Cancer Research Project Research Articles

Imaging and clinicopathological characteristics of breast cancer among women under the age of 40 years

Background: although breast cancer in young women is less common and often overlooked, it is still considered a major health concern.Objectives: to evaluate the demographic, clinical, radiological and histopathological characteristics of breast cancer among a sample of Iraqi women diagnosed under the age of 40 years.Patients and methods: a retrospective study enrolled 73 females below the age of 40 years with a history of breast cancer. All data was extracted from an established information system database designed by the Principal Investigator of the Iraqi National Breast Cancer Research Project under supervision of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) over a 4-years period from 2011 to 2014.Results: seventy three women under the age of 40 years with breast cancer were included in the study out of 625 diagnosed cases at different ages (11.68%). The age at presentation ranged from 25 to 39 years, the peak age frequency (63%) was recorded in the period between 35-39 years (n=46). Family history of breast cancer was noticed in approximately 31.5% of cases (n=23). Early menarche (less than 12 years old) was detected in 78.1% (n=57) of cases. On examination, 90.4% (n=66) of patients had painless palpable breast lump. By Sonography, the lesions were spiculated margins in 52% (n=38) of patients and echogenic halo around the mass was detected in 57.5% (n=42) of cases. Stage-II disease was recognized in 54.8% (n=40) of sample of the study and majority of the tumor (98.6%) were ductal in origin. According to Scarf-Bloom-Richardson method, 60.3% (n=44) of the tumors were moderately differentiated (i.e. grade- II). Eight patients (10.9%) were presented with triple receptor-negative breast cancer and recurrence of tumor was encountered in 17.8% (n=13) of cases.Conclusions: The current study suggest that breast cancer among young Iraqi women under 40 years had high incidence rate but might be less aggressive than what is reported in western countries despite of high recurrence rate.

Motivating Young Investigators to Pursue Cancer Research Careers and Training

University of Louisville Cancer Education Program (CEP), funded by a National Cancer Institute (NCI) grant, seeks to educate, and motivate undergraduate and professional students to pursue further training and future careers in cancer research. Over the past 4 years, 121 participants completed the program, including 42% females, 16% African‐Americans, 12% Asians, 2.4% Hispanic/Latino, 2.4% Indian, and 2.4% mixed. All trainees formulated a cancer research project in collaboration with their faculty mentor engaged in cancer research at the Brown Cancer Center. Laboratory research training/mentoring was supplemented with cancer‐related seminars and professional development activities. A blinded survey was used to assess participants’ perspective on program components. Participants ranked the programmatic activities as “poor”, “could be better”, “neutral”, “good”, and “excellent”. Over the past four years, there was a significant improvement in the participants’ interest in cancer research after completing the program (P < 0.0001). The interest level in cancer research improved, remained the same, or decreased among 46.5%, 45.4%, and 8.2%, respectively. A majority of the students perceived the overall program experience (86.4%), quality of the faculty mentor (88.5%), helpfulness of lab mentor (86.3%), and quality of the professional development activities (84.4%) as “good to excellent”. R25 alumni have presented their research at national/international scientific meetings (n = 22), published their research in scholarly journals, and continue their cancer research/oncology training at various post‐graduate degree programs/institutions (n = 32). UofL's Cancer Education Program is well poised to produce the next generation of cancer researchers.Support or Funding InformationThe program is supported by NCI grant R25‐CA134283.

Breast Cancer Among Iraqi Women: Preliminary Findings From a Regional Comparative Breast Cancer Research Project.

Breast Cancer Among Iraqi Women: Preliminary Findings From a Regional Comparative Breast Cancer Research Project.

Thyroid Antagonists (Perchlorate, Thiocyanate, and Nitrate) and Childhood Growth in a Longitudinal Study of U.S. Girls.

