.

PHILADELPHIA — Researchers from the University of Massachusetts Medical School have identified a novel approach of combining chemotherapy with a targeted therapy to decrease the recurrence of glioblastoma multiforme, the most common and aggressive brain tumor.

"Glioblastomas are horrendous tumors, and new therapies are desperately needed," said lead researcher Alonzo H. Ross, Ph.D., professor of biochemistry and molecular pharmacology at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

"We found that this double therapy of combining temozolomide with a Notch inhibitor was highly effective at treating tumor cells in culture and in mice," he added.

Results of this study are published in the September issue of Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

Despite treatment with surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, glioblastoma prognosis and survival rates are poor. This may in part be due to the fact that some cells within the tumor — cancer stem cells — are more resistant to these therapies, eventually allowing the tumor to recur, according to Ross.

"We’re both very successful and unsuccessful with cancer therapy; in most cases we can substantially diminish the tumor mass. The problem is that it comes back with vengeance, and is even more resistant and difficult to treat," he said.

Temozolomide is one chemotherapeutic agent that helps patients with glioblastomas live longer; two-year survival rates increase from approximately 10 percent with radiation alone to 25 percent when temozolomide is combined with radiation, according to Ross. Likewise, data have indicated that the Notch signaling pathway is often over-expressed in glioma tissue and tumor cells.

Ross and colleagues evaluated this double-therapy approach of combining temozolomide with a Notch inhibitor in cell culture and in immunodeficient mice to determine if this combination therapy enhances therapy to reduce tumor recurrence.

In both models, the researchers saw that the combination of temozolomide with the Notch inhibitor much more effectively reduced tumor growth and recurrence compared to either agent alone. Either drug used individually only transiently slowed tumor growth.

"Temozolomide is a chemotherapy drug of choice for glioblastomas, and the results of our preclinical study represent a potential promising new approach to combat an extremely difficult tumor," Ross said. "The effect of the two together is very dramatic."

Patrick M. O’Connor, Ph.D., chief scientific officer of Selexagen Therapeutics and editorial board member for Cancer Research, believes this study provides preclinical proof-of-concept evidence that the Notch pathway confers a survival advantage to glioma cells treated with temozolamide.

"These results help lay the groundwork for future clinical research and are yet another stepping stone towards a future era dominated by ‘precision therapeutics’ designed to specifically target the underlying molecular drivers of cancer growth and spread," said O’Connor.

The researchers are currently investigating the mechanism of action for cell death and hope to move these findings into the clinic.

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowship and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 17,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists. CR provides a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Subscribe to the Cancer Research RSS Feed
Subscribe to the AACR RSS News Feed

Follow the AACR on Twitter: @AACR
Follow the AACR on Facebook: facebook.com/aacr.org

Media Contact:
Tara Yates
(267) 646-0558
tara.yates@aacr.org

Stars Align for Historic Stand Up To Cancer Event

registration@aacr.org () — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 12:00:00 GMT

SEPTEMBER 10th LANDMARK ONE-HOUR FUNDRAISING BROADCAST TO FEATURE LUMINARIES FROM FILM, TV, MUSIC, NEWS & SPORTS

LA & NYC (www.standup2cancer.org) – An extraordinary line-up of actors, musicians, athletes and journalists have banded together for Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C), the groundbreaking initiative aimed at raising funds to accelerate innovative cancer research bringing new therapies to patients quickly that will saves lives now. Stand Up To Cancer will return to primetime TV on September 10, 2010, at 8PM EST & PST / 7PM CT. The one-hour fundraising event will be simulcast live and commercial-free on ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, Bio, Discovery Health, E!, G4, HBO, HBO Latino, MLB Network, mun2, Showtime, Smithsonian Channel, The Style Network, TV One, and VH1.

Executive produced by Laura Ziskin, the special will be hosted Katie Couric, Diane Sawyer, and Brian Williams (the anchors, respectively, of the CBS, ABC and NBC evening news programs), and will feature numerous celebrity cancer survivors who exemplify that cancer can affect even the smartest, strongest and toughest people in our lives. Those expected to participate include Christina Applegate, Lance Armstrong, Fran Drescher, Elizabeth Edwards, Delta Goodrem, Michael C. Hall, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Sharon Osbourne, Robin Roberts, Maura Tierney, Sofia Vergara, Marissa Jaret Winokur and Ethan Zohn. The broadcast will be dedicated to the 12 million U.S. cancer survivors and illustrate how groundbreaking research can change the tide in the fight against the disease. Updates will be provided on the work of the five Stand Up To Cancer Dream Teams, and Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN's Chief Medical Correspondent, will report on other new developments. One of the musical performances will be an all-star collaboration led by Stevie Wonder with Natasha Bedingfield, Queen Latifah, Martina McBride, Aaron Neville, and Dave Stewart.

Participants confirmed to date for the September 10th broadcast include:

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar	Tony Hawk	Queen Latifah
Tatyana Ali	Jon Heder	Yarel Ramos
Dave Annable	Marg Helgenberger	Naya Rivera
Christina Applegate	Terrence Howard	Robin Roberts
Lance Armstrong	Ken Jeong	Seth Rogen
Natasha Bedingfield	Rashida Jones	Diane Sawyer
David Boreanaz	Minka Kelly	The Simpsons
Abigail Breslin	Laura Linney	Dave Stewart
Chiquis	Zachary Levi	Eric Stonestreet
Katie Couric	Ray Liotta	Marcia Strassman
Cindy Crawford	Seth MacFarlane	Alison Sweeney
Fran Drescher	Martina McBride	Maura Tierney
Elizabeth Edwards	Mandy Moore	Gabrielle Union
Donald Faison	Aaron Neville	Sofia Vassilieva
Sally Field	Apolo Anton Ohno	Sofia Vergara
Derek Fisher	Sharon Osbourne	Brian Williams
Delta Goodrem	Dr. Mehmet Oz	Marissa Jaret Winokur
Dr. Sanjay Gupta	Jim Parsons	Reese Witherspoon
Michael C. Hall	Aubrey Plaza	Stevie Wonder
Alyson Hannigan	Dr. Ana Maria Polo	Ethan Zohn

"We are eternally grateful for the remarkable support we've received from the entire entertainment community. We couldn't do this without everyone's help – from the networks and cable channels donating the airtime to our celebrity volunteers participating in the show and a lot of other people in between," said Sherry Lansing, one of the co-founders of Stand Up To Cancer.

"On September 10th, we'll send a resounding message: we can cure cancer. It's going to take guts, brains, and the ongoing support of the public, but we can do this. We want to inspire our viewers with the results the SU2C researchers have achieved to date and rally them to continue to contribute to bring us closer to that goal. No donation is too small – every single person can play a role in helping the scientists who are working 24/7 to end cancer," said Ziskin, co-founder and executive producer of the Stand Up To Cancer telecast.

On August 3rd, SU2C launched a popular viral PSA entitled "Change the Odds" starring more than a dozen of Hollywood's young stars – including Zac Efron, Dakota Fanning, Andrew Garfield, Vanessa Hudgens, Logan Lerman, Kristen Bell, and Jon Heder. The PSA has resonated with the public; it was viewed more than 120,000 times on the internet within 24 hours of launch. The PSA will also air during the September 10th telecast. Directed by Marc Webb, the "Change the Odds" PSA features eight vignettes, where the odds of experiencing certain scenarios (like being trapped in an elevator) are contrasted with those of being diagnosed with cancer. In the United States, one in two men and one in three women will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetimes.

The primary goal of SU2C is to raise funds for groundbreaking translational research to accelerate the delivery of new therapies to patients, getting them from the "bench to the bedside" as quickly as possible. SU2C brings together scientists from different disciplines across various institutions to work collaboratively, rather than competitively, at a critical time in the field of cancer research.

As in the landmark 2008 broadcast, this year's SU2C telecast will feature live performances by legendary recording artists and stars from film, television and sports, presenting content that provides viewers with insights into cancer. The star-studded SU2C television special builds continuing public support and donations for cutting-edge cancer research that translates at a rapid pace from the laboratory to treatments and technologies benefitting patients. One hundred percent of all donations received from the public will go directly to cancer research. Viewers will have the ability to donate via a dedicated phone line, the web, or through text.

The 2008 telecast was viewed in more than 170 countries and helped raise over $100 million. To date, five multi-disciplinary "Dream Teams" of researchers comprised of seven leaders and four co-leaders, with more than 200 individuals participating in total, as well as 13 young, innovative scientists, who are undertaking high-risk yet potentially high-reward projects, have received SU2C funding.

The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), which consists of more than 32,000 scientists engaged in the fight against cancer, is Stand Up To Cancer's sole scientific partner. The AACR, the oldest and largest scientific organization in the world focusing on every aspect of high-quality, innovative cancer research from the bench to the bedside, is responsible for administering and managing the grants, and providing scientific oversight in conjunction with the SU2C Scientific Advisory Committee, led by Nobel Laureate Phillip A. Sharp, Ph.D., institute professor at the David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

About the Stand Up To Cancer Initiative
Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) – a program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), a 501(c)3 charitable organization – raises funds to hasten the pace of groundbreaking translational research that can get new therapies to patients quickly and save lives. In the fall of 2007, a group of women who have been profoundly affected by cancer began working together to marshal the resources of the media and entertainment industries in the fight against it.

Stand Up To Cancer will return to primetime TV on September 10, 2010, at 8PM EST & PST / 7PM CT. The one-hour fundraising event will be simulcast live and commercial-free on ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, Bio, Discovery Health, E!, G4, HBO, HBO Latino, MLB Network, mun2, Showtime, Smithsonian Channel, The Style Network, TV One, and VH1.

The SU2C founding members include Laura Ziskin, executive producer of the Sept. 5, 2008 broadcast and the upcoming one, who is a cancer survivor; Sherry Lansing, chairperson of the Entertainment Industry Foundation's Board of Directors and founder of the Sherry Lansing Foundation; EIF President and CEO Lisa Paulsen; Katie Couric; EIF Senior Vice President Kathleen Lobb; Rusty Robertson and Sue Schwartz of the Robertson Schwartz Agency; nonprofit executive Ellen Ziffren; and Noreen Fraser, founder of the Noreen Fraser Foundation (NFF) and a cancer survivor. SU2C was formally launched on May 27, 2008.

Major League Baseball was the founding donor to contribute to Stand Up To Cancer. Other major SU2C supporters include Sidney Kimmel, the country's largest individual supporter of cancer research, Amgen, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Cancer Treatment Centers of America, The Gateway for Cancer Research Foundation, GlaxoSmithKline, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Wallis Annenberg & The Annenberg Foundation, Alliance for Global Good, Milken Family Foundation, Philips Electronics, Steve Tisch, The Island Def Jam Music Group, Comcast and many others. SU2C major media partners include AOL, Bonnier Corporation, Condé Nast Media Group, Costco Connection, Current TV, eBay Inc., Facebook, Hearst Corporation, iTunes, MySpace, Rodale, Los Angeles Times, Martha Stewart Living, Meredith Corporation, Time Inc., Twitter, VEVO, and YouTube.

For more information visit www.standup2cancer.org.

Red Carpet/Event Contact:
Kelly Striewski, kstriewski@bwr-la.com
Steve Wilson, swilson@bwr-la.com
B|W|R Public Relations
310.550.7776

Ongoing SU2C Contact:
Chet Mehta, cmehta@id-pr.com
ID-PR
323.822.4871

AACR Opens Award Nominations for Excellence in Cancer Research

registration@aacr.org () — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Outstanding Scientific Achievement Acknowledged at the 102nd Annual Meeting 2011

PHILADELPHIA — The American Association for Cancer Research is currently accepting nominations for awards recognizing excellence in cancer research, to be presented at the 102nd AACR Annual Meeting 2011, held in Orlando, Fla., from April 2 to 6.

Nominations are open for the following awards:

2011 AACR-American Cancer Society Award for Research Excellence in Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention
Nomination Deadline: Sept. 30, 2010

The AACR and the American Cancer Society established this award in 1992 to honor outstanding research accomplishments in the fields of cancer epidemiology, biomarkers and prevention.

2011 AACR Princess Takamatsu Memorial Lectureship
Nomination Deadline: Sept. 30, 2010

This lectureship recognizes an individual scientist whose novel and significant work has had or may have a far-reaching impact on the detection, diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of cancer, and who embodies the dedication of Princess Takamatsu to multinational collaborations.

