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Posts Tagged ‘funding early cancer detection’

Canary’s Prostate Active Surveillance Study (PASS) receives $6.7M NCI grant to support growth of the multi-center study!

December 2, 2019

PASS was established in 2008 with funding from the Canary Foundation, demonstrating how we invest in promising early research!

“PASS was launched with six participating centers in 2008,” said PASS Deputy Director Dr. Lisa Newcomb, a Hutch cancer prevention researcher. “With this grant, we’ll be up to 11 sites. Fred Hutch is the centralized repository — specimens are sent to the Hutch from all the sites — and we have procedures for sharing the data and the specimens among the group [members] and with other researchers.”

The grant is designed to support the infrastructure of the PASS cohort, including the collection of follow-up data, management of the database and management of the biospecimen repository.

PASS participants are all early-stage prostate cancer patients who chose active surveillance, not immediate surgery or radiation, to manage their cancer. In active surveillance, patients receive regular PSA (prostate-specific antigen) testing, biopsies and digital-rectal exams to monitor whether the cancer grows or becomes more aggressive.

According to research, more than 30% of men have slow-growing prostate cancer and won’t necessarily benefit from radical treatments that can cause debilitating side effects such as urinary incontinence and impotence. Data from patients with early-stage prostate cancers who choose active surveillance can provide key insights into who’s most at risk from their cancers, and when.

Using the cohort for risk-prediction modeling, Newcomb said, could help “determine who either harbors or will progress to a bad cancer, which cancers are aggressive and which really aren’t.”

“We want to help identify the men who can go home and not worry about their cancer. We’re looking at both ends of the spectrum — making active surveillance less active and identifying the people who will benefit from treatment early.”  – Dr. Lisa Newcomb

“We are thrilled,” said Newcomb regarding the transition from Canary Foundation support to NCI funding.

Fred Hutch has had a longstanding relationship with the Canary Foundation and has been the recipient of many grants from the foundation powering work in early detection. The fifth floor of Fred Hutch’s Arnold Building, home to its Public Health Sciences Division, is named for the foundation.

At present, participating sites for PASS include the University of California, San Francisco; Stanford University; Emory University; Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School; University of Michigan; University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio; Eastern Virginia Medical School; Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System; University of Washington and University of British Columbia.

Interested in PASS? Contact Dr. Lisa Newcomb or go to https://canarypass.org/

Interested in accessing Canary PASS Active Surveillance Risk Calculators? The PASS Risk Calculators provide estimates of how likely a man is to have more aggressive cancer in the future. These tools are intended to be useful for clinicians and their patients as they determine optimal methods of active surveillance. Access the risk calculators: https://canarypass.org/pass-risk-calculator/

To read the full article by Diane Mapes, a staff writer at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, please go to: https://www.fredhutch.org/en/news/center-news/2019/11/prostate-cancer-study-nci-funding-grant.html

Project Baseline aims to map human health

February 3, 2019

What if we could view changes in the body earlier than early to warn of possible disease? That is the aim of Project Baseline, to map human health. The New York Times published “Project Baseline Aims to Ward Off Illness Before We Get Sick” by Anahad O’Connor (Oct 2018).  The study is recruiting 10,000 adults. And each will be examined and followed for at least four years. So the goal is to discover the earliest warning signs of cancer, heart disease and other killers. Participants, the first of whom was enrolled in 2017, are called Baseline Explorers.

Project Baseline is the result of conversations in 2013, led by Google X’s Andrew Conrad. He consulted with Dr. Sam Gambhir, MD, chair of Radiology at Stanford University and director of the Canary Center for Cancer Early Detection. And also with Robert M. Califf, MD, professor of Cardiology in the School of Medicine, Duke University.

Conrad (now CEO of Verily, a spin out of Google X) was interested in exploring with these two notable healthcare thought leaders, one in cancer and the other in cardiology, about how to create what has become a landmark study. Both had deep experience in working with large patient cohorts and focus on early detection of disease. The project has formed teams across the country.

Seeking to create a baseline of health

Traditional trials focus on those who have a disease. So Project Baseline, as the name implies, mainly enrolls healthy individuals gathering enormous amounts of information. Baseline equips enrollees with wearable technology from Verily that tracks sleep patterns, heart rhythms and physical activity. The team is developing tools and technologies to collect, organize, analyze and curate the data.

And investigators are determining the best ways to share data with participants that is helpful to them. They are looking at how they can engage with their medical professionals.

Canary Foundation and the Canary Center at Stanford for Cancer Early Detection

Dr. Gambhir has served as Canary Foundation’s scientific director for more than a decade. He led the development of the Canary Center at Stanford for Cancer Early Detection.  The Canary Center is a partnership forged in 2008 between Stanford University and Canary Foundation under the leadership of Don Listwin, based on the foundation’s mission. And interesting to know,  Canary Center is the first program Stanford has focused entirely on cancer early detection.

 

Canary Highpoints: Cancer Early Detection Research Progress 2013

December 4, 2013

Canary Foundation’s progress continues to be on a rapid path. Through prestigious partnerships, research, and clinical trials with quantifiable results, Canary Foundation is funding early detection research that will save lives and permanently change the landscape of cancer diagnostics. People like you have made this progress possible.