Background:Perchlorate, thiocyanate, and nitrate are sodium/iodide symporter (NIS) inhibitors that block iodide uptake into the thyroid, thus affecting thyroid function. Thyroid dysfunction can adversely affect somatic growth and development in children. To our knowledge, no studies have examined effects of NIS inhibitors on body size measures.Objective:We investigated associations between NIS inhibitors and childhood growth in 940 girls from the Puberty Study of the Breast Cancer and Environment Research Program.Methods:Urine samples collected from girls 6–8 years of age at enrollment (2004–2007) from New York City, greater Cincinnati, Ohio, and the Bay Area in California were analyzed for NIS inhibitors and creatinine (C). The longitudinal association between NIS inhibitors and anthropometric measures [height, waist circumference, and body mass index (BMI)] during at least three visits was examined using mixed effects linear models, adjusted for race and site.Results:Compared with girls in the low-exposure group (3.6, 626, and 500 mg/gC, median perchlorate, thiocyanate, and nitrate, respectively) girls with the highest NIS inhibitor exposure (9.6, 2,343, and 955 mg/gC, median perchlorate, thiocyanate, and nitrate, respectively) had slower growth in waist circumference and BMI but not height. Significant differences in the predicted mean waist circumference and BMI between the low- and high-exposure groups were observed beginning at 11 years of age.Conclusions:Higher NIS inhibitor exposure biomarkers were associated with reductions in waist circumference and BMI. These findings underscore the need to assess exposure to NIS inhibitors with respect to their influence on childhood growth.Citation:Mervish NA, Pajak A, Teitelbaum SL, Pinney SM, Windham GC, Kushi LH, Biro FM, Valentin-Blasini L, Blount BC, Wolff MS, for the Breast Cancer and Environment Research Project (BCERP). 2016. Thyroid antagonists (perchlorate, thiocyanate, and nitrate) and childhood growth in a longitudinal study of U.S. girls. Environ Health Perspect 124:542–549; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1409309

Innovations in improving access to contraceptives

outreach efforts in the global cancer care community is dispersed in the databases of the individual groups pursuing the projects, and thus, it is not easily accessible to the cancer care community at large. In order to address the need for a centralized, updated, and easily accessed repository of information about existing cancer-related projects worldwide, we developed the Global Cancer Projects Map (GCPM). The GCPM is a user friendly, comprehensive, online display of cancer research projects and outreach programs on an interactive world map. The platform was developed as collaboration between the Global Oncology, Inc. (GO), and the National Cancer Institute’s Center for Global Health (CGH). Structure/Method/Design: The GCPM is designed for the ease of use by public health professionals, researchers, medical personnel, and trainees. The users can search for collaborators and projects by cancer types and countries, visualize information pertinent to each project on an interactive world map, and initiate contact with on-site project managers. Details of a project include investigator and on-site collaborators’ institutional and governmental affiliations, cancer type studied, and the institution funding the project. The users can also overlay heatmaps of epidemiological measures that provide a representation of burden of cancer by country and cancer type. These diseaseand country-specific measures include disability adjusted life years, mortality, incidence and prevalence rates, and Human Development Index. Outcomes & Evaluation: The map is being tested to improve usability, which includes navigation, intuitiveness, and accessibility. The website will be available to the public in March of 2015. Feedback from the public, usage data such as number of hits and amount of time spent on the website will be collected and analyzed. Analysis of this data will help identify additional issues that need to be addressed and generate ideas for future improvement. Going Forward: The next version of the GCPM aims to include databases from key partner organizations that GO and the CGH have identified. The partner organizations are projected to include the Union for International Cancer Control and the American Society of Clinical Oncology. It is GCPM’s goal to allow all collaborators around the world to submit their cancer-related projects to catalyze comprehensive and equitable sharing of cancer resources. Funding: This project is funded by NCI Contract No. HHSN261200800001E. Abstract #: 01ITIS007

Factors that may influence the willingness of cancer patients to consent for biobanking.

