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Lauren's Blog
In honor of National Cancer Research Month, Lauren writes about CFCF's recent Neuroendocrine Research
Symposium . Click here to read Lauren's blog. |
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Greetings!
The Caring for Carcinoid Foundation applauds the AACR and supports the National Cancer Research Month as an opportunity for us all to promote awareness and advocate for cancer research.
Since its inception, CFCF has accelerated progress in the field of carcinoid cancer and related neuroendocrine tumor research by funding cutting-edge scientific research. This year, CFCF reaches its five year anniversary having funded over five million dollars in research. With this milestone we reflect on where we have come from, and are reminded of where we are and how far we have to go.
In the spirit of National Cancer Research Month, I would like to share with you the scientific progress CFCF has facilitated over the past five years. Please stay tuned as we will announce exciting new projects CFCF is funding in 2010 later this month.
Sincerely,
Lauren Erb
Executive Director, CFCF
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A Large-Scale Genome Study of Carcinoid Cancer
 Renowned researcher, Matthew Meyerson, M.D., Ph.D. will accomplish the first large-scale genomic study for oncogene discovery in carcinoid cancer. Dr. Meyerson is the Director of the Center for Cancer Genome Discovery at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) and an Associate Professor of Pathology at the Harvard Medical School. Dr. Meyerson's lab focuses on discovering cancer genome alterations using technology and expertise at the Broad Institute and the Center for Cancer Genome Discovery at DFCI.
Using the most powerful methods available, Dr. Meyerson and his team will identify the genetic mutations that cause carcinoid to facilitate the development of new targeted therapies to target the precise mutations involved.
Ultimately, this study may lead to new therapies "personalized" to each patient's specific mutations as well as earlier detection and diagnosis and strategies for prevention.
Click here to learn more. Click here to watch a video of Dr. Meyerson describing this project at a 2009 Caring for Carcinoid Foundation patient education seminar (starts at 54 minutes, 40 seconds into the video). Or, click here to donate funds to the Genome Project. |
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CFCF Neuroendocrine Tumor Bioconsortium
 Currently, CFCF is collaborating with leading cancer research centers in building the CFCF Neuroendocrine Tumor Bioconsortium. This Bioconsortium links the biobanks at five centers which specialize in carcinoid cancer and related neuroendocrine tumors: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and Stanford University Cancer Center. A biobank is a collection of stored tissue specimens linked to a database of anonymous patient information.
This exciting collaboration will enable scientists to characterize specific disease pathways, uncover genetic and environmental indicators of disease, identify novel drug targets, and tailor treatment programs to the needs of patients.
Click here to learn more at the CFCF Neuroendocrine Tumor Bioconsortium. Or, click here to donate funds to support the Neuroendocrine Tumor Bioconsortium. |
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Mary Therese Hartzheim Award for Neuroendocrine Tumor Research
 CFCF and the Mary Therese Hartzheim (MTH) Foundation are jointly funding Dr. Michael Choi's cutting-edge project focusing on the molecular mechanisms involved in enteroendocrine cell differentiation and neuroendocrine tumorigenesis.
In 2009, the AGA Foundation for Digestive Health and Nutrition selected Dr. Choi of the Department of Medicine Gastrointestinal Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital as the recipient for the MTH Award for Neuroendocrine Tumor Research. This is the first award of its kind to attract young investigators to research the biology of neuroendocrine tumors and the development of novel therapeutics for neuroendocrine tumors.
Dr. Choi states, "
This research plan will not only enhance molecular understanding of enteroendocrine cell and neuroendocrine biology, but will also serve as a vehicle for me to successfully enter the field of neuroendocrine tumor research as an independent physician-scientist. The Mary Terese Hartzheim Award will provide the means necessary for this critical transition in my research career." |
Scientific Milestones Accomplished by CFCF Funded Researchers
 The identification of a gene activated dramatically in gastrointestinal carcinoids by grantee Daniel Chung, MD. Dr. Chung's laboratory has discovered that a protein called HoxC6 was dramatically up-regulated in gastrointestinal carcinoid tumors and that expression was low in normal tissues, indicating that the HoxC6 gene may play a role in tumor pathogenesis. Click here to learn more.
 The discovery that different populations of gut endocrine cells arise from different precursors by grantee Andrew Leiter, MD, PhD. Dr. Leiter recently found that a significant fraction of serotonin-expressing endocrine cells arise from a different precursor than other gut endocrine cells. Click here to learn more.
 The discovery that the absence of a specific DNA repair enzyme, MGMT, is closely associated with the treatment response to temozolomide in pancreatic NETs by grantee Matthew Kulke, MD. Follow-up studies will evaluate whether the routine testing of MGMT can be used to select NET patients for such treatment. Click here to learn more.
 The identification, in both primary and metastatic ileal carcinoid tumors, of specific regions of genetic loss and gain by grantee Ramesh Shivdasani, MD, PhD. By identifying genes that are amplified or deleted in tumors, Dr. Shivdasani's lab hopes to delineate genetic events that might be important in tumor formation and serve as targeted therapies. Click here to learn more. |
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