Lustgarten Foundation and Stand Up To Cancer Announce Two New Pancreatic Cancer Research Projects Focused on Doubling the Number of Surgical Interventions

WOODBURY, N.Y., Oct. 26, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Lustgarten Foundation and Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) announced today the launch of two new pancreatic cancer interception research projects – one focused on earlier detection and the other on surgical intervention. The total investment for these projects is nearly $10 million and will involve thousands of patients. 

"We are pleased to once again join forces with Stand Up To Cancer," said Dr. Robert Vizza, the Foundation's Vice Chairman, Research. "Since only 15% of  pancreatic cancer patients are currently eligible for surgery, if we are able to diagnose patients earlier and increase the number of patients who can have surgery, we will significantly increase survival rates."  

SU2C-Lustgarten Foundation Pancreatic Cancer Interception Dream Team: Intercepting Pancreatic Cancer in High Risk Cohorts

The goal of this Dream Team is to enable pancreatic cancer interception in high risk cohorts through a multi-disciplinary, multi-pronged approach. Researchers from six renowned institutions (Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Mayo Clinic, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego Health, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston) will work on developing a blood test for diagnosis of pancreatic cancer when it has still not clinically manifested itself. They will also test 2,000 pancreatic cancer patients for heritable mutations and screen their immediate family members for potential pancreatic cancer risk. Additionally, a small subset of high risk individuals that are currently cancer free will be enrolled in the first ever vaccine trial to prevent pancreatic cancer.  

SU2C-Lustgarten Pancreatic Cancer Interception Translational Research Team

This Interception Translational Research Team is comprised of doctors from five leading treatment centers (Johns Hopkins Cancer Centers, Massachusetts General Hospital, NYU Langone Cancer Center, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, and University of Colorado Cancer Center). This team's objective is to implement a clinical trial of early stage pancreatic cancer patients comparing those who receive chemotherapy treatment before surgery to those who don't receive any treatment. Initial data from this work show impressive improvements in both the number of patients able to benefit from surgery, and improved outcomes for those patients who received treatment first.

These new projects bring the number of pancreatic cancer research projects funded by the Lustgarten Foundation and Stand Up To Cancer to eight, for a collective investment of almost $67 million focused on pancreatic cancer.

About the Lustgarten Foundation

The Lustgarten Foundation is America's largest private funder of pancreatic cancer research. Based in Woodbury, N.Y., the Foundation supports research to find a cure for pancreatic cancer, facilitates dialogue within the medical and scientific community, and educates the public about the disease through awareness campaigns and fundraising events. Since its inception, the Lustgarten Foundation has directed $132 million to research and assembled the best scientific minds with the hope that one day, a cure can be found. Thanks to private funding, 100 percent of every dollar donated to the Foundation goes directly to pancreatic cancer research. For more information, please visit www.lustgarten.org.

About Stand Up To Cancer

Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) raises funds to accelerate the pace of research to get new therapies to patients quickly and save lives now. SU2C, a division of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, was established in 2008 by film and media leaders who utilize the industry's resources to engage the public in supporting a new, collaborative model of cancer research, and to increase awareness about cancer prevention as well as progress being made in the fight against the disease. As SU2C's scientific partner, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) and a Scientific Advisory Committee led by Nobel Laureate Phillip A. Sharp, Ph.D., conduct rigorous, competitive review processes to identify the best research proposals to recommend for funding, oversee grants administration, and provide expert review of research progress.

Current members of the SU2C Council of Founders and Advisors (CFA) include Katie Couric, Sherry Lansing, Lisa Paulsen, Rusty Robertson, Sue Schwartz, Pamela Oas Williams, Ellen Ziffren, and Kathleen Lobb. The late Laura Ziskin and the late Noreen Fraser are also co-founders. Sung Poblete, PhD, RN, has served as SU2C's president and CEO since 2011.

For more information on Stand Up To Cancer, visit www.StandUpToCancer.org.

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SOURCE The Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research

Related Links

http://www.lustgarten.org