A Publication of The Cancer Institute of New Jersey Winter 2 012 Examining the ‘Circle of Health’ ompared to Cauca- current research efforts as part the evaluation of these poten - sian women, African- of a new consortium of four tial risk factors, the research- CAmerican women are studies in African-American ers hope to deter mine how more likely to be diagnosed women. they relate to the early devel - with breast cancer at a younger The Women’s Circle of opment of breast cancer in the age and at a later stage, and Health Study, the Carolina African- have more aggressive features Breast Cancer Study, the Black K American i m S associated with poor progno - o Women’s Health Study, and k population. o l o f Dr. Elisa Bandera sis. However, the reasons for the Multiethnic Cohort Study f “Most these differences remain un- will examine 5,500 women on this subject. In all, the studies known. To address these issues, with breast cancer and 5,500 National Cancer Institute of The Cancer Institute of New women without cancer, repre - awarded $19.3 million to breast Jersey (CINJ) is expanding its senting the largest study to date support the collaborative cancer effort, which is being led by have been con - Christine Ambrosone, PhD, ducted in Caucasian women. Inside the CINJ Foundation Roswell Park Cancer Institute; Therefore, there is great need Julie Palmer, ScD, Boston Uni- for studies like this, focusing Celebrating a ‘Spectrum of Promise’ versity; and Robert Millikan, on African-American women PhD, University of North and with large enough num - Carolina at Chapel Hill. bers to be able to study the The Women’s Circle of rare breast cancer subtypes, Health Study, based at CINJ which tend to be more com - and led by epidemiologist Elisa mon in African- American Bandera, MD, PhD , will receive women,” noted Dr. Bandera, $1.6 million in funding to con- who is also an associate tinue recruiting women from professor of epidemiology at K an expanded target area across UMDNJ-Robert Wood y o M o New Jersey . Johnson Medical School and r i s h i m a Investigators are gathering UMDNJ-School of Public P h o t o demographic and medical in- Health. g r a p h formation, as well as repro - y To learn more, visit: ductive, lifestyle and diet his - t was a night of celebration, as the CINJ Foundation recently honored pillars http://cinjweb.umdnj.edu/ tories. Saliva and tumor sam - in the cancer community at its annual Award of Hope Gala. Turn to page 12, CircleofHealth, or call Iwhere you’ll see more of this special evening. ples are also collected for 732-235-9874 molecular analyses. Through Go to Contents Page 1 Director’s Corner Winter 2012 In this Issue: “ iscovery consists of seeing what everyone J o 1 h Examining the ‘Circle of Health’ ......................................................................................... n D E else has seen and thinking what no one else has m e r s o Research thought.” That sentiment by Nobel Prize-winning n physicist Albert Szent-Györgyi captures the essence Menthol Cigarettes May Make it Tougher of what physician-scientists at The Cancer Institute of to Quit Smoking for Certain Populations ..................................3... New Jersey strive for each and every day – to engage in new ways of looking Energy Boost .................................................................................3... at the biology of cancer. Additionally, and most importantly; however, physician- Faculty Feature: Edmund C. Lattime, PhD ..................................4... scientists at CINJ work passionately at the process of discovery for a purpose: to cure and prevent cancer. Treatme nt In fact, we are well on this road to the cure. Not too long ago, deciphering the Clinical Trials Corner: sequence of a single human gene was difficult; today, we know the sequence of the Direct Injection Vaccine Treatment entire human genome. A few years ago, we knew little of what made a cancer cell for Pancreas Cancer Associated with Stable Disease ...................................................................5... different from a normal one; today, we know almost every one of those differences. Such scientific discoveries could be described as a ‘spectrum of promise,’ with each Building a Better Predictor .........................................................6... new finding continuing to advance our collective knowledge in the oncology field. Robotic Surgery and Gynecologic Cancers ..................................6... At CINJ, our investigators remain on the cutting-edge of cancer research, unlocking new clues that will serve as a strong foundation for future scientific advancements. Prevention As you’ll read in our cover story, the Women’s Circle of Health study, led by CINJ The Time is Right to Save your Life ..........................................7... epidemiologist Dr. Elisa Bandera , aims to further examine the mysteries of breast ‘Jersey Girl’ Study at CINJ Looks at cancer by studying the disease in African-American women. Information collected Understudied Hormone Disruptors ..........................................8... from this study will be merged with findings from three other large studies from Another Successful Prostate Cancer Screening Event ...........8... across the nation. Upon completion, researchers will have a data set of more than ten-thousand from which to draw conclusions relating to this segment of the popu - Education lation, which is more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer at a younger age and at a later stage than compared to Caucasian women. Outreach Director at CINJ Tapped for National Program .....................................................8... And we’re breaking new ground in the area of cancer vaccine therapy. Led by CINJ Deputy Director Dr. Edmund Lattime and CINJ’s co-director of the Sharing a Survivor’s Moment .....................................................8... Gastrointestinal/Hepatobiliary Oncology Program, Dr. Elizabeth Poplin , investiga - Save the Date ...............................................................................9... tors are in the midst of a unique clinical trial that aims to harness the body’s own On Tour ...........................................................................................9... defense mechanisms in fighting pancreatic cancer. Early results are showing an association with stable disease, following a direct vaccine injection into the tumor Inside CINJ itself (see page 5) . Kudos! ............................................................................................9... None of these discoveries happen without collaboration. CINJ investigators are CINJ Network Spotlight: working closely with CINJ member Dr. Anant Madabhushi of Rutgers, The State New Treatment and Support Services University of New Jersey, in helping to bring new imaging technologies to the at Steeplechase Cancer Center .................................................10.... patient bedside. As you’ll read on page 6, Dr. Madabhushi recently was awarded a New Leadership for CINJ Hamilton ..........................................10.... grant to develop a better tool to predict breast cancer aggressiveness. CINJ Physicians Voted “Tops” ....................................................11.... It is advancements such as these that we recently celebrated with the CINJ Foundation during its annual Award of Hope Gala, which boasted the theme — ever Inside the CINJ Foundation so appropriately — ‘Spectrum of Promise’ (see page 12) . It is through the support of our collaborators and all of you that we are able to fulfill our mission. We hope you Award of Hope Gala Brings Promise .......................................12.... will continue with us on this journey. Training Future Breast Cancer Surgeons .................................13.... Sincerely, New Trustees Join Board ............................................................14.... On the Road to a Cure ................................................................14.... Robert S. DiPaola, MD Students and Communities for a Cause ..................................15.... Director, CINJ; Associate Dean for Oncology Programs and Professor A Giving Spirit at Exit 109 .........................................................16.... of Medicine, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School 2 R • Research e s e a r Energy Boost c Menthol Cigarettes May h Make it Tougher to Quit Smoking he metabolism of cancer cells has attracted great attention in the last few for Certain Populations T years. Energy metabolism is an essen - tial function sustaining the increase in cancer cells by division, the movement of cancer cells ould a mint-flavored addi - investiga tors focused on white, black from one place to another, and survival of cancer tive to cigarettes have a neg - and Hispanic “ever-smokers,” who were cells. Both normal and cancer cells utilize two Cative impact on smoking defined as current smokers and former major pathways to satisfy cessation efforts? Recent research smokers who quit in the past five years. their energetic demands. from investigators at The Cancer Overall, menthol smoking was more One is glycolysis, the Institute of New Jersey and common among females and young conversion of the simple L i n adults, ages 18 to 24. Menthol z UMDNJ-School of Public Health P sugar glucose into lactate. h o t o smoking varied considerably by race/ g finds that menthol cigarettes are r The other is mitochondrial a p h associated with decreased quitting in ethnicity; among blacks, 71.8 percent y respiration.