2011 Margaret Foti Award for Leadership and Extraordinary Achievements in Cancer Research
Nomination Deadline: Sept. 30, 2010

The award recognizes a true champion of cancer research, an individual who embodies the sustained commitment of Margaret Foti, Ph.D., M.D. (h.c.), to the prevention and cure of cancer. The award is given to an individual whose leadership and extraordinary achievements in cancer research or in support of cancer research have made a major impact on the field. Such achievements include extraordinary contributions to the acceleration of progress in cancer research, raising national and/or international awareness of cancer research, or other substantive demonstrations of a sustained commitment to the conquest of cancer.

2011 Lifetime Achievement Award in Cancer Research
Nomination Deadline: Sept. 30, 2010

The AACR Lifetime Achievement Award was established in 2004 to honor an individual who has made significant fundamental contributions to cancer research, either through a single scientific discovery or a body of work. These contributions, whether they have been in research, leadership or mentorship, must have had a lasting impact on the cancer field and must have demonstrated a lifetime commitment to progress against cancer.

2011 AACR Team Science Award
Nomination Deadline: Sept. 30, 2010

The AACR Team Science Award has been established by the American Association for Cancer Research and Eli Lilly and Company to acknowledge and catalyze the growing importance of interdisciplinary teams to the understanding of cancer and/or the translation of research discoveries into clinical cancer applications. The AACR Team Science Award will recognize an outstanding interdisciplinary research team for its innovative and meritorious science that has advanced or likely will advance our fundamental knowledge of cancer or a team that has applied existing knowledge to advance the detection, diagnosis, prevention, or treatment of cancer.

For more information on eligibility criteria, the nomination process and other details about these awards, please visit www.aacr.org/page21927.aspx. Additional inquiries should be directed to Monique P. Eversley at monique.eversley@aacr.org.

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowship and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 17,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists. CR provides a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Michele Leiberman
(267) 646-0622
michele.leiberman@aacr.org

Nominations Open for 2011 Pezcoller Foundation-AACR International Award for Cancer Research

registration@aacr.org () — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 12:00:00 GMT

PHILADELPHIA — The American Association for Cancer Research is currently accepting nominations for the prestigious Pezcoller Foundation-AACR International Award for Cancer Research.

This award, now in its 14th year, recognizes an individual scientist or co-nominated scientists of international renown who have made a major scientific discovery in basic or translational cancer research, and whose ongoing work holds promise for continued substantive contributions to progress in the field of cancer.

The award includes an unrestricted grant of €75,000 and a commemorative plaque.

The recipient of the Pezcoller Foundation-AACR International Award for Cancer Research will give a 50-minute lecture at the AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011, which will be held in Orlando, Fla., from April 2 to 6. The award recipient will also present the Sixth Annual Stanley J. Korsmeyer Lecture in Padua, Italy, just prior to the official award ceremony in Trento, Italy, in early May 2011.

Nominations must be submitted online at https://proposalcentral.altum.com no later than 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2010.

The Pezcoller Foundation was established in 1980 by Professor Alessio Pezcoller, a dedicated Italian surgeon who made important contributions to medicine during his career. Through Pezcoller’s foresight, vision and generous gift in support of the formation of the foundation, he encouraged others to join this effort in sustaining the work of the foundation. He has inspired scientists around the world to make significant advances in cancer research. In addition to sponsoring this prestigious award, the Pezcoller Foundation also sponsors a series of symposia, publishes a journal and supports awards for early-career scientists from Europe who have submitted highly rated abstracts for presentation at the AACR Annual Meeting.

The 2010 award recipient, Joseph Schlessinger, Ph.D., was honored for elucidating the mechanism of action of receptor tyrosine kinases and their intracellular signaling pathways. His studies have provided the conceptual foundation and paved the way for the discovery of new families of cancer drugs that inhibit receptor tyrosine kinase, including Sutent (sunitinib), a drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2006 for the treatment of renal cancers and gastrointestinal stromal tumors. Further, his work has led to the development of erlotinib (Tarceva) and gefitinib (Iressa), which are epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors used for treating colon and lung cancers, plus imatinib (Gleevec), an inhibitor used for treating patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia or gastrointestinal stromal tumors.

For more information on eligibility criteria, the nomination process and other details about the Pezcoller Foundation-AACR International Award for Cancer Research, please visit www.aacr.org/page14329.aspx. Additional inquiries should be directed to Monique P. Eversley at monique.eversley@aacr.org.

# # #

About the American Association for Cancer Research

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowship and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 17,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists. CR provides a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

About The Pezcoller Foundation

The Pezcoller Foundation is a non-profit organization created in 1980 by Prof. Alessio Pezcoller (1896 - 1993), Chief Surgeon of Santa Chiara Hospital of Trento, Italy. The goal of the Foundation is to promote biomedical research in the field of cancer.

Media Contact:
Michele Leiberman
(267) 646-0622
michele.leiberman@aacr.org

Study Shows Physicians Reluctant to Use Chemoprevention for Prostate Cancer

registration@aacr.org () — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Use of finasteride for prostate cancer prevention has not increased.
• Experts expect a slow adoption of chemoprevention strategies.

PHILADELPHIA — Despite the dramatic results of the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial (PCPT), which showed a significant reduction in prostate cancer among those taking finasteride, physicians have not increased its use, according to a study published in the September issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

The first results of the PCPT were published in 2003 in The New England Journal of Medicine and were widely reported. The randomized controlled trial consisted of 18,000 men and showed a 25 percent reduced risk of prostate cancer.

Unfortunately, it also showed a 27 percent increased risk in high-grade tumors, which was noted in an accompanying editorial. Ian Thompson, M.D., chairman of the department of urology at the University of Texas Health Science Center, who led the study, said the editorial may have colored the perception of finasteride.

“People tend to read editorials more than they read actual journal articles,” said Thompson. “The study paradox of a reduction in overall disease, but an increase in high-grade disease was not explored until much later.”

In 2008, another report was published in Cancer Prevention Research, another journal of the AACR, where Thompson and colleagues reanalyzed the data along with the available tumor biopsies. Results showed that finasteride did not actually increase risk; it just made the available testing more sensitive. This result confirmed the benefits of finasteride for prostate cancer prevention.

However, results of this new study showed that physicians have not changed their practice patterns.

Linda Kinsinger, M.D., M.P.H., chief consultant for preventive medicine at the Veterans Health Administration National Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, and colleagues surveyed 325 urologists and 1,200 primary care physicians to determine their prescribing patterns.

Although the number of men starting finasteride grew over a five-year period, the publication of the PCPT trial did not influence their decision. Fifty-seven percent of urologists and 40 percent of primary care physicians said they prescribed finasteride more often; only 2 percent said they had been influenced by the findings in PCPT.

In fact, 64 percent of urologists and 80 percent of primary care physicians never prescribe finasteride for chemoprevention. When asked for reasons for their decision, 55 percent said they were concerned about the risk of high-grade tumors and 52 percent said they did not know it could be used for chemoprevention.

“The use of finasteride for prostate cancer prevention does not appear to be widely endorsed,” said Kinsinger. “The concept of chemoprevention is a difficult one for patients and physicians.”

At the American Association for Cancer Research 101st Annual Meeting 2010 in Washington, D.C., researchers presented results of the STAR trial, which showed a reduction in breast cancer with raloxifene use. In turn, experts discussed the implications of raloxifene for breast cancer prevention. Scott Lippman, M.D., chair of the Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center and editor-in-chief of Cancer Prevention Research, and Judy E. Garber, M.D., M.P.H., director of the Cancer Risk and Prevention Program at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and AACR president-elect, said the public needs to think about agents like raloxifene in the same manner that they would think about statins in heart disease prevention.

Statins revolutionized the treatment of heart disease by driving cholesterol levels down with little to no side effects and thus reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. Thompson said the statin to chemoprevention analogy is a good one, but presents an important challenge.

“Statins lower heart disease by reducing blood cholesterol and affecting other lipids, effects which are easy to measure,” he said. “There is no equivalent biomarker for cancer prevention. With cholesterol, for example, you can tell that the statin is working. With a cancer chemoprevention agent, you cannot measure success except with the absence of cancer, which you weren’t expecting to get anyway.”

Thompson agreed, however, that chemoprevention is an important new frontier that needs continued emphasis.

Subscribe to the Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention RSS Feed
Subscribe to the AACR RSS News Feed

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowship and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 17,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists. CR provides a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Follow the AACR on Twitter: @AACR
Follow the AACR on Facebook: facebook.com/aacr.org

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org

New Findings Further Clarify Breast Cancer Risk With Hormone Therapy

registration@aacr.org () — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Risk varied according to BMI, with greater risks for thinner women.

• Longer duration of hormone therapy increased breast cancer risk.

PHILADELPHIA — A new analysis of the California Teachers Study, which analyzed hormone replacement therapy use among 2,857 women for almost 10 years, underscores the need for personalized risk-benefit discussions before women begin hormone therapy.

“This is evidence that the story is complicated,” said Tanmai Saxena, an M.D./Ph.D. student at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California. “The benefits of hormone therapy for relief of postmenopausal symptoms among women are clear, but the risks are more complicated than we had previously thought.”

In a report published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, Saxena and colleagues found that compared with women who had never used hormone therapy, women who used estrogen therapy for more than 15 years had a 19 percent greater risk of developing breast cancer.

Women who used combined therapy with estrogen plus progestin for 15 or more years had an 83 percent greater risk. Breast cancer risk was highest among women who used the combination regimen.

Breast cancer risk seemed dependent on body mass index (BMI). Those with a BMI less than 30 appeared to have an increased risk of breast cancer with combined hormone therapy; the risk was strongest among women with BMI less than 25. In contrast, obese women (i.e., BMI of 30 or more) had no further increase in risk associated with using combined hormone therapy.

Finally, the risk of breast cancer was confined to tumors that were positive for both estrogen and progestin receptors. The risk was somewhat weaker for HER2 negative tumors.

Susan Hankinson, Sc.D., professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, said the findings underscore the reality that even following the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) trial and large prospective studies including the California Teachers Study, there are still questions that remain.

“These results add new evidence that risk does vary by other personal characteristics. However, for now, the public health message remains essentially the same. There is an increased risk of breast cancer from hormone use, and further studies will address the question of how specific that risk is,” said Hankinson, who is a senior editor of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.

Subscribe to the Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention RSS Feed
Subscribe to the AACR RSS News Feed

###

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowship and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 17,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists. CR provides a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Follow the AACR on Twitter: @AACR
Follow the AACR on Facebook: facebook.com/aacr.org

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org

AACR Hosts Cancer Disparities Conference in Miami, Fla.

registration@aacr.org () — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 12:00:00 GMT

PREMIER INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE WILL HIGHLIGHT ADVANCES IN SCIENCE, COMMUNICATION AND UNDERSTANDING OF CANCER DISPARITIES.
MIAMI, FLA. — SEPT. 30-OCT. 3, 2010

What:
Advances in cancer treatment and management have not affected all socioeconomic groups equally, as data show minority patients tend to lag behind in both awareness and outcomes.

This year, the American Association for Cancer Research will host its third conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel in Miami, Fla.

Findings presented at this year’s meeting will include:

proven communication methods for reaching minority populations;
strategies to increase enrollment in clinical trials;
prognosis in lung cancer affected by race;
breast cancer trends in Arab and Israeli Jewish women;
the importance of social support and physical activity in survivors; and,
socioeconomics and access to health care.

To help you plan your coverage of the conference, the program schedule is available online at www.aacr.org/disparities2010, and an electronic press kit containing the press releases and selected highlighted abstracts will be available on Sept. 22, 2010, via EurekAlert, Newswise and to members of the media registered through the AACR Communications Department.

When:
Sept. 30-Oct. 3, 2010

Where:
Loews Miami Beach Hotel; Miami, Fla.

Contact/Press Registration:
Natalie Poole
(267) 646-0619
natalie.poole@aacr.org
www.aacr.org/page21551.aspx

Follow us on Twitter: @AACR #AACR
Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/aacr.org

AACR Hosts Molecular Diagnostics Conference in Denver, Colo.

registration@aacr.org () — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 12:00:00 GMT

PREMIER INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE WILL HIGHLIGHT BREAKTHROUGHS IN DIAGNOSIS AND PATIENT MANAGEMENT IN AN ERA OF PERSONALIZED MEDICINE
DENVER, COLO. — SEPT. 27-30, 2010

What:
As scientists understand more about a tumor’s underlying biology, personalized medicine is emerging as the new patient management paradigm.

