Amanda Narod
(571) 483-1364
amanda.narod@asco.org
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The Conquer Cancer Foundation of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) today announced the 25 recipients of its 2011 Breast Cancer Symposium Merit Award, which recognizes researchers’ contributions to progress against breast cancer. The Foundation will present $25,000 to the recipients at the Breast Cancer Symposium taking place September 8-10 in San Francisco.
“It is because of scientific research, like that of this year’s Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO Merit Award winners, that death rates for patients with breast cancer have steadily declined over the past 20 years,” said Shawna C. Willey, MD, FACS, Chair of the 2011 Breast Cancer Symposium Steering Committee. “The bright minds receiving the awards this year are making great contributions to the lives of patients living with breast cancer.”
Breast cancer ranks as the second leading cause of cancer death in women, and it is estimated that in 2011 more than 230,000 women and 2,000 men will be diagnosed with the disease.1 Research conducted by the 2011 recipients explores novel approaches to breast cancer treatments, such as the use of hypnotherapy to treat hot flashes. In addition, Merit Award recipients also search for a deeper understanding of breast cancer at the molecular level, as one such study analyzes the tumor cell genomes of patients with metastatic breast cancer.
This year’s Breast Cancer Symposium Merit Award winners and the research they will be presenting at the Symposium include:
* Laleh Amiri-Kordestani, MD, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health
Determining the rate of tumor growth and decay in patients with metastatic breast cancer as an early efficacy endpoint: A study assessing ixabepilone efficacy.
* Maria Ascierto, MD, National Institutes of Health
Immunologic markers associated with favorable prognosis in breast cancer patients: Role of innate immune system.
* Mariana Chavez-MacGregor, MD, MSc, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Relationship between differences in RNA or protein expression and the effects of race/ethnicity on breast cancer outcomes.
* Stephanie Childs, MD, Harvard Radiation Oncology Program
Surgical margins and the risk of local-regional recurrence following mastectomy for early-stage breast cancer.
* John Cox, MD, Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas
Pleomorphic lobular breast carcinoma: A review of 35 cases at a single institution.
* Lana De Souza Lawrence, MD, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University
Triple-negative breast cancer outcomes with partial breast irradiation and concurrent chemotherapy compared with whole breast irradiation and sequential chemotherapy.
* Makenzi Evangelist, MD, University of Tennessee Cancer Institute
Quantitative nuclease protection assay (qNPA) for gene expression analysis on breast cancer core biopsies.
* Nooshin Hashemi Sadraei, MD, Cleveland Clinic
Expression of FIP200 and rb in breast cancer metastasis to the brain.
* Komal Jhaveri, MD, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Standardized uptake value by positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) as a prognostic variable in metastatic breast cancer.
Dr. Jhaveri is also the recipient of a 2011 Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO Young Investigator Award.
* Andrew Kim, MD, Los Angeles County and University of Southern California Medical Center
Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging in patients with known or suspected breast malignancy: Correlation between apparent diffusion coefficient and histopathologic diagnoses.
* John Lyons, MD, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Axillary node staging for microinvasive breast cancer: Is it justified?
* Shannon MacLaughlan, MD, Alpert Medical School of Brown University Women and Infants Hospital
Comparison of hypnotherapy versus gabapentin in the treatment of hot flashes: A pilot study.
* Mark Jesus Magbanua, PhD, University of California, San Francisco
Genome-wide copy number analysis of circulating tumor cells from patients with metastatic breast cancer.
* Usama Mahmood, MD, University of Maryland
Comparing survival with breast-conservation therapy or mastectomy in the management of young women with early-stage breast cancer.
* Aju Mathew, MD, MPhil, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Prognostic role of triple-negative subtype in breast cancer patients with brain metastases.
* Lee McGhan, MB, BCh, Mayo Clinic
The impact of breast reconstruction on the decision to undergo contralateral prophylactic mastectomy.
* David H. A. Nguyen, MD, FRCPC, British Columbia Cancer Agency
Can locoregional treatment of the primary tumor improve outcomes for women with stage IV breast cancer at diagnosis?
* Kanwal Raghav, MD, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Nomogram for predicting development of brain metastasis in patients with inflammatory breast cancer.
* Chirag Shah, MD, Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine, Beaumont Cancer Institute
The impact of lymph node status on clinical outcomes following accelerated partial breast irradiation.
* Michelle Sowden, DO, Yale University
Who provides ongoing care to breast cancer survivors and does it make a difference?
* Shawn Steen, MD, John Wayne Cancer Institute at Saint John's Hospital
Predicting nipple-areolar involvement using preoperative breast MRI and primary tumor characteristics.
* John Wilkinson, MD, Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine, Beaumont Cancer Institute
Outcomes by breast cancer subtype in patients treated with accelerated partial breast irradiation.
* Dong Xiang, MD, James Graham Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville
A vaccine approach for breast-cancer immunotherapy by targeting HER-2/neu antigen to cells via CD19 molecule.
* Urszula Zurawska, MD, University of Toronto
Management of early-stage breast cancer: Are we headed in the right direction?
The Conquer Cancer Foundation Merit Awards are designed to promote clinical research of oncology fellows by providing them with the opportunity to present their research findings at the Breast Cancer Symposium. Recipients are selected based on the scientific merit of their submitted abstract and receive funding to assist with travel and expenses to attend the Symposium.
The Breast Cancer Symposium, cosponsored by the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Society of Breast Disease, the American Society of Breast Surgeons, the American Society of Radiation Oncology, the National Consortium of Breast Centers Inc., and the Society of Surgical Oncology, is a two-and-a-half day scientific and educational meeting featuring the presentation of findings from the latest multidisciplinary breast cancer research. The meeting is designed to foster intimate, interactive discussion of new findings and critical issues in breast cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment and management.
The 2011 Symposium Merit Awards are supported by Amgen; Bristol-Myers Squibb; Celgene Corporation; Lilly USA, LLC; Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Company; Novartis Oncology; Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; OSI Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; and Sanofi-Aventis U.S.
About the Conquer Cancer Foundation
The Conquer Cancer Foundation is working to create a world free from the fear of cancer by funding breakthrough research, by sharing knowledge with physicians and patients worldwide, and by supporting initiatives to ensure that all people have access to high-quality cancer care. Working in close collaboration with a global network of top scientists and clinicians, as well as leading advocacy and research organizations, the Foundation draws on the passion and expertise of the more than 30,000 oncology professionals who are members of its affiliate organization, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). For more information, visit www.conquercancerfoundation.org
About the American Society of Clinical Oncology
The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) is the world’s leading professional organization representing physicians who care for people with cancer. With more than 30,000 members, ASCO is committed to improving cancer care through scientific meetings, educational programs and peer-reviewed journals. Patient-oriented cancer information is available at www.cancer.net.
1 Cancer Facts & Figures 2011. Atlanta, GA; American Cancer Society: 2011.
