The 2019 Give to Cure Cancer Year-End Appeal is now underway. It’s your chance to make this year’s campaign the most successful ever.
This past year, we continued to fund several promising cancer research programs. With support from loyal donors like you, excellent progress has been made in these AFCR-funded projects in the fight against cancer. Together, these projects could significantly improve treatment and diagnosis of various cancer types, including some of the most common cancers in the Asian population, such as breast, liver, and esophageal cancer.
Developing Innovative Strategies to Target Liver Cancer: AFCR scientists are designing aptamers or short RNA strands to bind tightly and halt the function of two cancer-causing proteins. DNTM1 is an enzyme that could alter the status of DNA is cells. SALL4 controls the expression of tumor suppressor genes in cancer cells. Targeting DNTM1 and SALL4 with aptamers could revert abnormal gene expression back to normal, changing a liver cell’s destiny away from cancer development. Therapeutic aptamers, if successful, may be the bold approach needed to give liver cancer patients an effective therapy.
A Clinical Study to Improve Accuracy in Diagnosing Early Stage Esophageal Cancer: Ultrasound is a standard test to diagnose how deep cancer cells have penetrated into esophagus. AFCR clinician scientists are testing if injection of saline into esophageal tissue during ultrasound will improve resolution of cell layers to make a more accurate diagnosis. Patients may receive unnecessary treatments with lifelong consequences from inaccurate diagnosis. This study may provide an inexpensive method to guide doctors to diagnose accurately, and give patients the right treatment for their type of esophageal cancer.
Assessing the Risk of Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer: Breast cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death in Asian females after lung cancer. AFCR researchers are assessing the risk of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) in Hong Kong and Mainland China. Using next-generation sequencing of DNA from blood samples, researchers are identifying the rate of hereditary mutations from main breast cancer genes and lesser known genes in Hong Kong and Mainland China. With an 19% rise in breast cancer expected in Asia between 2018 to 2025, they study’s results will guide public policy for improved detection and effective treatment and prevention approaches of HBOC including genetic counseling, giving individuals at high risk and their families options to save their lives!
Developing New Inhibitors to One of Cancer’s Major Pathways: A normal growth signaling pathway is hyperactivated in over 40% of cancers. A major clinical problem for patients and their physicians is the resistance to standard treatment. Dedicated AFCR scientists have uncovered the molecular mechanism that regulates the pathway’s multi-components. Moreover, the scientists have developed some leading compounds to block the hyperactive pathway signaling pathway of inhibitors without resistance and adverse effects. With further optimization, new inhibitor may give many cancer patients hope for an effective treatment.
Thanks to you… Support from you fuels AFCR’s leading-edge cancer research. With your support we are able to provide the most important dollars in the fight against cancer.
You can make a difference. Support our 2019 Give To Cure Cancer Year-End Appeal with a contribution and do it today. The gift you give matters most. Chances are that research discoveries being made by AFCR scientists will benefit you or someone you love in the near future. Together we can put a stop to cancer.
You can also donate to the AFCR in honor or in memory of someone in your life who has been impacted by cancer. Whether honoring a cancer survivor or memorializing the life of a family member, friend or co-worker lost to the disease, these forms of lasting tribute also fund research that can lead to better drugs, diagnostics and vaccines.