Broad or general consent given by cancer patients for their tissue, blood, and clinical information to be stored in institutional biorepositories is fundamental to enable future ethical translational cancer research. The decision to consent for biobanking will contribute to the development of advanced diagnostic and prognostic tests, as well as new therapies to improve patient outcomes. While the rate of patient participation in biobanking programs is generally reported as high worldwide, few studies have investigated factors that may influence this decision. Biobanking at our medical research institute, an associated public (government-run) university hospital, and private hospital has been established for over 20 years, with collection of certain tumor types embedded in the research culture of these institutions. In this study, we investigated factors that may influence a cancer patient's decision to give broad consent for biobanking of their specimens. Data on patient consent were collected over a 6-month period from both government and private hospitals associated with our medical research institute. Factors considered included gender, patient age at surgery, type of malignancy (breast, duodenal, cervical, endometrial, gastric, liver, esophageal, ovarian, pancreatic, pelvic, uterine, or vulval), type of institution where surgery was performed, and timing of consent. Of 171 cancer patients, 159 (93%) gave broad consent for biobanking of their tissue and blood specimens for future cancer research projects receiving ethical and scientific approval. None of the factors analyzed was shown to influence a patient's decision to contribute biological specimens and clinical data to a biorepository for future medical research. Biobanking for future ethically and scientifically approved research projects in an established institution is an initiative that receives strong support from patients undergoing cancer surgery, independent of factors including gender, age, type of tumor, type of institution where surgery was performed, or timing of consent.

Abstract C02: Ponce School of Medicine-Moffitt Cancer Center (PSM-MCC) Partnership to reduce cancer health disparities in Hispanics

Abstract Introduction: The geographic proximity and large Hispanic populations in Florida and Puerto Rico (PR) have driven the formation of an academic partnership between the Ponce School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Ponce, PR and Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, FL. The complementary expertise at both institutions provides a synergistic means of studying the cancer problem in Puerto Ricans, and in the Hispanic population in general. This partnership was initiated in 2003, supported by the NCI from 2006-2012 through a U56 planning grant and more recently through a U54 cooperative grant. The main goal is to build a long-term infrastructure between the two institutions with an emphasis on eliminating cancer-related health disparities in Hispanics. Methods: The U56-funded Partnership involved an extended (6 year) planning phase for developing coherence and a focused purpose to the cancer research program at PSM and a health disparities research focus at MCC. This was accomplished through the establishment of an administrative infrastructure for planning, development and support of joint cancer research projects, cancer-focused training, community outreach activities, and cancer clinical trials at PSM. A biobank has also been developed for collecting well-annotated tissues and DNA from Puerto Rican cancer patients and controls to support molecular and genetic studies. Results: Jointly-developed workshops, research projects, tissue banking activities, community-oriented research and educational activities, and student exchange opportunities resulted in scientific publications, new clinical trials, development of educational community materials, and joint grants (totaling over $734,000 in direct costs). The Puerto Rico BioBank currently collects tissues, blood and epidemiological data at 3 different locations in PR. At PSM, increases in the recruitment of basic cancer researchers and clinical oncology faculty members, the documented increase in the number of faculty with an interest in cancer research, and the development of cancer biology courses and seminars, strengthened the cancer program, as evidenced by at least $5,500,000 in cancer-related funding since the start of the Partnership. At MCC, increases in the number of scientists with a health disparities research focus and outreach activities targeted to Hispanics resulted in a rise in enrollment in clinical trials and in the number of health disparities-related grant applications and publications. Conclusions: The lessons and experience learned from this Partnership over the past decade moved the cancer program at PSM more solidly toward a relationship with MCC that is based on reciprocity and mutual benefits. This Partnership has served as the most important catalyst to create a critical mass of faculty performing cancer research, contributing to the transformation of PSM into a research-intensive institute. Through the Partnership, PSM continues to grow its capacity and expand its small but dynamic faculty with expertise in cancer research, tissue biobanking, cancer clinical trials, and community outreach. The continued development of the cancer program through the U54-funded Partnership with MCC will allow increased commitment to the underserved communities in southwestern Puerto Rico and in Florida, and will provide the opportunity to achieve a higher level of excellence in all areas of the Partnership. Supported by the NCI Center to Reduce Health Disparities, PSMHS, Grants #: 5U56CA126379 and 5U54CA163071 and MCC, Tampa FL., Grants #: 5 U56 CA118809-05 and 1 U54 CA163068-01A1. Citation Format: Jaime Matta, Jose A. Torres-Ruiz, Idhaliz Flores, Muñoz-Antonia Teresita, Sullivan Dan, Antonia Scott. Ponce School of Medicine-Moffitt Cancer Center (PSM-MCC) Partnership to reduce cancer health disparities in Hispanics. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Sixth AACR Conference: The Science of Cancer Health Disparities; Dec 6–9, 2013; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2014;23(11 Suppl):Abstract nr C02. doi:10.1158/1538-7755.DISP13-C02