This year, the American Association for Cancer Research will host its fourth Molecular Diagnostics in Cancer Therapeutic Development: Challenges and Horizons conference at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel in Denver, Colo. This meeting regularly draws representatives from academia and industry to discuss the latest in diagnostic tools and emerging therapies.

Findings presented at this year’s meeting will include:

new data on phase III kidney cancer drugs in development;
emerging microRNA research on bladder cancer and lung cancer;
new techniques for capturing and measuring circulating tumor cells;
better measurements of prostate-specific antigen post-surgery in people with prostate cancer;
more effective screening in the human papillomavirus era; and,
nanotechnology techniques for hematologic malignancies.

To help you plan your coverage of the conference, the program schedule is available online at www.aacr.org/diagnostics2010, and an electronic press kit containing the press releases and selected abstracts will be available on Sept. 20, 2010, via EurekAlert, Newswise and to members of the media registered through the AACR Communications Department.

When:
Sept. 27-30, 2010

Where:
Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel; Denver, Colo.

Contact/Press Registration:
Natalie Poole
(267) 646-0619
natalie.poole@aacr.org
www.aacr.org/page21932.aspx

Follow us on Twitter: @AACR #AACR
Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/aacr.org

# # #

AACR Rings Opening Bell at NASDAQ Stock Market

registration@aacr.org () — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 12:00:00 GMT

PHILADELPHIA – The American Association for Cancer Research's Chief Executive Officer, Margaret Foti, Ph.D., M.D. (h.c.), along with other AACR representatives, rang the opening bell at the NASDAQ Stock Market on Tuesday, August 3, signaling the start of the day’s trading. The ceremony was broadcast live on a seven-story video tower in New York City’s Times Square, and streamed live on the Internet. Watch a video of the event.

“We are delighted to have this extraordinary opportunity to ring the opening bell of the NASDAQ Stock Market and thereby raise the public’s awareness about the vital role that research plays in saving lives from cancer,” said Foti. “This is an exciting time for cancer research. The pace of cutting-edge breakthroughs in the cancer field is very impressive, but more work needs to be done to bring these discoveries to patients everywhere. Scientific research is critical to treating and preventing the more than 200 diseases we call cancer, and it is thrilling that we are able to share this important message with the financial community and the public.”

NASDAQ is the world’s largest stock exchange company, listing more than 3,600 companies around the globe.

View pictures of the event:

Download the photo above.

Download additional photos:

Members of the AACR outside the video tower.
Members of the AACR inside the NASDAQ Stock Market.

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 32,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowship and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 17,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists. CR provides a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Follow the AACR on Twitter: @AACR
Follow the AACR on Facebook: facebook.com/aacr.org

Media Contact:
Michele Leiberman
(267) 646-0622
michele.leiberman@aacr.org

New Lab Test Could Identify Imatinib Resistance

registration@aacr.org () — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Imatinib is the standard of care for chronic myeloid leukemia.
• Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) may identify resistance.
• FRET allows for more accurate treatment management.

PHILADELPHIA — Scientists in Japan may have developed a way to accurately predict those patients who will resist treatment with imatinib, which is the standard of care for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML).

Results are published in Clinical Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

Imatinib, currently sold as Gleevec by Novartis, revolutionized the treatment of leukemia when it was approved in 2001. Yet imatinib comes with its own set of problems, chiefly resistance. Although resistance is relatively rare, occurring among 2 percent and 10 percent depending on the definition, it can cause unwanted problems both biologically and psychologically.

New drugs under development for the treatment of CML often tout their ability to overcome imatinib resistance, but determining who will develop resistance remains a challenge.

At the Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Yusuke Ohba, M.D., Ph.D., an associate professor, and colleagues tested the feasibility of a fluorescence resonance energy transfer biosensor in measuring the activity of leukemia cells.

“Using this test, we are now able to identify and predict the most suitable treatment option for individual chronic myeloid leukemia patients,” said Ohba. “This technique is both sensitive and practical to use; it is especially useful for patients who are in relapse, a case in which the clinician’s important decision regarding the next step in treatment must be made quickly and accurately.”

Working with laboratory cells, the researchers developed a series of assays that measured protein levels and known activity markers within CML lines. Using these measurements, they were able to identify not only the drug-resistant cells within the cultures, but also accurately determine the next therapeutic option, including dose escalation, combination therapy or second generation inhibitors.

“The most critical issue in dealing with imatinib resistance is what to switch over to,” said Ohba. “If the patient is switched to another drug to which they are also resistant, then the treatment will just be a waste of time and detrimental to the patient’s condition.”

In an accompanying editorial also published in Clinical Cancer Research, Yingxiao Wang, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the bioengineering department at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, said this study is a “pioneer work.”

“The entire cancer community is talking about personalized medicine, and key to that is knowing when an individual person will have a unique response,” said Wang. “This project is an important step forward.”

The trial was funded by the Japanese government, and none of the authors had a conflict of interest. The test is not available clinically in the United States.

Subscribe to the AACR RSS news feed
Subscribe to Clinical Cancer Research RSS feed

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 31,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowship and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 17,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists. CR provides a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org

Abnormal Circulating Cells in Lung Cancer Patients: Possible New Technique for Identification

registration@aacr.org () — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 12:00:00 GMT

AACR Hosted Teleconference on July 22, 2010, at 1:00 p.m. ET.
(Recording of the teleconference available below)

PHILADELPHIA — Researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center are testing a new technique for identifying circulating genetically abnormal cells, which can lead to poor prognosis, in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

These genetically abnormal cells are most likely circulating tumor cells, shed from a malignant tumor. Increased numbers of these cells were associated with relapse of disease and poorer survival, according to study results.

Identifying these cells using the current FDA-approved test is quite challenging because the current test, which is based on an antibody that adheres to the surface of circulating epithelial cells, is not very sensitive.

In a study published in Clinical Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, Ruth L. Katz, M.D., professor of pathology at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, and her colleagues used a fluorescence in situ hybridization method for detection of genetically abnormal cells, without resorting to antibody capture. They found that patients with non-small cell lung cancer had significantly higher levels of circulating abnormal cells than controls, and the numbers of abnormal cells increased with the stage of disease.

The AACR hosted a teleconference to discuss these findings and the wider issue of circulating tumor cells in cancer research on Thursday, July 22, 2010, at 1:00 p.m. ET.

Roy Herbst, M.D., Ph.D., chief of the section of thoracic medical oncology at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, and a senior editor of Clinical Cancer Research, hosted the teleconference.

The following panelists participated:

Ruth L. Katz, M.D., professor of pathology at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center:

"The numbers of genetically abnormal cells in the bloodstream of lung cancer patients were far more than we had originally expected. Similar genetic abnormalities were also found to be present in the malignant cells from the patients' lung cancers, and there were more abnormal blood cells in advanced-stage disease compared to early-stage disease."

Fred R. Hirsch, M.D., Ph.D., professor of medicine and pathology at the University of Colorado Cancer Center:

"Circulating tumor cells, or genetically abnormal cells, are shed from the tumor or its microenvironment and out into the bloodstream. Although this particular technique will need validation in a larger patient subset, these are very encouraging results that provide us with a framework for moving forward."

Minetta Liu, M.D., director of the Translational Breast Cancer Research Program at the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at Georgetown University:

"This paper is an excellent example of our efforts to personalize cancer therapeutics. An increased understanding of the nature and origins of circulating tumor cells will enable us to better assess their significance and impact. This, in turn, will improve our ability to manage patients with malignancies."

Listen to a recording of the teleconference:

Download* the mp3 of the teleconference (6.4 MB, 27 minutes and 30 seconds)

*On a PC, right mouse click on the "Download" link and select "Save link as..." in Firefox or "Save Target as..." in Internet Explorer.

Subscribe to the AACR RSS News Feed
Subscribe to the Clinical Cancer Research RSS feed

Learn more about circulating tumor cells

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world's oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 31,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowship and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 17,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists. CR provides a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org

Fish Oil May Reduce Risk of Breast Cancer

registration@aacr.org () — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Reduction of 32 percent seen in a prospective cohort study.

• Fish oil was previously shown to decrease heart disease risk.
• Randomized, controlled trial planned at Harvard University.

PHILADELPHIA — A recent report in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, adds to the growing evidence that fish oil supplements may play a role in preventing chronic disease.

Researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Wash., led by Emily White, Ph.D., a member of the public health sciences division, asked 35,016 postmenopausal women who did not have a history of breast cancer to complete a 24-page questionnaire about their use of non-vitamin, non-mineral “specialty” supplements in the Vitamins and Lifestyle (VITAL) cohort study.

After six years of follow-up, 880 cases of breast cancer were identified using the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results registry.

Regular use of fish oil supplements, which contain high levels of the omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, was linked with a 32 percent reduced risk of breast cancer. The reduction in risk appeared to be restricted to invasive ductal breast cancer, the most common type of the disease.

The use of other specialty supplements, many of which are commonly taken by women to treat symptoms of menopause, was not associated with breast cancer risk.

This research is the first to demonstrate a link between the use of fish oil supplements and a reduction in breast cancer. Studies of dietary intake of fish or omega-3 fatty acids have not been consistent.

“It may be that the amount of omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil supplements are higher than most people would typically get from their diet,” White said.

However, White cautioned against gleaning any recommendations from the results of one study.

“Without confirming studies specifically addressing this,” she said, “we should not draw any conclusions about a causal relationship.”

Edward Giovannucci, M.D., Sc.D., professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health and an editorial board member of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, agreed.

“It is very rare that a single study should be used to make a broad recommendation,” said Giovannucci. “Over a period of time, as the studies confirm each other, we can start to make recommendations.”

Still, fish oil continues to excite many, as evidence emerges about its protective effect on cardiovascular disease and now cancer.

Harvard researchers are currently enrolling patients for the randomized Vitamin D and Omega-3 Trial (also called VITAL), which will assess the impact of fish oil supplements and vitamin D on cancer, heart disease and stroke.

The researchers plan to enroll 20,000 U.S. men aged 60 years and older and women aged 65 years and older who do not have a history of these diseases and have never taken supplements.

Recruitment for this National Institutes of Health funded study began in January, and more information can be found at www.vitalstudy.org.

Subscribe to the Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention RSS Feed
Subscribe to the AACR RSS News Feed

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 31,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowship and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 17,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists. CR provides a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org

Nominations Open for 2010 AACR-Prevent Cancer Foundation Award for Excellence in Cancer Prevention Research

registration@aacr.org () — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 12:00:00 GMT

PHILADELPHIA — The American Association for Cancer Research is currently accepting nominations for the prestigious 2010 AACR-Prevent Cancer Foundation Award for Excellence in Cancer Prevention Research.

This award, now in its ninth year, recognizes an individual scientist residing in any country, for his or her seminal contributions to the field of cancer prevention. Such investigations must have been conducted in the basic, translational, clinical, epidemiological or behavioral science disciplines of cancer prevention research. These studies must have had a major impact in the field of cancer prevention and have stimulated new directions in this important area.

The awardee will receive a $5,000 honorarium and present a 50-minute lecture at the Ninth Annual AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research. The conference will be held Nov. 7-10, 2010, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, Pa. Support will be given to the recipient and a guest to attend the conference.

Nominations must be submitted online at https://proposalcentral.altum.com no later than Friday, July 30, 2010.

The 2009 recipient, Mark W. Schiffman, M.D., M.P.H, a senior investigator in the division of cancer epidemiology and genetics at the National Cancer Institute, was recognized for his outstanding research on the mechanisms of cervical carcinogenesis based on a model of infection with the human papillomaviruses (HPV). Schiffman created and directs one of the top research units worldwide on HPV and cervical cancer. His research is an example of interdisciplinary science involving collaborations between and among molecular biologists, virologists, geneticists, vaccinologists, diagnosticians, clinicians, epidemiologists and public health scientists to understand the causes of cervical cancer and reduce its burden as the second leading cause of cancer among women worldwide.

For more information on eligibility criteria, the nomination process and other details about the AACR-Prevent Cancer Foundation Award for Excellence in Cancer Prevention Research, visit www.aacr.org/ScientificAwards or contact Monique P. Eversley at monique.eversley@aacr.org.