In 2013, our partnership with Stanford University expanded and we moved into our new state-of-the-art Canary Center at Stanford to continue our work realizing early detection solutions.

We are pleased to share a new video featuring our high points. We thought this was a great way to reflect on key ideas Canary was founded upon that have become reality. We invite you to view our 5-minute Canary Foundation video!

When you and your family make giving decisions this holiday, we ask that make cancer early detection a priority. Please give generously.

Prostate Cancer Early Detection: Canary PASS Trial Hits Important Milestone

November 14, 2013

About one man in six will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime. Most men diagnosed with prostate cancer will not die from it. With screening, we’re doing better at identifying prostate cancer early. But now, the clinical question is: with a prostate cancer diagnosis, do we treat, or is treatment not necessary?

ProstateTreating prostate cancer when it’s not necessary exposes men to potential side effects—including incontinence and impotence– of aggressive treatment like surgery. This is known as overtreatment. We need better tools to differentiate aggressive prostate cancer from non-aggressive prostate cancer to guide these decisions.

In 2007, the Canary prostate team decided to focus on this important clinical question. How will we distinguish lethal from non-lethal prostate cancer? Identifying the difference early on will save lives. New tools will also help end unnecessary biopsies and overtreatment.

By 2008, the team launched a clinical trial called PASS, the Prostate Active Surveillance Study. Men with early stage, localized, low-risk prostate cancer can enroll and have their cancer closely monitored for signs of progression. This process is called active surveillance. The trial’s goal is to manage low-risk prostate cancer through active surveillance while identifying markers to distinguish non-aggressive prostate cancer from potentially lethal disease.

The PASS trial has been running smoothly, and in October 2013, the PASS Trial reached another major milestone when the 1,000th man was enrolled in the trial.

We are so grateful for Canary Foundation supporters, who provided funding early on for this work. They recognized that the project was underfunded and important. We’re also extremely thankful to the men who participated in the trial for contributing tens of thousands of samples to prostate cancer early detection research. Thank you!

Lung Cancer Early Detection: Canary Foundation Collaborates with MD Anderson

November 7, 2013

Recently, Canary Foundation and Stanford embarked on a collaboration with the MD Anderson Cancer Center, working together on a large-scale initiative to improve the screening process of lung cancer for earlier detection of this lethal disease.

MDACC_RGB_TC_tag_VThe Canary lung cancer team leader, Dr. Sam Hanash, was recruited to the MD Anderson Cancer Center, which launched an ambitious Moon Shots Program aimed at rapidly and significantly reducing mortality in several major cancers. Lung cancer is currently the leading cause of cancer deaths.

As part of Moon Shots program, lung cancer physicians and researchers are initiating a screening study to improve screening for lung cancer. The goal is to recruit 10,000 individuals in the U.S., and to partner with international sites, including China and Germany, to conduct studies with an additional 10,000 patients. Canary will be joining forces with MD Anderson, combining CT scan technology and biomarker research to better interpret screening results.

These clinical trials represent the next phase of Canary research, taking the progress we’ve made in the lab and testing it in a larger clinical setting.

Canary Awards for Outstanding Early Cancer Detection Research

October 29, 2013

Each year, Canary Awards — often featuring a golden or crystal canary — are presented at the Canary Symposium to recognize the year’s outstanding contributions. This year, two awards were bestowed for teams who demonstrated outstanding progress in their cancer early detection research.
Prostate

Photo: The clinical trial coordinators for the Canary Prostate Active Surveillance Study (PASS) accept the 2013 Canary Award on behalf of the Canary Prostate Team.

Dr. Dianne Miller was presented with the award for her team’s success in promoting adoption of ovarian cancer prevention programs throughout the Canadian province of British Columbia. Because lethal ovarian cancer often originates in fallopian tubes, their removal can prevent the development of ovarian cancer, potentially reducing the incidence by 50% or more. Since the advent of the British Columbia educational campaign in September 2010, clinics across the province have seen a practice shift toward removal of fallopian tubes during common gynecological surgeries (such as hysterectomy and tubal ligation), thanks to the efforts of Dr. Miller’s team.

The Canary Prostate team was presented with the Canary Award for the team’s success in meeting or exceeding all of its major milestones in the Prostate Active Surveillance Study (PASS) clinical trial. Earlier in the month of October, 2013, the PASS trial celebrated reaching another major milestone, as the 1,000th participant was enrolled in the trial. The trial’s goal is to manage low-risk prostate cancer through active surveillance while identifying markers to distinguish non-aggressive prostate cancer from potentially lethal disease.

Congratulations to both teams for all their hard work, and to all the Canary teams who work tirelessly to develop research and solutions to make accessible cancer early detection a reality.

Breast Cancer Early Detection Research at Canary Foundation

October 7, 2013

In the United States, it is estimated that there will be 232,340 new breast cancer cases and 39,620 breast cancer mortalities in 2013.  1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime.  Despite the widespread use of mammography, the technology is limited as many cancers are missed and conversely many women undergo biopsies and surgeries of benign or non-aggressive tumors.

