Summary of Funded Research
Research Successes
The Program's first research projects were funded in July, 1995. The majority of projects are not yet complete, but progress reports have been submitted. The 3 completed projects are:
New Imaging Modality for Early Detection in Breast Cancer
Dr. William Pardridge of UCLA chemically modified an antibody specific for many breast cancer cells to allow this antibody to leak out of blood vessels and through surrounding tissues to actually reach tumor cells. He then labeled this antibody with radioactive iodine, which allows it to be detected by x-ray imaging. His studies showed that these modifications did not eliminate the binding of antibody to tumor cells. Thus, this new agent can be used to develop a new imaging modality for the detection of breast cancer that will likely be more specific and sensitive than mammography in detecting cancer.
Malignant Transformation in Breast Epithelium
In this Sabbatical Award, Dr. Heinz Furthmayr of Stanford University worked with Dr. Mina Bissell at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to apply his experience in studying the extracellular matrix to the problem of breast cancer and normal breast cell biology. In this year, Dr. Furthmayr established the presence of two important cell proteins which are important in establishing communication between breast cells and their surrounding environment—findings which contribute to our understanding of how normal breast cells are maintained and of what disruptions allow breast cancer cells to leave the breast and travel to other parts of the body.
Prevention of Breast Cancer Tumor Growth by Retinoic Acid
This award was terminated before it was completed because Dr. Liu, the principal investigator, moved out of California. During the months completed, however, Dr. Liu, then at The Burnham Institute, identified the cell receptor that mediates the growth inhibition effect of retinoic acid on breast cancer cells. This determination may facilitate the design of drugs that interact specifically with this receptor and potentially could be used to prevent and/or treat breast cancer.
Research in Progress
The remaining 74 Cycle I funded projects are still in progress. Interim reports show great promise of new and significant findings:
Dr. Brian Henderson at University of Southern California is investigating the possibility that genetic variations in genes involved in estrogen metabolism could account for differences in breast cancer risk among women. Preliminary results suggest that different forms of one gene involved in the manufacture of estrogen by the ovaries, is associated with differences in risk of breast cancer. Women who carry one form of the gene are at twice the risk as women who have another form. Interestingly, this gene also is associated with a woman's age at menarche, which is known to be associated with breast cancer risk. This finding may provide the biological explanation for the association.
In a study examining the reasons for underutilization of breast-conserving surgery (lumpectomy and radiation, instead of mastectomy, which have been shown to be equal in effectiveness), Dr. Cyllene Morris of the California Public Health Foundation has shown that the education level and household income in a patient's neighborhood are correlated with the type of surgical treatment used. Further study over the next two years will provide information useful in taking steps to ensure that women with breast cancer in California all receive informed choice and optimal treatment.
Telomerase has been preliminarily shown by Dr. Nam Woo Kim of Geron Corporation to be a novel breast cancer marker whose activity correlates with clinical outcome. Further work will assess the value of telomerase as a diagnostic and screening tool.
At UC Davis, Dr. Kent Erickson has found that, when mice receive high levels of fish oil in their diet, the initiation time for tumors is longer and size of tumors smaller than when the diet is high in safflower oil. Thus, fish oil, or one of its active ingredients, may be a potential supplement to reduce the severity of breast cancer. Abstracts of Progress Reports of these and all funded projects can be found on CBCRP's internet website.
New Research Projects
In 1996, CBCRP awarded 60 grants to investigators at 23 institutions and organizations across the state. Highlights of these projects are:
-
7 grants to investigate possible causes of breast cancer, including exploration of various pesticides, PCBs and dioxins, and the potential role of a virus carried by cows.
-
24 grants to further understanding of how breast cancer develops, including identifying and understanding the actions of genes involved in cell growth control, determining actions of hormones and hormone-blocking drugs, exploring why breast cancer spreads to other parts of the body, looking at effects of vitamins on breast cancer cells.
-
5 grants to investigate ways to prevent breast cancer, including testing ways to identify women at higher risk and looking at agents such as micronutrients, elements found in green tea, and hormone-blocking agents.
-
13 grants to develop better methods to detect breast cancer, including testing ways to increase use of mammography, testing possible markers for cancer in the blood, urine, or breast fluid, and developing new technologies to improve or replace mammography.
-
11 grants to investigate innovative treatment modalities, including finding ways to boost the immune system to fight breast cancer, developing methods to deliver drugs specifically to cancer cells while sparing normal cells, exploring alternatives to surgery for the removal of early breast cancers, and testing the effectiveness of alternative treatments.
Details on these grants are contained in the Compendium of Awards — 1996, available on this web site here or upon request.