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 31,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowship and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 17,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists. CR provides a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Michele Leiberman
(267) 646-0622
michele.leiberman@aacr.org

AACR Congratulates Edwin A. Mirand, Ph.D., D.Sc., on Receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award

registration@aacr.org () — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT

PHILADELPHIA — The American Association for Cancer Research congratulates Edwin A. Mirand, Ph.D., D.Sc., vice president emeritus for educational affairs and senior advisor to Roswell Park Cancer Institute President and CEO Donald L. Trump, M.D., on receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award from the institute.

"Dr. Edwin Mirand has had an incredible impact on the cancer research field, providing leadership and sage advice for many years on both science and public policy," said Margaret Foti, Ph.D., M.D. (h.c.), chief executive officer of the AACR. "It is most fitting that he should receive a lifetime achievement award from his institution for these amazing contributions to the great cancer centers in the U.S. and to the cancer field as a whole. AACR is proud to have him as a friend, colleague and esteemed active member since 1954."

In the early 1970s, Mirand and colleagues developed the first public cancer education program, called the CAN-DIAL information telephone line. He also played an instrumental role in getting the National Cancer Act of 1971 signed into law, which made cancer research a high national priority. As a researcher, Mirand has made noteworthy contributions to the fields of viral carcinogenesis, erythropoiesis and gnotobiology, and developed the Hauschka-Mirand ICR germ-free mouse strain.

Mirand was appointed director of Roswell Park Cancer Institute’s Springville Laboratories in 1951. He went on to lead its departments of biology, viral oncology and biological resources and its laboratories in West Seneca, N.Y., while establishing and expanding the institute’s education programs. He developed what would become the world’s longest-running summer program in cancer research for gifted and talented high school and college students.

"Dr. Mirand has been part of the fabric of Roswell Park Cancer Institute for nearly 60 years," said Trump. "He helped to build and to lead the Institute at key points in its history, playing a critical role in planning and decision-making that ultimately benefited people far outside our immediate reach. Dr. Mirand has made incalculable contributions worldwide, and his lifelong commitment to Roswell Park, its patients and its mission is exemplary."

Mirand has served as president of the Association for Gnotobiotics and the International Society of Gnotobiology, secretary-treasurer of the American Association of Cancer Institutes (AACI), and secretary-general of the International Union Against Cancer (UICC) 13th International Cancer Congress, held in Seattle, Wash., in 1982.

A Buffalo native and resident, Mirand is a graduate of the University at Buffalo, where he earned an undergraduate degree in biology and chemistry and a master’s degree in biology. He graduated from Syracuse University in 1951 with a doctor of philosophy in medical science.

Among the many awards and honors Mirand has received are the Billings Medal in Science from the American Medical Association, in 1963; the Merit Award from the UICC, in 1982; and the Special Recognition Award from the AACI, in 2004. He holds honorary doctorates from Niagara University and D’Youville College.

Watch Roswell Park Cancer Institute’s video tribute to Mirand.

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 31,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowship and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 17,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists. CR provides a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Michele Leiberman
(267) 646-0622
michele.leiberman@aacr.org

Philadelphia Breast Cancer Ambassador Selected for National Television Appearance

registration@aacr.org () — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT

PHILADELPHIA — Glynis Rhodes, a meetings associate at the American Association for Cancer Research here in Philadelphia, is among 25 women with breast cancer selected by Living Beyond Breast Cancer (LBBC) to appear on national television as part of the White House | Black Market October Breast Cancer Awareness Catalog and awareness campaign.

"I am happy to be selected for the White House | Black Market October Breast Cancer Awareness Catalog, and to be able to help others live beyond breast cancer," said Rhodes. "Cancer never leaves you. I no longer think of myself as a survivor because I am not. I am a person living with cancer and its effects. But while I have life, I have decided to live it – taking every bit of joy I can find in each day."

Rhodes was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007, at age 46. She underwent surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, and has been in remission for the past three years. Rhodes draws on her experience to advise the newly-diagnosed, as well as friends and family members who are trying to assist a loved one.

Rhodes will appear on the CBS Early Show on July 1, 2010. While in New York, she will have a professional fashion shoot, complete with hair, make-up, wardrobe and a White House | Black Market gift card.

White House | Black Market supports Living Beyond Breast Cancer, each year designing a special Give Hope Collection. To date, White House | Black Market and its customers have donated more than $1 million to LBBC. This contest marks the clothing store’s 25th anniversary.

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 31,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowship and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 17,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists. CR provides a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Michele Leiberman
(267) 646-0622
michele.leiberman@aacr.org

Counseling Increased Mammography Use Among Low-income Women with Health Insurance

registration@aacr.org () — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Low-income women are often faced with competing priorities.
• Family income was approximately $7,000 annually.

PHILADELPHIA — Even with health insurance, low-income women had lower rates of mammography screening than middle-class women, but a counseling program increased the likelihood of screening.

“Health insurance is a necessary condition for screening, but it is apparently not a sufficient condition,” said Nasar Ahmed, Ph.D., chair of epidemiology and biostatistics at the Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work at Florida International University.

Ahmed was the lead researcher on a recent report published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, which sought to determine the best way to increase compliance among low-income women.

The researchers identified 2,357 women who were non-compliant with their mammography screening, and randomly assigned them to one of three groups. The first group acted as a control, while the second group consisted of those who received a formal letter from their managed care organization reminding them of the need for screening. The third group received a second letter from their primary physician and, if still non-compliant, counseling from lay health workers.

The women in the trial had an average age of 53 years; 45 percent of the target population was white, 12 percent was Hispanic and 43 percent was black. Participants’ annual family income was about $7,000 and all had health insurance for the previous five years.

Despite having health insurance, however, the screening rate in the control population was only 13.4 percent.

For the women who received a letter from their managed care organization, the rate increased to 16.1 percent.

The largest increase was for the women in the personal counseling group, where the rate was 27.1 percent, still well below general population rates. A letter from their primary care physician increased the likelihood of screening by 80 percent, while personal counseling tripled the rate of screening.

James Marshall, Ph.D., professor of oncology at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute, and a senior editor of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, said this study shows how low-income populations have challenges that go beyond mere finances.

“A middle-class person can hop in their car and go to the clinic. How does a low-income woman find someone to watch her kids and find the transportation?” said Marshall. “Also, middle-class people take the culture of bureaucracy for granted, but it can be intimidating for low-income people.”

Marshall said Roswell Park has programs where lay health counselors go into area churches to reach minority, low-income women and they have found that process to be effective. In addition, Roswell Park has instituted a special navigator program for patients.

“A person from the community can make all the difference in the message,” said Marshall, who was not associated with this report.

Subscribe to the Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention RSS Feed
Subscribe to the AACR RSS News Feed

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 31,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowship and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 17,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists. CR provides a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org

AACR Receives Four Telly Awards for “It’s Our Time” Video

registration@aacr.org () — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT

PHILADELPHIA — The American Association for Cancer Research’s “It’s Our Time” video, which premiered at the AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010, has been selected as the recipient of four Telly Awards.

“We are honored that this video has won four Telly Awards,” said Margaret Foti, Ph.D., M.D. (h.c.), chief executive officer of the AACR. “This video was envisioned by Program Chairperson of the Annual Meeting, Dr. Frank McCormick, and AACR President, Tyler Jacks, with significant contributions from our esteemed video committee. It received an enthusiastic reception when it premiered at the Opening Plenary Session of the Annual Meeting, and inspires not only scientists, but also all those interested in and dedicated to the fight against cancer.”

This dynamic, five-minute video details the striking statistics on the progress and promise of cancer research. A silver (highest honor) award in the category of Charitable/Not-for Profit and three bronze awards in the categories of Education, Motivational, and Use of Animation were presented to the AACR for this video.

“It’s Our Time” aims to inspire further innovation and progress against this insidious disease by AACR members, patient advocates and the public, with the clear message that “Cancer Research Saves Lives.”

The Telly Awards honor the very best local, regional and cable television commercials and programs, as well as the finest video and film productions and work created for the web. Since 1978, its mission has been to strengthen the visual arts community by inspiring, promoting and supporting creativity. The 31st Annual Telly Awards received more than 11,000 entries.

The video has attracted more than 10,000 views on YouTube.

Watch it here.

Subscribe to the AACR RSS News Feed

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 31,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowship and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 17,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists. CR provides a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Michele Leiberman
(267) 646-0622
michele.leiberman@aacr.org

AACR Recognizes One-year Anniversary of Tobacco Law and the Additional Provisions Taking Effect Today; Calls for More Research to Combat Tobacco Epidemic

registration@aacr.org () — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The American Association for Cancer Research recognizes the first anniversary of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, which was signed into law by President Obama on June 22, 2009.

The law empowered the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to regulate the marketing, advertising and manufacturing of tobacco products. Provisions that go into effect today include restrictions on youth access to tobacco products, enhanced warning labels on smokeless tobacco products, and a ban on the use of deceptive terms such as “light” or “mild.”

“While most people know that cigarette smoking causes cancer, we need to do a far better job of educating the public about the risks of all tobacco products,” said Margaret Foti, Ph.D., M.D. (h.c.), chief executive officer of the AACR. “In fact, there is sufficient scientific evidence to causally link tobacco use to cancers at 18 different organ sites. For example, smokeless tobacco alone can cause cancer of the mouth, esophagus and pancreas, and new smokeless tobacco labels will help to deliver that message.”

Starting today, smokeless tobacco product labels must be larger, and incorporate messages including that smokeless tobacco is addictive and can cause mouth cancer.

“With nearly a third of all cancer deaths caused by tobacco use, it is imperative that the research community come together to support the FDA in its efforts to establish a science-based framework for evaluating the harms caused by tobacco products,” said Chairperson of the AACR Task Force on Tobacco and Cancer Roy S. Herbst, M.D., Ph.D., professor of medicine and chief of the section of thoracic medical oncology at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. “To fully combat the tobacco epidemic, more research is needed across the spectrum of tobacco use and attendant disease, from tobacco control — prevention of initiation, fostering cessation, and countering addiction — to preventing, treating and curing tobacco-related disease.”

“Tobacco is the single most preventable cause of premature death in the United States, and I am delighted that the AACR is fully committed to working with the global community to reach the ultimate goal of a tobacco-free world,” said AACR President Elizabeth H. Blackburn, Ph.D., Morris Herzstein professor of biology and physiology in the department of biochemistry and biophysics at the University of California, San Francisco.

On April 13, 2010, the AACR issued an urgent call for immediate action to stem the global tide of tobacco-related death and suffering and to improve public health in a comprehensive policy statement on tobacco and cancer published in Cancer Research, a journal of the AACR. The statement is free and is available at http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/70/9/3419.full.pdf+html.

Read more about the AACR Task Force on Tobacco and Cancer.

Subscribe to the AACR RSS News Feed

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 31,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowship and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 17,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists. CR provides a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Michele Leiberman
(267) 646-0622
michele.leiberman@aacr.org

Coffee May Protect Against Head and Neck Cancers

registration@aacr.org () — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT

The embargo has been lifted on the AACR press release: “Coffee May Protect Against Head and Neck Cancers,” due to a violation by Drug Discovery and Development and the Sci-Tech Heretic blog. Reporters may post their stories effective immediately.

• Caffeinated coffee protected against oral cavity, pharyngeal cancers.
• Regular coffee drinkers had a 39 percent decreased risk of cancer.

PHILADELPHIA — Data on the effects of coffee on cancer risk have been mixed. However, results of a recent study add to the brewing evidence that drinking coffee protects against cancer, this time against head and neck cancer.

Full study results are published online first in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

Using information from a pooled-analysis of nine studies collected by the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology (INHANCE) consortium, participants who were regular coffee drinkers, that is, those who drank an estimated four or more cups a day, compared with those who were non-drinkers, had a 39 percent decreased risk of oral cavity and pharynx cancers combined.

Data on decaffeinated coffee was too sparse for detailed analysis, but indicated no increased risk. Tea intake was not associated with head and neck cancer risk.

The association is more reliable among those who are frequent, regular coffee drinkers, consuming more than four cups of coffee a day.

“Since coffee is so widely used and there is a relatively high incidence and low survival rate of these forms of cancers, our results have important public health implications that need to be further addressed,” said lead researcher Mia Hashibe, Ph.D., assistant professor in the department of family and preventive medicine at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, and a Huntsman Cancer Institute investigator.

“What makes our results so unique is that we had a very large sample size, and since we combined data across many studies, we had more statistical power to detect associations between cancer and coffee,” she said.

At the AACR Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference last December, researchers from Harvard presented data that showed a strong inverse association between coffee consumption and the risk of lethal and advanced prostate cancers — men who drank the most coffee had a 60 percent lower risk of aggressive prostate cancer than men who did not drink any coffee.