Visualizing molecular profiles of glioblastoma with GBM-BioDP.

Validation of clinical biomarkers and response to therapy is a challenging topic in cancer research. An important source of information for virtual validation is the datasets generated from multi-center cancer research projects such as The Cancer Genome Atlas project (TCGA). These data enable investigation of genetic and epigenetic changes responsible for cancer onset and progression, response to cancer therapies, and discovery of the molecular profiles of various cancers. However, these analyses often require bulk download of data and substantial bioinformatics expertise, which can be intimidating for investigators. Here, we report on the development of a new resource available to scientists: a data base called Glioblastoma Bio Discovery Portal (GBM-BioDP). GBM-BioDP is a free web-accessible resource that hosts a subset of the glioblastoma TCGA data and enables an intuitive query and interactive display of the resultant data. This resource provides visualization tools for the exploration of gene, miRNA, and protein expression, differential expression within the subtypes of GBM, and potential associations with clinical outcome, which are useful for virtual biological validation. The tool may also enable generation of hypotheses on how therapies impact GBM molecular profiles, which can help in personalization of treatment for optimal outcome. The resource can be accessed freely at http://gbm-biodp.nci.nih.gov (a tutorial is included).

Preclinical Models to Study Breast Cancer

The nucleation of many breast cancer research projects is the choice of an appropriate model to be used, and a central question to be addressed. Often, a human breast cancer cell line is chosen, and a selection of assays is then employed to test new anti-cancer agents, or to study some aspect of the biology of the disease. Here, we provide a guide for the selection of preclinical models of breast cancer, focusing on commonly chosen cell lines, including MDA-MB-231, MCF-7, BT-474, T47D, and ZR75.1. Important criteria to consider include, among others, the ease of growth of the cells, whether they can form organotypic cultures, their amenability for drug screening assays, whether they are part of the NCI 60 cancer cell line panel, and their array of expression of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. Critical to the success of a project may also be whether the model can grow in vivo, and if it can metastasize. The ideal preclinical model is therefore one that permits multiplex in vitro screens as well as complex, orthotopic, animal models that replicate aspects of late stage disease. Additional criteria to consider include proprietary restrictions of some cell lines, which may later hamper drug development, and whether the models comply with institutional guidelines, as well as the possibility of incorporating molecular markers that allow for the in vivo non-invasive monitoring of disease. We provide practical examples to illustrate the challenges and the solutions to developing breast cancer projects, including studies on the treatment of metastatic disease using metronomic chemotherapy, either alone or in combination with anti-Her-2 targeting strategies, such as trastuzumab and pertuzumab.

Consumer involvement in cancer research: example from a Cancer Network

The involvement of consumers and the general public in improving cancer services is an important component of health services. However, consumer involvement in cancer research is relatively unexplored. The objective of this study was to explore different ways of involving consumers in cancer research in one regional network. Thames Valley Cancer Network Consumer Research Partnership (CRP) group was formed in 2009. The group consists of consumers and professionals to help in promoting consumer involvement in Cancer Research in the Thames Valley. This study evaluated the project of consumer involvement in cancer research in the Thames Valley from March 2010 to March 2011. We used different indices to judge the level of consumer involvement: number of projects involving consumers through the group, types of projects, level of involvement (ranged from consultation on research documents to collaborating in preparing grant applications) and the methods of involving consumers in cancer research. Fifteen projects were submitted to the CRP group during the 12-month period studied. Of these, eight projects were clinical trials, three were qualitative research projects, two were patients' surveys and two were non-randomized interventional studies. Seven projects requested consumer involvement on patient information sheets for clinical trials. Of these seven applications, three also requested consumers' help in designing research questionnaires and another three requested that consumers should be involved in their project management group. In addition, four projects involved consumers in the proposal development phase and another four projects asked for advice on how to increase trial recruitment, conduct patient interviews or help with grant applications. The creation of the CRP and this audit of its activity have documented consumer involvement in cancer research in the Thames Valley. We have clearly shown that consumers can be involved in designing and managing cancer research projects.