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Canary Foundation is supporting a Breast Cancer Early Detection Initiative focused on finding blood-based and imaging biomarkers to improve the current state of breast cancer early detection.  The vision of the blood work is to distinguish women with benign versus malignant tumors, and to identify the aggressive, hard to detect, breast cancers.  The vision of the imaging work is to detect breast cancer at the earliest stages, when the tumors are very small.

Canary is committed to funding safe, efficient, cost effective tests for cancer early detection.

Riding to Victory! Cancer Early Detection Fundraising at the Canary Challenge 2013

October 3, 2013

This past weekend, 800 cyclists converged at VMware village to kick off Canary Challenge 2013, a great increase over the number of riders from last year! Over $800,000 was raised to benefit cancer research at the Stanford Cancer Institute and Canary Center for Cancer Early Detection at Stanford.

Cyclists rode (or a handful walked, in the case of the 5K) collectively 39, 290 miles!
Screen shot 2013-10-03 at 4.03.19 PM

There were a total of 78 teams participating, with over 120 volunteers cheering, manning registration, and passing out drinks and snacks to replenish riders along the route. Most incredible was the great energy at the event – participants’ dedication and commitment to the cause was palpable, and the celebratory air when cyclists returned triumphant from their rides was electric.

Screen shot 2013-10-03 at 4.04.43 PMWe loved when riders stopped by the social photo booth to show us “#WhyIRideCanary”. Everyone who contributed to the event did so because they were inspired by the need for cancer early detection research. It was incredible to hear their stories – a great reminder of why we ride.

A great thank you to all the riders, sponsors, volunteers and staff who came together on September 28 to make this ride such a great success. Ride on, Canary Challenge participants! Save the date for next year: September 27, 2014!

Cancer Early Detection Contest: Fundraising and Riding for the Canary Challenge

September 18, 2013

We’re currently 10 days away from the Canary Challenge, and weather reports show that conditions will be perfect the day of the ride. We are so excited to see all the riders, sponsors, and volunteers (and their families) at the Canary Challenge on the 28th!

Currently, we’re running a contest to get you excited about raising funds for cancer early detection and getting your friends signed up for the ride. The incentive? A pair of FABULOUS high end display goggles from Recon Instruments (UVEX Model G.GL9). These goggles give you all the information you could ever dream of wanting delivered instantly, hands free and direct to eye. It’s the world’s first heads up display for sports. Thanks to Recon Instruments for their generous donation!

Uvex ggl9 recon

This incredible prize will go to the first three cyclists who complete two tasks:

1: Raise at least $400 or more

2: Bring in ONE new cyclist who raises $400 or more

The deadline for this contest is Monday, September 23. To participate, complete the steps above and email Jesse to let him know you’re eligible for the prize.

Additionally, we’d like to call attention to the top five Canary Challenge fundraisers so far. These individuals have collectively raised more than $45,000 and they’re still going strong!

  1. Julie Kaufman ($11,667.00)
  2. Steve Ciesinski ($10,695.00)
  3. Don Listwin ($10,000.00)
  4. Stephen Rooks ($8,000.00)
  5. Patrick Gelsinger ($6,850.00)

Many thanks to these fundraisers for serving as such great inspiration to keep reaching for as many donations as possible to benefit cancer early detection research at the Stanford Cancer Institute and the Canary Center at Stanford. Way to go!

Canary Challenge Benefit Cycling Event Experiences Major Growth Spurt

September 13, 2013

For Immediate Release
Contact: Erica Glessing
Erica@CanaryFoundation.org

CC

September 28, 2013 Event Draws Vanderkitten Pro Cyclists

Palo Alto, CA – The California cycling event Canary Challenge on Sept. 28 2013 in Palo Alto is experiencing a major growth spurt in registration over 2012 with registration up more than 60 percent. The event, produced by the Canary Foundation, benefits Stanford Cancer Institute and the Canary Center at Stanford for Cancer Early Detection. “We are thrilled with the surge in registration and sponsorships in 2013,” says Don Listwin, Canary Foundation chairman and founder of the Canary Challenge. “We built an outstanding series of routes that will challenge or entertain every level of cyclist, from the new 5K Canary Cruiser to the Century.”

More than 815 cyclists have registered to participate, an exciting 61 percent increase over 2012 registration. Many of the cyclists participate with a personal reason for riding. For instance, Carolyn Helmke of Mountain View, an accomplished individual fundraiser, is a cancer survivor. “I support the Canary Challenge 100 percent,” says Helmke, who encouraged her friends to give a donation to the Canary Challenge in lieu of birthday gifts this year. She has raised over $4,000 to date, just one of the hundreds of participants who are on track to collectively raise $1 million in donations for cancer research this year. Cancer early detection research is a cornerstone of Canary Foundation.

Pros from the Vanderkitten Racing team are among those to support Canary Challenge in a big way, with more than six of the professional women cyclists on board to fundraise and ride on September 28. “Funds raised by the Canary Challenge go directly to early cancer detection research, and this makes the event a perfect fit for Vanderkitten Racing,” says Dave Verrecchia,Vanderkitten team owner. More »