More recently, results of another study published in the January issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention showed a decreased risk of gliomas, or brain tumors, associated with coffee. This association was found among those who drank five or more cups of coffee or tea a day, according the researchers from the Imperial College, London.

Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention editorial board member Johanna W. Lampe, Ph.D., R.D., believes this current analysis by Hashibe and colleagues provides strong, additional evidence for an association between caffeinated coffee drinking and cancer risk.

“The fact that this was seen for oral and pharyngeal cancers, but not laryngeal cancers, provides some evidence as to a possible specificity of effect,” said Lampe, who is a full member and associate division director in the division of public health sciences at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle., Wash.

“These findings provide further impetus to pursue research to understand the role of coffee in head and neck cancer prevention,” she added. Lampe is not associated with this study.

Additional research is warranted to characterize the importance of timing and duration of exposure and possible mechanisms of action, according to Hashibe.

Subscribe to the Cancer Research RSS Feed
Subscribe to the AACR RSS News Feed

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 31,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowship and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 17,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists. CR provides a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Tara Yates
(267) 646-0558
tara.yates@aacr.org

BRAF Inhibitor Shows Promising Preclinical Activity Against Melanoma

registration@aacr.org () — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Phase III trial currently enrolling
• Clear tumor regression seen in preclinical models
• No increased toxicity observed

PHILADELPHIA — Preclinical findings recently published in Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, showed RG7204 (PLX4032) inhibited proliferation of tumor cell lines that expressed V600E-BRAF, a mutation found in several human cancers, including melanoma.

The compound also showed partial or complete tumor regression and improved survival in a dose-dependent manner in preclinical efficacy models in rodents, without associated toxicity.

BRAF mutations are found in about 8 percent of all solid tumors but in about 50 percent of melanomas.

“Patients with advanced melanoma currently do not have a lot of options. There are some therapies, but the response rates are very low. Based on this promising preclinical data, we believe this compound merits further study in patients with advanced melanoma,” said Dave Heimbrook, Ph.D., global head of discovery oncology at Roche and one of the study authors.

The Cancer Research paper is the first published report of RG7204, which shows tumor regressions in preclinical models. Roche and Plexxikon scientists and their academic collaborators have presented Phase I clinical data at medical meetings.

William Pao, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of medicine, cancer biology and pathology at Vanderbilt University, said this preclinical research represents a significant step forward in establishing a basis for additional study in melanoma patients.

“This drug will have an impact,” said Pao. “The response rates with currently available therapies are only in the 10 percent to 20 percent range, so this represents a large step forward.”

Pao, a senior editor with Cancer Research, was not involved with the study and has no financial relationship with Roche.

Clinical studies are in progress with RG7204 (PLX4032). A Phase II trial has completed enrollment and a Phase III trial is currently enrolling patients. For this study, Roche is actively recruiting patients who have previously untreated metastatic melanoma with the V600E BRAF mutation. More information can be found at www.roche-trials.com.

Subscribe to the Cancer Research RSS feed

Subscribe to the AACR RSS News Feed

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 31,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowship and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 17,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists. CR provides a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org

Combined BRAF-targeted and Immunotherapy Shows Promise for Melanoma Treatment

registration@aacr.org () — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Oncogenic BRAF contributes to immune escape in melanoma.

• MAPK pathway inhibition can release suppression.
• BRAF inhibition improves T-cell immune response against cancer.

PHILADELPHIA — Combined targeted therapy against the BRAF/MAPK pathway with immunotherapy shows promise as a new therapeutic approach for the treatment of melanoma, according to results of a preclinical study published in Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

“Our results provide preclinical evidence for the rational combination of BRAF-targeted therapy and immunotherapy in the treatment of this most dangerous type of skin cancer,” said lead researcher Jennifer A. Wargo, M.D., division of surgical oncology at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston.

“By blocking the oncogenic BRAF, tumor antigen expression may be restored. This would make the melanoma tumors susceptible to strategies incorporating immunotherapy,” she said.

Previous studies have shown that melanoma treatment with selective BRAF inhibitors are very effective and result in a high initial response rate, but the response is temporary. An alternative approach would be to combine other agents and extend the duration of treatment response.

Using biopsies of melanoma tumors, the researchers investigated the effects of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway inhibition vs. selective inhibition of BRAF-V600E on T-cell function.

Inhibition of the MAPK pathway with a specific inhibitor of BRAF-V600E resulted in increased expression of antigens, which was associated with improved recognition by antigen-specific T-cell. T-cell function was not compromised after treatment with BRAF-V600E.

Mario Colombo, Ph.D., director of molecular immunology at the Italian National Cancer Institute and senior editor for Cancer Research, said these results advance cancer research by offering new arguments to sustain the combination of selective targeted therapy with immunotherapy.

“This study shows the need for considering the effect of off-targeted drug therapy on the many aspects of host immune response to make real the combination of chemo- and immunotherapy,” Colombo said. “It also prompts the idea of performing vaccination in the attempt to eradicate the disease and prevent recurrence.”

Several clinical trials are underway using agents that selectively inhibit BRAF-V600E in patients with metastatic melanoma. These studies have shown impressive response rates, though durability of response remains an issue, according to Wargo.

Results of this study provide a basis for combining this type of therapy with immunotherapy, with the goal of improving durability of responses.

Subscribe to the Cancer Research RSS Feed

Subscribe to the AACR RSS News Feed

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 31,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowship and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 17,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists. CR provides a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Tara Yates
(267) 646-0558
tara.yates@aacr.org

Psychological Intervention Provides Enduring Health Benefits for Women with Breast Cancer

registration@aacr.org () — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Intervention improves survival rates following breast cancer recurrence.
• Benefits were evident years after intervention ended.

PHILADELPHIA — Stress-reducing psychological intervention helps to increase survival and quality of life among women with recurrent breast cancer over the long-term, according to results of Phase III study published in Clinical Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

"Patients in the intervention arm evidenced significant emotional improvement and more favorable immune responses in the year following recurrence diagnosis. In contrast, stress remained unabated and immunity significantly declined in the assessment-only group," said lead researcher Barbara L. Andersen, Ph.D., professor in the department of psychology at the Ohio State University, Columbus, and a researcher at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute.

Psychological stress leads to disruptions in quality of life, health behaviors and immunity, all of which contribute to poorer health outcomes.

In a previously conducted study, The Stress and Immunity Breast Cancer Project, Andersen and colleagues reported that after an average of 11 years of follow-up, women who received psychological intervention had a 45 percent reduced risk of breast cancer recurrence, demonstrating positive effects. For this follow-up, they tested the same hypothesis with the endpoint being death from breast cancer.

Participants included 227 women with newly diagnosed Stage II or III breast cancer; they were randomized to receive a psychological intervention or assessment only. Psychological intervention included the following clinical objectives for patients: understand the nature of cancer stress; learn tangible ways to reduce stress and improve quality of life; maintain adherence and follow-up to cancer care; enhance communication with medical care providers; increase well-being during treatment, facilitate recovery and improve overall health.

During follow-up, 62 women were diagnosed with recurrent breast cancer. After recurrence, women who had earlier received the psychological intervention had a 59 percent reduction in the risk of dying of breast cancer.

According to Andersen, these results "show enduring benefits from the psychological intervention that were never previously considered or observed," and suggest that the intervention's mechanisms affected patients' risks for recurrence and for breast cancer death.

"Survival advantages occurred above and beyond the improvements from state-of-the-science oncology treatments received at an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center," Andersen said. "An empirically supported psychological intervention for cancer patients can yield robust gains of enduring quality, and ones that may include important health benefits."

Sarah Gehlert, Ph.D., E. Desmond Lee professor of racial and ethnic diversity, The Brown School, Washington University, St. Louis, said the results of this study are unique because they provide longitudinal evidence of the benefits of psychological intervention in this study population, and are based on a solid theoretical base.

"We currently have few empirically supported psychosocial interventions for use with women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer," she said. "An intervention that increased survival would be incredibly valuable. It represents a new tool for improving the lives of women with breast cancer."

Gehlert, who is not affiliated with this study, believes this research will provide a template for future health services research in breast cancer.

"Dr. Andersen's intervention provides a strong model for translation in breast cancer research," she said. "These results are extremely heartening, because it shows that a psychological intervention can have long-term positive effects."

Subscribe to the Clinical Cancer Research RSS feed

Subscribe to the AACR RSS News Feed

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world's oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 31,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowship and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 17,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists. CR provides a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Tara Yates
(267) 646-0558
tara.yates@aacr.org

CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium Abstract Submission Deadline June 21

registration@aacr.org () — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT

SAN ANTONIO — The deadline for submitting abstracts to the 33rd Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium is June 21, 2010, at 11:59 p.m. CT.

The symposium invites abstracts of proffered papers on the experimental biology, etiology, prevention, diagnosis and therapy of breast cancer and premalignant breast disease. Abstracts will be showcased at the meeting as either oral or poster presentations and published in a special supplement to Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

The following scholarships are available for qualified recipients. Applications are due on June 21, 2010, and more information can be found at: http://sabcs.org/AbstractSubmission/Submissions.asp.

SABCS Clinical Scholars
SABCS Basic Science Scholars
AACR International Scholars
AACR Translational Research Scholars
AACR Minority Scholars

The 33rd annual symposium will be held Dec. 8-12, 2010, at the Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center in San Antonio.

Last year, nearly 1,200 abstracts were presented at the symposium, which drew 8,500 scientists and other professionals from 92 countries. To submit an abstract, please visit www.sabcs.org.

Subscribe to the AACR RSS News Feed

# # #

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org

AACR Welcomes Mary Lee Watts, Director of Government Relations

registration@aacr.org () — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT

PHILADELPHIA — The American Association for Cancer Research welcomes Mary Lee Watts, director of government relations. Based in Washington, D.C., Watts will provide direction and support for the AACR's national legislative policy activities and priorities, and serve as a liaison for the AACR on Capitol Hill, among federal agencies and within the administration.

"We are very fortunate that Mary Lee Watts will be joining our D.C. policy team," said Margaret Foti, Ph.D., M.D. (h.c.), chief executive officer of the AACR. "Her experience developing association public policy positions and federal funding recommendations, and successfully advocating for their adoption before Congress and the executive branch will be of tremendous value."

"I have had the opportunity to work with Mary Lee over the past five years and she is one of the best in D.C.'s biomedical research advocacy community," added Jon Retzlaff, managing director of science policy and government affairs at the AACR. "She has a proven record of combining a working knowledge of the legislative process with an in-depth understanding of science, public health and nutrition."

Watts has worked for the American Society for Nutrition since September 2006, serving as its director for science and public affairs. In that role, she initiated and developed a public policy platform and strategic plan, and advocated the position with federal House and Senate members and staff. Prior to that, she spent more than four years at the American Dietetic Association, where she served as the association's manager for legislative and political affairs.

"I am thrilled to be joining this prestigious organization, especially at such a critical time for science, biomedical research and health care policy," said Watts. "I look forward to advancing the AACR's mission to prevent and cure cancer through public policy and advocacy efforts as part of the Science Policy and Government Affairs team."

Watts has also served as an at-large delegate to the White House Conference on Aging in 2005; as an advisory board member for the American Council for Fitness and Nutrition; and as a member of the American Dietetic Association's Legislative and Public Policy Committee. She holds a Master of Public Health in nutrition from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and bachelor's degree in molecular biology from Vanderbilt University.

Subscribe to the AACR RSS News Feed

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world's oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 31,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowship and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 17,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists. CR provides a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Michele Leiberman
(267) 646-0622
michele.leiberman@aacr.org

Calcium Consumption May Cause Prostate Cancer in Chinese

registration@aacr.org () — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Risk increased by twofold in Chinese men with low BMI.
• Non-dairy foods were the largest contributors of calcium intake.

PHILADELPHIA — Among Chinese men, calcium consumption — even at relatively low levels and from non-dairy food sources such as soy, grains and green vegetables — may increase prostate cancer risk, according to results published in Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

"Our results support the notion that calcium plays a risk in enhancing the role of prostate cancer development," said lead researcher Lesley M. Butler, Ph.D., assistant professor of epidemiology at Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colo. "This study is the first to report an association at such low levels and among primarily non-dairy foods."

Some studies conducted in North American and European populations have linked high consumption of dairy products to an increased risk of prostate cancer. A few studies have suggested that calcium in milk is the causative factor, however the evidence is not clear.