A comparative analysis of algorithms for somatic SNV detection in cancer

Motivation: With the advent of relatively affordable high-throughput technologies, DNA sequencing of cancers is now common practice in cancer research projects and will be increasingly used in clinical practice to inform diagnosis and treatment. Somatic (cancer-only) single nucleotide variants (SNVs) are the simplest class of mutation, yet their identification in DNA sequencing data is confounded by germline polymorphisms, tumour heterogeneity and sequencing and analysis errors. Four recently published algorithms for the detection of somatic SNV sites in matched cancer–normal sequencing datasets are VarScan, SomaticSniper, JointSNVMix and Strelka. In this analysis, we apply these four SNV calling algorithms to cancer–normal Illumina exome sequencing of a chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) patient. The candidate SNV sites returned by each algorithm are filtered to remove likely false positives, then characterized and compared to investigate the strengths and weaknesses of each SNV calling algorithm.Results: Comparing the candidate SNV sets returned by VarScan, SomaticSniper, JointSNVMix2 and Strelka revealed substantial differences with respect to the number and character of sites returned; the somatic probability scores assigned to the same sites; their susceptibility to various sources of noise; and their sensitivities to low-allelic-fraction candidates.Availability: Data accession number SRA081939, code at http://code.google.com/p/snv-caller-review/Contact: david.adelson@adelaide.edu.auSupplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Dietary flavonol intake is associated with age of puberty in a longitudinal cohort of girls

Lignans and flavonols are dietary phytoestrogens found at high concentrations in the Western Diet. They have potential to influence the timing of puberty. We hypothesized that greater consumption of these 2 phytoestrogens would be related to later age at pubertal onset among girls. Pubertal assessment and 24-hour diet recall data were available for 1178 girls, ages 6 to 8 years (mean 7.3 years) in the Breast Cancer and Environment Research Project Puberty Study. Lignan and flavonol intakes were mainly derived from fruit and vegetable consumption. Average consumption was 6.5 mg/d for flavonols and 0.6 mg/d for lignans. Highest flavonol consumption (>5 mg/d) was associated with later breast development (adjusted hazards ratio [HR]: 0.74, 95% CI: [0.61-0.91]) compared to 2 to 5 mg/d (adjusted HR: 0.84, 95% CI: [0.70-1.0]) and <2 mg/d (referent group; P-trend = .006). Flavonol intake was not associated with pubic hair development. Lignan intake was not associated with either breast or pubic hair development. Dietary intake was only weakly correlated with urinary enterolactone, a biomarker for lignans (RS = 0.13). Consistent with biologic properties of phytoestrogens that indicate hormonal activity, their consumption may be associated with reproductive end points, even in childhood.

Something to sing about: A global choir of cancer survivors—Building bridges.

