PROSTATE CANCER FOUNDATION CONTINUES ITS MISSION TO HONOR AND ADVANCE PROSTATE CANCER TREATMENT FOR U.S. VETERANS

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Nov 10, 2022, 09:45 ET

PCF leverages Centers of Excellence model to launch pilot programs in Baltimore and Atlanta

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In recognition of Veterans Day, the Prostate Cancer Foundation announces the extension of its Veterans Health Initiative to reach more Veterans with two new philanthropic precision oncology pilot programs at VA Medical Centers in Baltimore, MD, and Atlanta, GA. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed among U.S. Veterans and the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) is continuing its long-standing commitment to deliver best-in-class precision oncology treatments to Veterans by expanding its collaborative partnership with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

"PCF is committed to honoring the sacrifice and service of our nation's Veterans battling prostate cancer," said Charles J. Ryan, MD, PCF president and CEO. "This Veterans Day we want Veterans, their family, friends, and loved ones to know PCF and VA are working together to end cancer as we know it."

The Baltimore and Atlanta sites are a part of PCF's $50 million precision oncology commitment to supporting prostate cancer research and care for Veterans. Launched as part of the Cancer Moonshot in 2016, PCF and VA have been collaborating to execute the ambitious mission of improving patient care for U.S. Veterans with prostate cancer. Today, VA and PCF sites leverage both PCF's philanthropic and VA's public funding to serve both Veterans with prostate cancer and genitourinary malignancies in VA and PCF preeminent centers in the following U.S. cities: San Francisco, CA; Boston, MA; Portland, OR; Philadelphia, PA; Washington, DC; Durham, NC; Tampa Bay, FL; Seattle, WA; Chicago, IL; Bronx, NY; Los Angeles, CA; Manhattan, NY; Ann Arbor, MI; Charleston, SC; Denver, CO; Houston, TX; Kansas City, MO; Orlando, FL; and St. Louis, MO.

"As the largest provider of prostate cancer care in the country, VA is thrilled to continue to partner with PCF to expand its commitment to our nation's Veterans," said Rachel B. Ramoni, VA chief research and development officer. "Over the course of our ongoing partnership, we've seen a substantial expansion of both genetic testing for Veterans with metastatic prostate cancer and cutting-edge clinical trials, so it really is making a difference in Veterans' lives."

The Baltimore VA Medical Center and University of Maryland pilot is led by principal investigator Arif Hussain, MD, Professor of Medicine, Co-leader of Hormone Related Cancers Program, University of Maryland School of Medicine and Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Staff Physician, Baltimore VA Medical Center. Wayne B. Harris, MD, Acting Section Chief for Medical Oncology, Atlanta VA Medical Center and Associate Professor of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University and Maria J.A. Ribeiro, MD, Staff Physician, Atlanta VA Medical Center and Associate Professor of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Emory University School of Medicine, Winship Cancer Institute lead the Atlanta pilot program.

More than 15,000 men in the Veterans Affairs (VA) health system are newly diagnosed with prostate cancer each year, making it the most frequently diagnosed cancer among Veterans, and 500,000 Veterans are alive today with the disease in the VA. One in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime, and as of Jan. 1, 2022, there were an estimated 3.52 million men with a history of prostate cancer (cancer survivors) in the U.S.

Precision medicine is the key to ending deaths from prostate cancer. It is individualized, based on gene sequencing a patient's tumor, allowing for custom-tailored treatment that targets an individual's cancer by its unique biology and genetic signature.

To learn more about PCF education resources for Veterans and the Center of Excellence Network, please visit www.PCF.org/veterans.

About the Prostate Cancer Foundation
The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) is the world's leading philanthropic organization dedicated to funding life-saving prostate cancer research. Founded in 1993 by Mike Milken, PCF has been responsible for raising close to $1 billion in support of cutting-edge research by more than 2,200 research projects at 245 leading cancer centers in 28 countries around the world. Since PCF's inception, and through its efforts, patients around the world are living longer, suffering fewer complications, and enjoying better quality of life. PCF is committed to creating a global public square for prostate cancer, in service to our mission of ending death and suffering from the disease. Learn more at pcf.org.