In an Asian diet, non-dairy foods like tofu, grains and vegetables such as broccoli, kale and bok choy are the major contributors of calcium intake. Therefore, Butler and colleagues speculated that people who are exposed to those calcium-rich food sources in an Asian diet may also be at increased risk for prostate cancer.

Using data from the Singapore Chinese Health Study, the researchers evaluated whether dietary calcium increased prostate cancer risk in a population of 27,293 Chinese men aged 45 to 74 years, with low dairy consumption. The study was restricted to men who belonged to two major dialect groups of Chinese people living in Singapore: the Hokkiens and the Cantonese.

The Singapore Chinese Health Study, funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, is a population-based prospective study initiated between 1993 and 1998.

Participants completed a food frequency questionnaire to assess their diet over the past year. Of these men, 298 were diagnosed with incident prostate cancer.

Butler and colleagues at Colorado State University, the National University of Singapore and the University of Minnesota assessed the participant’s diet at baseline. Since it is suggested that calcium is absorbed more so in smaller individuals, the researchers accounted for body mass index (BMI) in this Chinese population.

Results showed a 25 percent increased risk of prostate cancer when comparing those who consumed, on average, 659 mg vs. 211 mg of total calcium a day, according to the study.

Major food sources of calcium in this population consisted of: vegetables (19.3 percent), dairy (17.3 percent), grain products (14.7 percent), soyfoods (11.8 percent), fruit (7.3 percent) and fish (6.2 percent). However, the researchers stress that there was no positive association with prostate cancer risk and any one particular food source.

Among men with less than average BMI (median BMI was 22.9 kg/m²), the researchers found a twofold increased risk of prostate cancer.

"It was somewhat surprising that our finding was consistent with previous studies because nearly all of them were conducted among Western populations with diets relatively high in calcium and primarily from dairy food sources," Butler said.

Edward Giovannucci, M.D., Sc.D., professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health, who is not associated with this study, said these results add more evidence that calcium is a causative factor of prostate cancer.

"However, there are some aspects that require further study," he said. "First, they found an association with relatively low intakes of calcium, whereas most previous studies suggested an association with high intake of calcium. Also, they found an association mostly in lean men, and whether this is true or is a chance finding requires further study."

Additional studies are needed to explore the possible roles of calcium, as opposed to other dairy product components, in prostate cancer progression, Butler stressed.

AACR RSS News Feed

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 31,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowship and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 17,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists. CR provides a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Tara Yates
(267) 646-0558
tara.yates@aacr.org

American Association for Cancer Research has Record-breaking Registration at 101st Annual Meeting

registration@aacr.org () — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT

PHILADELPHIA — The American Association for Cancer Research registered more than 18,000 people from all over the world for its 101st Annual Meeting 2010 in Washington, D.C., which was held April 17-21. Registration increased by 19 percent from the 2009 Annual Meeting in Denver, Colo.

"The face of health care is changing and much of that debate is taking place in Washington, D.C.," said Margaret Foti, Ph.D., M.D. (h.c.), chief executive officer of the AACR. "Hosting our Annual Meeting in the midst of such discussion not only inspired collaborations among scientists that will lead to breakthroughs, but also encouraged the development of new ways to communicate these results to clinicians, patients and the public."

The economic impact of the Annual Meeting on Washington, D.C., and the surrounding area was approximately $30 million. This figure includes the costs of hotels and lodging, food and beverage, the convention center and other related expenses.

Because of the volcanic eruption in Iceland with its plumes of ash, and subsequent flight cancellations throughout Europe, there were nearly 1,000 Annual Meeting registrant cancellations. Approximately eight percent of invited speakers were unable to attend; however, the majority of these speakers presented remotely through teleconference technology, or had a colleague present in their place. Total international attendance accounted for 23 percent of the participants — a decrease of three percent from last year.

"While travel complications caused by the volcanic ash cloud prevented some of our international members from attending, the AACR was able to adapt quickly and deliver a stellar conference with minimal programmatic interruption," said Linda M. Still, CMP, director of meetings and exhibits at the AACR.

The AACR's Annual Meeting attracts leading academic, industry and government laboratory and clinical scientists, as well as students, cancer survivors, patient advocates and other health care professionals. This year, more than 6,000 scientific abstracts were selected for presentation, complementing an outstanding program of scientific and educational events.

The AACR's 102nd Annual Meeting 2011 will be held in Orlando, Fla., from April 2-6.

View video podcasts and listen to teleconferences from the AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010.

Subscribe to the AACR RSS News Feed

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world's oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 31,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowship and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 17,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists. CR provides a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Michele Leiberman
(267) 646-0622
michele.leiberman@aacr.org

Indoor Tanning Beds Increase Risk of Melanoma

registration@aacr.org () — Thu, 27 May 2010 12:00:00 GMT

American Association for Cancer Research Hosted Press Conference on Findings
(recording available below)

• Risk higher than fourfold with some devices
• FDA currently considering a ban on indoor tanning beds among teens

PHILADELPHIA — Use of indoor tanning beds increases risk of melanoma between twofold and fourfold depending on the device and length of time indoor tanning is used, according to a report in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

In the largest study of its kind on this issue, researchers found that among 1,167 melanoma cases and 1,101 healthy controls, those who had tanned indoors had a 74 percent increased risk of melanoma. If the devices emitted primarily UVA radiation, the risk was 4.4-fold.

Risk increased along with greater years of use, number of sessions or total hours of use.

The Food and Drug Administration is currently considering a ban on indoor tanning beds among teenagers. Results from this study suggest the greater risk of melanoma observed among teenagers is more likely due to increased years of tanning rather than biology. Currently, indoor tanning use is much more common among teenage girls and young women than boys or men.

The AACR hosted a press conference on the report on Thursday, May 27 at 11a.m. ET, moderated by Tim Rebbeck, Ph.D., editor-in-chief of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, and professor of epidemiology at the University of Pennsylvania.

The following scientists participated in this press conference:

Lead author DeAnn Lazovich, Ph.D., associate professor of epidemiology and community health in the School of Public Health and Masonic Cancer Center at the University of Minnesota:

“It had been previously thought that those tanning with UVB, rather than UVA, radiation would be at increased risk for melanoma. Our study shows that there is no such thing as a safe device.”

Electra Paskett, Ph.D., associate director for population sciences at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute:

“Too many teenagers tend to live a life ignorant of risk. They believe that because they are not old they will never be old. We need to encourage a shift in social norms about tanning similar to what was done with smoking because the risk is that high.”

Allan Halpern, M.D., chief of the dermatology service at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center:

“We see over 120,000 melanoma cases in the United States every year and over 8,500 deaths. Tanning bed use is definitely one of the factors fueling this epidemic.”

Listen to a recording of the teleconference.

Subscribe to the AACR RSS News Feed
Subscribe to the Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention RSS Feed

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 31,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowship and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 17,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists. CR provides a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org

AACR CEO Margaret Foti, Ph.D., M.D. (h.c.), Receives 2010 Philadelphia Pinnacle Award

registration@aacr.org () — Mon, 24 May 2010 12:00:00 GMT

PHILADELPHIA — The American Association for Cancer Research Chief Executive Officer Margaret Foti, Ph.D., M.D. (h.c.), received the 2010 Philadelphia Pinnacle Award on May 22.

The prestigious award is presented by the Millay Club to Philadelphians who reach the pinnacle of their profession by achieving extraordinary accomplishments in an unassuming way.

Founded in 1982, the Millay Club is the 25,000 member strong alumni association of Southeast Catholic, Bishop Neumann, Saint John Neumann, SS. John Neumann and Saint Maria Goretti Catholic High Schools. Foti is a 1962 graduate of Saint Maria Goretti High School.

"It is an honor to receive the Philadelphia Pinnacle Award," said Foti. "Any success that I have achieved is due in large part to the incredible tutelage and guidance that I received as a young girl at Saint Maria Goretti High School. My Catholic education provided structure and discipline that are the hallmark traits of successful professionals, and I will always be grateful for this extraordinary mentorship."

The Millay Club has established numerous scholarship foundations which, over the years, have enabled the Club to provide grants and scholarships to more than 8,000 students. Proceeds from the Pinnacle Award Gala support the scholarship program.

After graduating from Saint Maria Goretti High School, Foti went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in political science and a master's degree and doctorate in communications from Temple University in Philadelphia. She began her career at the University of Pennsylvania Moore School of Electrical Engineering and three years later attained the position of editorial assistant for Cancer Research at the American Association for Cancer Research. Cancer Research is the most highly cited cancer journal in the world. Foti progressed through several key management roles in scientific publishing to become the youngest managing editor of a major scientific journal in the country. She became chief executive officer of the AACR in 1982.

During Foti's tenure, AACR's membership has grown from about 3,000 to 31,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers, health care professionals, students, cancer survivors and advocates from the United States and more than 90 other countries.

Foti has launched five additional major peer-reviewed journals: Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. All six publications contribute more than 26,000 scientific pages to the cancer literature every year. In 2006, the AACR launched CR, a magazine for cancer survivors, their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists.

Most recently, Foti has led the AACR's scientific partnership of Stand Up To Cancer, a charitable initiative that supports groundbreaking research aimed at getting new cancer treatments to patients in an accelerated time frame. The AACR plays an integral role by providing scientific leadership, expert peer review and grants administration and oversight.

In addition, the AACR convenes more than 20 meetings a year worldwide on timely scientific subjects, and five educational workshops that train basic and clinical scientists.

Foti has received many awards for her contributions to cancer research. In 2009, she won the first Margaret Kripke Legend Award from the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, the European CanCer Organization Lifetime Achievement Award, and received a citation from Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter for her dedication to increasing awareness of the importance of cancer research and for her pivotal role in creating May as National Cancer Research Month. She was the first recipient of an AACR award that was created in her name in 2007.

Additionally, Foti has won the Award of Appreciation from the Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Chairpersons, the Award with Recognition and Appreciation from the Israel Cancer Association, the Italian League Against Cancer Commendation, the Distinguished Service Award from the George Washington University Medical Center's GW Cancer Institute, the Distinguished Service Award from the Association of American Cancer Institutes, the AACR Award for Leadership and Extraordinary Achievements in Cancer Research, the Ville de Paris Award, the Cina del Duca Award for raising public awareness of cancer globally, the Community Caring Award from the William S. Graham Foundation for Melanoma Research and the Special Recognition Award from the American Society of Clinical Oncology for her work in advancing clinical cancer research.

For her work, Foti has also been awarded honorary memberships in the Japanese Cancer Association, the European Association for Cancer Research and the Hungarian Cancer Society. She was awarded an honorary doctorate in medicine and surgery from the University of Rome La Sapienza in 2003, and the University of Catania in Sicily in July 2008. She received a third honorary doctorate in medicine from the University CEU San Pablo, in Madrid in June 2009.

Download a picture of Margaret Foti, Ph.D., M.D. (h.c.).

AACR RSS News Feed

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world's oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 31,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowship and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 17,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists. CR provides a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Michele Leiberman
(267) 646-0622
michele.leiberman@aacr.org

Stand Up To Cancer Returns to Primetime with a Star-studded Broadcast on September 10th

registration@aacr.org () — Wed, 19 May 2010 12:00:00 GMT

LIVE, ONE-HOUR FUNDRAISING EVENT TO AIR SIMULTANEOUSLY ON ABC, CBS AND NBC 8 PM EDT & PDT / 7PM CT

HBO, Discovery Health, E!, MLB Network, The Style Network and Others Joining Effort

Significant Progress Being Made by Cancer Researchers with Funds Raised To Date

Photos/video of today's announcement available at http://ddbtalkvalue.com/stand/

May 19, 2010 (Los Angeles / New York) – Two years after an historic fundraising telecast and the start of a groundbreaking grassroots movement, Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) will return to primetime television on September 10, 2010, at 8PM EDT & PDT / 7PM CT, with a star-studded appeal to build continuing public support and donations for cutting-edge cancer research that translates at a rapid pace from the laboratory to treatments and technologies that benefit patients.

Katie Couric, Diane Sawyer and Brian Williams announced the upcoming show during individual live appearances on CBS's "The Early Show," ABC's "Good Morning America" and NBC's "TODAY" show, respectively. The three network evening news anchors – who will host the September 10th telecast, executive produced by Laura Ziskin – participated in an interview together last week, discussing the upcoming fundraising event as well as the encouraging progress of "Dream Teams" of researchers SU2C has funded to date. Portions of that interview, the first joint appearance by this group of anchors, also aired on the morning shows.