e20505 Background: 68% of cancer patients live at least 5 years after diagnosis and many are cured. Cancer survivors continue to need support. Music is energising, affirming and therapeutic. More funds are needed for cancer research so that more patients become long-term survivors. In 2012 Galway University Hospital founded 'Something To Sing About' (STSA.ie), a not-for-profit organisation to support cancer survivors and cancer research. Methods: Local publicity brings small bands of cancer survivors together rehearsing the same music at the same time every week (Wednesday 7pm) in a local hall, hospital or hotel, each with its own local musical director. The music is selected by a representative music committee and music therapist. Musical instruction is disseminated by the chief musical director via website and social media. A plenary rehearsal takes place every 3 months. All profits from events and music sales are allocated to cancer research projects through an open peer-reviewed grant-application process. Results: In 6 months STSA has grown from concept to network of 20 centres with total membership of 251 cancer-survivors. Immediate feedback has been extremely positive as assessed by personal communication and facebook activity (currently 1,025 ‘likes'). Over 100 singing-survivors participated in the first plenary rehearsal. All commercial venues have donated their meeting rooms gratis. Internationally there is one participating centre in Brisbane, Australia, with others signalling their intention to join in 2013 including: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York; 14 breast cancer support centres in UK; and one centre in the Czech Republic (updated at meeting). STSA members are particularly keen on establishing links with other cancer patients abroad. Professional musicians are pledging support and suggesting fund-raising collaborations. Conclusions: Cancer survivors continue to need ongoing support and find the music therapy and group therapy provided by STSA most beneficial. Cancer survivors are very interested in supporting cancer research. STSA has the potential to become a major international cancer support network and cancer research foundation.

Synthesis and evaluation of a series of novel imidazolidinone analogues of 6-aminoflavone as anticancer and anti-inflammatory agents

The flavone moiety is a potential pharmacophore known for its diverse range of pharmacological activities. Aminoflavones have recently been the subject of considerable attention as lead molecules in several cancer research projects. Imidazolidinone heterocycles represent another biologically active scaffold with known cytotoxic properties. In an attempt to provide synergistic cytotoxic activity, these two moieties have been combined, and the resulting novel analogues evaluated for their anticancer and anti-inflammatory activities. The results revealed that the cytotoxicities of these compounds were fivefold greater than those of aminoflavone. DNA histograms obtained from cell cycle analysis in the presence of these compounds were apoptotic in their nature. Furthermore, the in vivo screening of these compounds using Ehrlich’s ascites tumour model showed an increase in life span, whereas an in vivo anti-inflammatory study resulted in the enhancement of the anti-inflammatory potential. The results therefore supported the hypothesis that there is a relationship between inflammation and cancer.

Antibodies for profiling the human proteome—The Human Protein Atlas as a resource for cancer research

In this review, we present an update on the progress of the Human Protein Atlas, with an emphasis on strategies for validating immunohistochemistry-based protein expression patterns and on the possibilities to extend the map of protein expression patterns for cancer research projects. The objectives underlying the Human Protein Atlas include (i) the generation of validated antibodies toward a major isoform of all proteins encoded by the human genome, (ii) creating an information database of protein expression patterns in normal human tissues, in cells, and in cancer, and (iii) utilizing generated antibodies and protein expression data as tools to identify clinically useful biomarkers. The success of such an effort is dependent on the validity of antibodies as specific binders of intended targets in applications used to map protein expression patterns. The development of strategies to support specific target binding is crucial and remains a challenge as a large fraction of proteins encoded by the human genome is poorly characterized, including the approximately one-third of all proteins lacking evidence of existence. Conceivable methods for validation include the use of paired antibodies, i.e. two independent antibodies targeting different and nonoverlapping epitopes on the same protein as well as comparative analysis of mRNA expression patterns with corresponding proteins.

Mono-dispersed high magnetic resonance sensitive magnetite nanocluster probe for detection of nascent tumors by magnetic resonance molecular imaging

Sensitive molecular imaging and detection of tumors or their supporting neovascularity require high-avidity, target-specific probes, which produce robust signal amplification compatible with a sensitive high-resolution imaging modality. In this context, we fabricated a high magnetic resonance (MR)-sensitive magnetite nanocluster (MNC) probe specific for tumor angiogenesis by assembly of hydrophobic superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) with (Mal)mPEG-PLA copolymer into cluster and subsequent encoding c(RGDyC) peptide on the cluster (RGD-MNC) for detection of nascent tumors. We found that RGD-MNC is highly sensitive (r2 = 464.94 s-1mM-1) and specific for αvβ3-positive cells. Both nascent (35 ± 6.6 mm3) and large tumors (256 ± 22.3 mm3) can be registered by RGD-MNC and detected by MR imaging (MRI), with the nascent tumors demonstrating more pronounced MR contrast. Immunohistochemical studies revealed that MR signal decrease was closely correlated with histological characteristics of tumors (microvessel density and αvβ3 expression levels) at different growth stages. From the Clinical EditorThe authors demonstrate a method to image neovascularization in the context of tumors in an animal model utilizing functionalized SPIO particles. Although currently no SPIO or USPIO-based MRI contrast dye is approved for human use, in vivo cancer research projects may utilize this method in the near future, and hopefully similar applications will be available for human imaging as well.