ABC, CBS and NBC are donating one hour of simultaneous commercial-free primetime for the nationally televised September 10th fundraising special, to be telecast from Los Angeles.

Similar to the landmark 2008 broadcast, this year's telecast will feature live performances of legendary recording artists and stars from film, television and sports who will present content providing viewers with insights into cancer. While the broadcast will honor the memory of those taken by the disease, it will focus on surviving cancer – on living a full life after being diagnosed with it. In the United States alone this year, 1.4 million people will be diagnosed with cancer.

HBO, Discovery Health, E!, MLB Network and The Style Network will also carry the show this year, and other networks and cable channels are also expected to join the effort. The program will include calls to donate through designated phone lines, as well as to the standup2cancer.org web site. One hundred percent of all public donations will go directly to cancer research.

The primary goal of SU2C is to raise funds for groundbreaking translational research to accelerate the delivery of new therapies to patients, getting them from the "bench to the bedside" as quickly as possible. SU2C brings together scientists from different disciplines across various institutions to work collaboratively – rather than competitively – at a critical time in the field of cancer research.

"Every day, cancer kills 1,500 Americans – one person every minute," said executive producer Laura Ziskin. "This year, more than 560,000 Americans and eight million people worldwide will succumb to the disease. One in three women and one in two men will be diagnosed in their lifetimes. This is simply unacceptable. Our goal with this telecast is to not only continue to raise funds to accelerate promising research, but also show viewers how their money and individual action will make – and have already made – a difference. The scientists and our nation are poised to break through the final barriers to truly make this the beginning of the end of cancer."

The original SU2C telecast on September 5, 2008 aired on ABC, CBS, NBC and E!, and was viewed in more than 170 countries. Throughout the program, many scientists and celebrities stood together in an unprecedented display of unity to combat cancer, including the late Patrick Swayze, Jennifer Aniston, Rob Lowe, Halle Berry, Ellen DeGeneres, Charles Barkley, Christina Applegate, Lance Armstrong, Tina Fey, Kirsten Dunst, Jack Black, America Ferrera, Neil Patrick Harris, Salma Hayek, Scarlett Johansson, Robin Roberts, Meryl Streep, Forest Whitaker and Abigail Breslin. Musical performers included Sheryl Crow, James Taylor, Melissa Etheridge, and a group that included Beyoncé, Miley Cyrus, Fergie, Carrie Underwood, Mary J. Blige and several other recording artists.

Commenting on SU2C, the evening news anchors said:

"Stand Up To Cancer is a populist movement," explained Katie Couric. "People of all ages are getting involved...Not only people who have cancer or who are dealing with it, but young people who want a cancer-free world in their future – we really think that's finally attainable."

"The broadcast is a way of saying, ‘Together, we can do this' said Diane Sawyer. "And yes, we're losing one person every minute, but 11 million survivors are out there; living proof that this can be done. It will also be an opportunity for everybody to figure out concrete ways that they can do the things that they connect to the most strongly."

"I try to remind people," said Brian Williams, "We won the Second World War, came back from that, and decided to go to the moon. We didn't really break a sweat. And when you think about it, think of all that energy and power we can unleash when we want to…As we said when we first embarked on this, if enough people stand up and say, ‘No, we're not going to do this anymore,' we can do this."

The 2008 telecast helped raise more than $100 million, and more than $83 million has since been committed to five multi-disciplinary "Dream Teams" of researchers from more than 50 institutions, as well as to 13 young innovative scientists who are undertaking high-risk, potentially high-reward projects to end the reign of cancer as a leading cause of death in the world today.

The American Association for Cancer Research is the scientific partner of Stand Up To Cancer. AACR is responsible for administering the grants and providing scientific oversight in conjunction with the SU2C Scientific Advisory Committee, led by Nobel Laureate Phillip A. Sharp, Ph.D., institute professor at the David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with vice chairs: Brian J. Druker, M.D., director of the Oregon Health & Science University Knight Cancer Institute, and Arnold J. Levine, Ph.D., professor at the Institute for Advanced Study and The Cancer Institute of New Jersey.

Collectively, the research underway through the SU2C Dream Team projects has the potential to impact the diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of cancers in adults and children across ethnicities including pancreatic, breast, ovarian, cervical, uterine, brain, lung, prostate, rectal and colon, and leukemia and lymphoma, which represent approximately two thirds (373,300) of all U.S. cancer deaths.

All these projects have the potential to significantly advance the understanding of the complex mechanisms that cause cancers to occur and spread; to lead to the development of a new generation of targeted therapies, more improved and less toxic cancer treatments, including difficult to treat cancers; and to improve the methods of diagnosing cancers and monitoring the effects of treatment.

"For people struggling with this disease, or those who will be diagnosed, scientific breakthroughs can be a matter of life or death – literally. We want everyone to know that they can make a difference in this fight," said Sherry Lansing, SU2C co-founder, who also established the Sherry Lansing Foundation and is Chair of the Entertainment Industry Foundation Board of Directors. "From the person who can give five dollars to the philanthropist who can give millions, we are all connected to the devastation that cancer causes in our families, and together, we can Stand Up to end it."

The SU2C funding model has fostered collaboration and innovation, and the unprecedented sharing of ideas and pooling of resources across institutions. Less than one year after the announcement, all five Dream Teams have clinical trials planned or at various stages of development. The September 10th broadcast will highlight examples of the Dream Teams' progress to date, including:

• The Epigenetics Dream Team: Recently, scientists and researchers discovered the epigenome, which is the material surrounding DNA. When this material behaves badly, it sends inaccurate signals and actually causes cancer. Manipulating this epigenetic material or reversing how it's behaving can attack the cancer itself. This SU2C Dream Team tested a combination of drugs in preliminary, Phase I clinical trials and saw tumors shrink in a group of patients with small cell lung cancer, who had previously been treated, unsuccessfully, with three different chemotherapy regimens. The Dream Team is enrolling patients in the first Phase II clinical trial of epigenetic drugs to confirm and build on these results.

• The Pancreatic Cancer Dream Team: This SU2C Dream Team is conducting clinical trials to test new ways of cutting off the fuel supply to pancreatic cancer. One set of trials uses a drug to break through the tough coating surrounding the cancer so that a second drug can kill the cancer cells. This drug combination is showing positive preliminary results in actually shrinking tumors. Another effort is aimed at examining a tumor's metabolism to personalize treatment for individual patients so that the effectiveness of treatment is maximized and side effects are minimized. The team is also developing new ways to get images of pancreatic cancer, so that the tumor's response to treatment can be observed. This will make personalized treatment a reality for pancreatic cancer patients.

• The PI3K Pathway Dream Team: This SU2C Dream Team has pooled resources from seven major cancer centers to survey thousands of breast, ovarian and endometrial cancers to look at a group of genes involved in cell growth. These genes make up an information pathway that, when broken, can allow cells to grow uncontrollably. The team is enrolling patients with these phosphoinositide PI3- kinase (PI3K) mutations into clinical trials to test combinations of drugs to attack multiple problems with breast, ovarian and endometrial cancers. The team use biomarkers to decide which combination of drugs will best treat the individual patients.

• The Circulating Tumor Cell (CTC) Chip Dream Team: This SU2C Dream Team has developed a microfluidic chip – smaller than a business card – to detect and analyze cancer cells circulating in our blood. They are working on an improved version of the chip to better look at the genetic and functional characteristics of CTCs in a large-scale clinical setting. This technology will be used to answer questions about how cancer spreads throughout the body, how to detect metastatic cancer early, and most importantly how to stop it from occurring.

• The Breast Cancer Dream Team: This Dream Team is studying three subtypes of breast cancer to understand how they become resistant to targeted drugs. They are examining mechanisms of drug resistance at a molecular level to understand how to avoid or to completely circumvent the cancer's defenses. They are moving forward to evaluate and test drugs and new drug combinations to find the ones that should and can be tested on patients with specific cancer subtypes in clinical trials. A state-of-the-art information platform has been established that uses systems biology approaches to catalog and mine breast cancer data gathered from several resources.

For more detailed information about the Dream Teams, individual Innovative Research Grants and other Stand Up To Cancer activities, www.standup2cancer.org fosters an online community for everyone interested and affected by cancer, with various ways for people to share information, opinions and support, view video updates, contribute and learn of ongoing initiatives and progress in the fight against the disease. A key feature of the web site is the Star Constellation: For a dollar donation or more, users can launch a star in honor of anyone who has received a cancer diagnosis; SUTV: Video segments rich in scientific and research information, including profiles of the five SU2C Dream Teams featured in "The Lab" channel, as well as ones that confront cancer's human and personal impact; and SU2C Magazine: Diverse content describing cutting-edge research and offering unique perspectives of cancer researchers, patient advocates and others. The online community provides ample opportunity to share SU2C's efforts via a variety of social media outlets, including Twitter, Facebook, AOL, MySpace, YouTube, flickr and several other sites that are accessible through the SU2C website. SU2C is implementing ongoing grassroots efforts and is participating in national and regional events to raise awareness and funds.

Video of the announcement on the morning shows:

For photos/video of today's announcement, go to http://ddbtalkvalue.com/stand/.

About the Stand Up To Cancer Initiative
Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) – a program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), a 501(c)3 charitable organization – raises funds to hasten the pace of groundbreaking translational research that can get new therapies to patients quickly and save lives. In the fall of 2007, a group of women whose lives have all been affected by cancer in profound ways began working together to marshal the resources of the media and entertainment industries in the fight against this disease.

The SU2C founding members include Laura Ziskin, executive producer of the Sept. 5, 2008 broadcast and the upcoming one, who is a cancer survivor; Sherry Lansing, chairperson of the Entertainment Industry Foundation's Board of Directors and founder of the Sherry Lansing Foundation; EIF President and CEO Lisa Paulsen; Katie Couric; EIF Senior Vice President Kathleen Lobb; Rusty Robertson and Sue Schwartz of the Robertson Schwartz Agency; nonprofit executive Ellen Ziffren; and Noreen Fraser, founder of the Noreen Fraser Foundation (NFF) and a cancer survivor. SU2C was formally launched on May 27, 2008.

Major League Baseball was the founding donor to contribute to Stand Up To Cancer. Other major SU2C supporters include Sidney Kimmel, the country's largest individual supporter of cancer research, Amgen, Bloomberg Philanthropies, GlaxoSmithKline, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Wallis Annenberg & The Annenberg Foundation, Alliance for Global Good, Milken Family Foundation, Philips Electronics, Steve Tisch, The Island Def Jam Music Group, Comcast and many others. In addition to ABC, CBS and NBC, SU2C major media partners include AOL, Condé Nast Media Group, eBay Inc., Facebook, Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S., Hearst Corporation, Los Angeles Times, Meredith Corporation, The New York Times Company, Time Inc and WebMD.

About the AACR
The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), which consists of more than 31,000 scientists engaged in the fight against cancer, is the oldest and largest scientific organization in the world focusing on every aspect of high-quality, innovative cancer research from the bench to the bedside. Lauded internationally for its scientific breadth, innovation and spread of new knowledge about cancer, the AACR is on the front lines in the quest for the prevention and cure of cancer.

About the Entertainment Industry Foundation
Stand Up To Cancer is a program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), the 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that serves as the collective philanthropy for the television and film businesses. EIF has distributed hundreds of millions of dollars to support programs addressing critical health, education and social issues.

Media Contacts:

Rubenstein Communications
Tom Chiodo 212.843.8289 tchiodo@rubenstein.com
Janet Wootten 212.843.8032 jwootten@rubenstein.com
Kristen Bothwell 212.843.9227 kbothwell@rubenstein.com

ID PR
Chet Mehta 323-822-4871 cmehta@id-pr.com
Sheri Goldberg 646-723-3800 sgoldberg@id-pr.com

AACR
Michele Leiberman 267-646-0622 michele.leiberman@aacr.org

# # #

AACR Applauds Presidential Nomination of Harold E. Varmus, M.D., as Director of the National Cancer Institute

registration@aacr.org () — Mon, 17 May 2010 12:00:00 GMT

PHILADELPHIA — The American Association for Cancer Research, the world's oldest and largest cancer research organization, congratulates Harold E. Varmus, M.D., on his nomination by President Barack Obama to serve as the 14th director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

"Dr. Varmus will bring to the NCI an unrivaled appreciation for how basic science serves as the foundation for understanding healthy function as well as disease conditions," said Elizabeth H. Blackburn, Ph.D., president of the AACR. "His visionary leadership will allow NCI to continue leading the way in programs aimed at preventing disease, improving health and reducing suffering from cancer."

"This is a great day for cancer research. It is hard to imagine someone more qualified for this position," added Tyler Jacks, Ph.D., past president of the AACR. "Dr. Varmus has a tremendous wealth of experience, an abundance of good ideas and almost unlimited energy. The AACR looks forward to working with Dr. Varmus in the months and years to come."

"Cancer research is advancing at a staggering pace. Dr. Varmus' extraordinary vision and leadership will be vitally important in our efforts to further reduce cancer incidence and mortality," added Margaret Foti, Ph.D., M.D. (h.c.), chief executive officer of the AACR. "As Dr. Varmus takes the helm of the NCI, the AACR is confident that we will accelerate the pace of discovery research and translational research, and thereby bring hope and improved survival to cancer patients everywhere."

Varmus, a Nobel Laureate and former head of the National Institutes of Health, most recently served as president and chief executive officer of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York.

He, along with J. Michael Bishop, M.D., and colleagues demonstrated the cellular origins of the oncogene of a chicken retrovirus, which led to the isolation of many cellular genes that normally control growth and development and are frequently mutated in human cancer. For this work, they won the 1989 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine.

Varmus is also recognized for his studies of the replication cycles of retroviruses and hepatitis B viruses, the functions of genes implicated in cancer, and the development of mouse models of human cancer.

Varmus was named by President Clinton to serve as the director of the National Institutes of Health, a position he held from 1993 to 1999. He was appointed by President Barack Obama as co-chair of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. Additionally, Varmus served on the World Health Organization's Commission on Macroeconomics and Health from 2000 to 2002; is a co-founder and chairman of the Board of Directors of the Public Library of Science, a publisher of open access journals in the biomedical sciences; and chaired the Scientific Board of the Grand Challenges in Global Health at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation from 2003 to 2008 where he now chairs the Foundation's Global Health Advisory Committee. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Medicine. He has received the National Medal of Science, the Vannevar Bush Award and several honorary degrees and other prizes.

Varmus will succeed John E. Niederhuber, M.D., director of the NCI since 2006. In addition to his leadership at the NCI, over the course of his career, Niederhuber has supported the advancement of cancer research as a professor, cancer center director, National Cancer Advisory Board chair, external advisor to the NCI, grant reviewer and laboratory investigator.

Subscribe to the AACR RSS News Feed

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world's oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 31,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowship and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 17,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists. CR provides a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Michele Leiberman
(267) 646-0622
michele.leiberman@aacr.org

AACR Congratulates Five Members on Their Election Into the National Academy of Sciences

registration@aacr.org () — Fri, 07 May 2010 12:00:00 GMT

PHILADELPHIA — The American Association for Cancer Research congratulates five of its members on their election into the National Academy of Sciences.

“We are excited to have five of our members inducted by the National Academy of Sciences,” said Margaret Foti, Ph.D., M.D. (h.c.), chief executive officer of the AACR. “These distinguished and decorated scientists are making critical inroads in the cancer field. It is especially notable this year that four of those honored have served on our Board of Directors and three are deeply involved in Stand Up To Cancer, an effort for which the AACR is the sole scientific partner.”

The National Academy of Sciences is a private organization of scientists and engineers dedicated to the furtherance of science and its use for the general welfare. Election into the Academy is considered one of the highest honors that can be accorded to a U.S. scientist or engineer.

The National Academy of Sciences elected 72 new members and 18 foreign associates from 14 countries. Five of these inductees are AACR members:

Mina J. Bissell, Ph.D., distinguished scientist in the life sciences division at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, Calif. Bissell pioneered the area of the relationship between cancer genetics and 3-D tissue structure. She discovered the first extracellular matrix (ECM)-response element and elucidated the mechanism by which MMPs could cause genomic instability and cancer in mammary cells. Bissell, a member of the AACR since 1988, served on the AACR Board of Directors from 1999 to 2001. She has served as president of the American Society of Cell Biology and the International Society of Differentiation. She was the recipient of the 10th Annual Pezcoller Foundation-AACR International Award for Cancer Research; the 39th AACR G.H.A. Clowes Memorial Award; the Innovator Award in Breast Cancer, U.S. Department of Defense; the Komen Foundation Brinker Award; the ‘Mina J. Bissell’ Award, Portugal; and the American Cancer Society Medal of Honor; among many others. Bissell is an elected member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Philosophical Society. She holds Honorary Doctorates from the Pierre et Marie Curie University, Paris, France, and the University of Copenhagen.

Robert J. Fletterick, Ph.D., professor of biochemistry in the department of biochemistry and biophysics at the School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, Calif. Fletterick is a world-renowned researcher in the area of structural biology. His laboratory has determined high-resolution X-ray crystal structures of nuclear receptors, kinesin molecular motors, clathrin, and many enzymes. He is known for his work on constructing engineered proteins with new function. From 1975 to 1985, the structures of glycogen phosphorylase determined in his lab were record holders. Presently, his lab studies hormone receptors that regulate embryogenesis, steroid metabolism and pancreas development and cancer. Fletterick has co-authored over 280 basic science papers.

William G. Kaelin Jr., M.D., professor in the department of medicine at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, associate director for basic research at the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator. Kaelin’s research interests have focused on tumor suppressor genes and the normal functions of the proteins they encode. The long-term goal of his work is to lay the foundation for the development of new anticancer therapies based on the functions of specific tumor suppressor proteins. His studies of tumor suppressor genes linked to hereditary forms of cancer have uncovered molecular pathways that are important in non-hereditary cancers and have accelerated the development of new treatments for kidney cancer. Kaelin is an elected member of the Institute of Medicine and has served on numerous boards and committees, including the AACR’s Board of Directors, the SU2C Scientific Advisory Committee and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Board of Scientific Advisors. He has received many awards for his work, including the AACR-Richard and Hinda Rosenthal Prize for Cancer Research, the Paul Marks Prize for Cancer Research from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, the Doris Duke Distinguished Clinical Scientist Award, and the Canada Gairdner International Award.

Charles L. Sawyers, M.D., chairman of the Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, N.Y., and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator. Sawyers’ research focuses on molecular therapy, with special emphasis on signaling pathway abnormalities in cancer cells as targets for drug therapy. Sawyers is a co-leader of the Stand Up To Cancer Dream Team, “Targeting PI3K in Women’s Cancers.” He has served on the AACR Board of Directors. He is past president of the American Society of Clinical Investigation. Sawyers serves on the nominating committee of the AACR and on the NCI’s Board of Scientific Counselors. He is a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. He was associate editor for two of the AACR’s journals, Cancer Research and Clinical Cancer Research, and currently serves on the editorial board of Cancer Cell. Sawyers has received numerous awards for his research including the Lasker-Debakey Prize for Clinical Medical Research, the Emil J. Freireich Award, the AACR-Richard and Hinda Rosenthal Foundation Award, the David A. Karnofsky Award, the Dorothy P. Landon-AACR Prize for Translational Cancer Research and the Bristol-Myers Squibb “Freedom-to-Explore” Award.

Zena Werb, Ph.D., professor and vice-chair of the department of anatomy at the School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, Calif. Werb’s laboratory is recognized internationally for discoveries on the molecular and cellular basis of ECM proteolysis and its role in the normal function and pathogenesis of tissues. Werb is a Stand Up To Cancer Dream Team principal for the project, “An Integrated Approach to Targeting Breast Cancer Molecular Subtypes and Their ‘Resistance’ Phenotypes.” Werb has served on the AACR Board of Directors and AACR committees including the Award for Lifetime Achievement in Cancer Research Committee and the Laboratory Research Awards Selection Committee. She is the recipient of the 2001 AACR-WICR-Charlotte Friend Memorial Lectureship, Alexander von Humboldt Research Award, and many others. She is an elected Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and an elected member of the Institute of Medicine. Werb holds a Doctor of Medicine (honoris causa) from the University of Copenhagen.

Subscribe to the AACR RSS News Feed

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 31,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowship and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 17,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists. CR provides a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Michele Leiberman
(267) 312-8711
michele.leiberman@aacr.org

Milk and Risk of Renal Cell Cancer: Genetic Research Sheds New Light

registration@aacr.org () — Thu, 06 May 2010 12:00:00 GMT

PHILADELPHIA — While previous research had suggested that drinking milk was related to factors that may increase the risk of renal cell cancer, results of a recent study exploiting the genetic contribution to variation in milk consumption suggest that this may not be the case.

“The data in this study provide no concrete evidence of a need to alter milk drinking in any way,” said lead researcher Nicholas Timpson, Ph.D., lecturer in genetic epidemiology at the MRC CAiTE Center in the department of social medicine at the University of Bristol, United Kingdom. “If anything, the failure of genetic findings to replicate the association between milk and renal cell cancer suggests that fears that milk consumption might elevate cancer risk are likely to be unfounded.”

These study results are published in the May issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

Previously reported studies suggested a connection between milk intake and renal cell carcinoma risk, and whether this represents a causal association or is the result of bias is currently unclear. Timpson and colleagues used a genetic marker to try to help untangle this observation.

From 1999 through 2003 the researchers conducted a large, hospital-based, case-control study from four central and eastern European countries.

Using observational, genetic and phenotypic data, they determined whether the genetic variant at the gene MCM6 — known to be associated with lactose tolerance — may be used as a non-confounded and unbiased marker for milk consumption’s link to cancer risk.

For adult milk drinkers vs. non-milk drinkers in this study, the difference in the odds of renal cell carcinoma was approximately 35 percent. However, when assessing the relationship in a more direct way by using genetic data there was no association between the two.

“We found evidence for the often-questioned relationship between milk consumption and cancer, yet when we used genotypes to verify this relationship, there was no corroboratory evidence,” Timpson said. “This does suggest that the basic findings may be subject to the kinds of biases and inaccuracies that often upset epidemiological research, but that this study would need to be undertaken on a much larger scale in order to verify these initial findings.”

Johanna Lampe, Ph.D., an editorial board member of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention who is not associated with this study, said this study demonstrates the complexities of evaluating dietary exposures and cancer risk.

“These results are a reminder to proceed with caution when interpreting data that suggest an association between intake of specific foods and risk of a particular cancer. Human diet is complex and typically involves adherence to certain dietary patterns that are also tied to other lifestyle behaviors,” said Lampe, full member and nutrition scientist in the division of public health sciences at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Wash.

Download a picture of Johanna Lampe, Ph.D.

Subscribe to the Cancer, Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention RSS Feed
Subscribe to the AACR RSS News Feed

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 31,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowship and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 17,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists. CR provides a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Tara Yates
(267) 646-0558
tara.yates@aacr.org

Drinking Alcohol During Pregnancy Could Lead to Acute Myeloid Leukemia in Children

registration@aacr.org () — Thu, 06 May 2010 12:00:00 GMT

• Despite public health warnings, drinking is still high among pregnant women.
• AML risk increased 56 percent among children of those who drank alcohol.

PHILADELPHIA — Although acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is relatively rare in children, drinking alcohol during pregnancy could increase the risk, according to a recent paper published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

Julie Ross, Ph.D., director of the division of pediatric epidemiology and clinical research at the University of Minnesota, said there are about 700 cases of AML in the United States in children each year.

“It’s quite rare, so we want to be careful about worrying parents too much,” said Ross, who was not involved in the study, but is an editorial board member of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.

Ross and the lead researcher of this study, Paule Latino-Martel, Ph.D., research director at the Research Center for Human Nutrition in France, agreed that these findings should strengthen the public health recommendation against alcohol consumption during pregnancy.

“Despite the current recommendation that pregnant women should not drink alcohol during pregnancy, alcohol consumption during pregnancy is 12 percent in the United States, 30 percent in Sweden, 52 percent in France, 59 percent in Australia and 60 percent in Russia,” said Latino-Martel.

Latino-Martel and colleagues analyzed 21 case control studies. Alcohol intake during pregnancy, defined as a response to a yes or no question, was associated with a 56 percent increased risk of AML in children. The risk of AML was higher in children aged 0 to 4 years old at diagnosis. There was no significant association with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Subscribe to the AACR RSS News Feed

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 31,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowship and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 17,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists. CR provides a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

Media Contact:
Jeremy Moore
(267) 646-0557
jeremy.moore@aacr.org