Important Considerations for Recruiting Women to Cancer Genetics Studies in Puerto Rico

A goal of the Minority Institution/Cancer Center Partnership between the Ponce School of Medicine in Puerto Rico and the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute in Florida is to provide cross-cultural training in cancer research. This is achieved through a collaborative summer exchange program, which provides US students with an opportunity to conduct research in Puerto Rico. As part of this program, students recruited participants and collected data for a study to enhance the understanding of sociocultural factors among Puerto Rican women regarding genetic testing for hereditary breast/ovarian cancer. Limited studies have examined cancer genetics issues among Latinos, particularly those specific to the various Latino subgroups, such as Puerto Ricans. As a result of the student training experience, culturally appropriate strategies for the recruitment of women in Puerto Rico have been identified. These recommendations can inform the design of cancer research projects and interventions targeting the Puerto Rican population.

Nikolaus Forgo, Regine Kollek, Marian Arning, Tina Kruegel and Imme Petersen. Ethical and Legal Requirements for Transnational Genetic Research

The ethical and legal challenges of biomedical research are among the most crucial and interesting questions in law nowadays. One of these questions concerns the regulation of research on human genetic data in transnational constellations. Genetic research promises therapies and prevention for diseases like cancer and HIV, but it is highly dependent on genetic material derived from donors of tissue or blood. For significant advancements in cancer research, for instance, a large number of genetic data of patients is needed. Such data are most effectively collected in and made available by databases or biobanks that allow the exchange of genetic data by various research facilities. To enhance the possibilities and enlarge the amount of genetic data available for researchers the European Union through its 6th Framework Programme of the European Commission under the Action Line �Integrated biomedical information for better health� funded the so-called �Advancing Clinico-Genomic Trials on Cancer� research project (ACGT). This project aimed to deliver to the cancer research community an integrated clinico-genomic information and communication technology environment designed to become a pan-European voluntary network connecting individuals and institutions to enable the sharing of data and tools. However, broadening the scope to the European level causes problems of integration of different national views on ethical issues and their legal framework. The book under review presents some of the findings of the ethical and legal section of the project. The authors, specialists in the field of data protection, data security, and technology assessment, scrutinized the necessary framework for a pan-European infrastructure for medical researchers aiming at a bigger pool of genetic material for research on various types of cancer. Recognizing the necessary link between law and ethics in the realm of biomedical research, the authors combined both of these aspects to provide a holistic socio-scientific analysis of the project, �

Abstract B32: Training the next generation of Hispanic cancer researchers: The UPR/UT MDACC program

Abstract The University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus (UPR-MSC) has established a strong training program in cancer. It has been implemented through a project funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) of the National Institute of Health (NIH), within the scope of an administrative U54 grant (CA096297). The training program is grounded on a solid collaborative relation between the UPR-MSC and University of Texas (UT) M. D. Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC), at Houston. The main goal of the program is to increase the number of Hispanic students knowledgeable and committed to careers in cancer research and cancer medicine. The specific objectives are to prepare Hispanic students to pursue careers in cancer research, cancer medicine, and population sciences and to establish a career development program for clinical and basic scientist faculty at the UPR Cancer Center (UPRCC). An educational pipeline comprises a series of didactic and research experiences, and enrichment activities. Various competitive research programs are available in UPR and MDACC, all sponsored by the U54 training program. In the UPR there is a research assistantships stipends program for undergraduate and graduate students. Students have the opportunity of working in cancer research projects under the guidance of faculty in mid to junior stages of their academic careers. The opportunities in MDACC include a summer research program for undergraduate, medical and other trainees within the health professions field. Clinical or biomedical cancer research 2-3 month rotations for senior medical students and residents are also sponsored. Call for applications submissions are advertised through the UPR and MDACC web pages and e-mail. Students from any of 11 UPR campuses can participate, including those from smaller colleges located in the center of the Island. The pipeline also features a core course in cancer biology and a combined M.D./Ph.D. program, with emphasis on patient-based and translational research. The M.D./Ph.D. program main objective is to develop a cadre of outstanding Hispanic physician-scientists who will lead the oncology research, prevention and treatment in Puerto Rico and other Hispanic communities. The students earn the M.D. degree from the UPR-MSC, School of Medicine, and the Ph.D. degree from the UT Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS) at Houston. They formally start the Ph.D. curriculum after having completed the third year of medical school. This curricular sequence allows the students to acquire a strong basis on clinical medicine prior to starting the Ph.D. thesis’ research project. The educational experiences that comprise the pipeline are complemented and supported by a structured mentoring program for students and junior investigators. The trainees are tracked and evaluated yearly in order to assess their development within a career in cancer. The training program has impacted over 70 trainees during the course of eight (8) years. In summary, this training program has offered the opportunity to the UPR for institutional growth, which is evidenced by the establishment of seven (7) inter-institutional agreements between UPR and UT, new combined programs curricular sequences, summer programs, on-campus sponsored research experiences, faculty development and scientific collaboration among faculty and trainees. Citation Information: Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2010;19(10 Suppl):B32.

An Approach To Correlate the Temporal Information To Facilitate Specimen Selection in the Breast Cancer Research Project.

Abstract Background: Temporal information management is very important in translational research. In the Clinical Breast Care Project (CBCP), the information on subjects and their specimens may be collected at multiple time points using multiple instruments.All such information is stored in an in-house data warehouse. Currently, 4000+ subjects have been enrolled in the study following HIPAA-compliant IRB-approved protocols with 35,000+ specimens collected. Some of the patient's information is static but other data are time dependent. As a result, selecting samples for experiments is a challenge due to complicated temporal relationships between samples and information collected through various instruments.Methods and Results: In the CBCP, the clinical information, blood, and solid tissues of a subject may be collected at multiple time points, associated with the completion of a Core Questionnaire (CQ) for clinical information, and/or a Pathology Checklist (PC) for pathology and sample information. We have designed and implemented an algorithm to use a set of pre-defined flags to precisely describe each sample related to patient's clinical and pathology information in the temporal domain. Five categories (flags) were created to describe the relationship between the sample date (SD) and the CQ date based on whether SD is within 60 days of the CQ date or there is missing data or not. The relationship between blood samples and pathology information is more complicated. Within 90 days, any of the 15 surgical procedures might be performed on a patient and blood samples might be collected before, at the time of, or between any procedures. For some experiments, it is crucial to select blood samples taken before tumor is impacted or severely impacted. Thus, we defined a dozen categories to describe the relationship between the SD and the procedure date (PD), including when the SD is earlier than any PD, equals to the first PD, or between certain procedures. Using these flags we have characterized the relationships between SDs and CQ dates, and between SDs and PDs for all the samples and all the subjects, and stored all the information into two relational tables. The temporal criteria for sample selection are now represented by the relationships between these flags, and can be implemented through several filtering processes. The described algorithm drastically reduces the time needed for precise sample selection from several days for manual efforts to several hours.Discussion: We are in the process of developing a general data model for temporal information management. The method described here is a transitional solution that fulfills our current needs. As an initial effort some of the thresholds for categorizing different temporal conditions are arbitrary, and we are validating them with experimental results for future improvement. Nonetheless, this algorithm has greatly enhanced the efficiency of our subject and specimen selection for wet bench experiments. The same principle can be applied to the future temporal data model solution, for CBCP and other human disease studies. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(24 Suppl):Abstract nr 4173.