To New Beginnings

We are now a few days into the new year, and I would like to welcome you all to 2012 and offer best wishes to you and your family. I can say without hesitation that 2011 was a banner year for the BC Cancer Foundation, so all of us here have a lot of anticipation for what is to come—we know that the partnership between research and philanthropy is only going to get stronger.

Below are some updates from the fall including our recent Jingle Mingle event on Vancouver Island, success with the BC Generations Project, research news at OvCaRe, and information about a new research study.

Thank you for being our partner in discovery.

Sincerely,

Douglas Nelson
President & CEO
BC Cancer Foundation

Jingle Mingle raises over half a million dollars for cancer research on Vancouver Island
 

Photo: Jingle Mingle committee chair, Bonnie Campbell, with Dr. Brad Nelson, BC Cancer Agency Vancouver Island Centre.

The BC Cancer Foundation’s swanky Jingle Mingle and brand new Jingle Soirée secured a staggering $510,000 for invaluable cancer research at the BC Cancer Agency Vancouver Island Centre. Beneath the shimmer and chic attire of the holiday event, guests were keenly aware of the evening’s goal to improve cancer outcomes for Vancouver Island patients.

Jingle Mingle guests also raised their paddles high in philanthropic spirit for the event’s inaugural Equip-a-Need—a way to raise funds for in-demand scientific equipment. Proceeds from this year’s Equip-a-Need will fund a state-of-the-art robotic microscope as well as other high priority equipment, helping Agency scientists, like Dr. Brad Nelson, pictured, find answers that will transform immunotherapy research.

BC Generations Project—Success on southern Vancouver Island

The BC Cancer Agency’s BC Generations Project recently wound up its southern Vancouver Island Victoria recruitment campaign with great success.

During the eight and a half week run at the Esquimalt assessment centre, researchers recruited almost 2,300 participants to the BC Generations Project—nearly doubling their goal!

Study director Dr. Marilyn Borugian says, “We extend a heartfelt thank you to all the men and women who enthusiastically donated their time to help build a healthier tomorrow for future generations of British Columbians.”

The BC Generations Project is part of a Canada-wide initiative to learn more about how environment, lifestyle and genes contribute to cancer and other chronic diseases.

For more information and to find out how you can participate, visit www.bcgenerationsproject.ca.

Reducing cancer pain without the side effects

Most often, cancer patients who are experiencing pain are prescribed opioids such as morphine to relieve their pain and thereby improve their quality of life. Some patients respond well with few side effects, while others experience side effects such as drowsiness, constipation or nausea. The BC Cancer Agency’s Pain and Symptom Management/Palliative Care Program is looking at ways to relieve pain without the side effects of opioids.

Dr. Pippa Hawley is leading a study looking at prescribing lidocaine, a non-opioid drug that is also used in other settings, such as for "freezing" tissues for procedures such as dental fillings. This alternative to opioids can be given by infusion to affect the whole body and may provide patients with all of the benefits of pain reduction without the side effects of opioids.

Patients at any stage of their cancer journey who are interested in participating in the trial are welcome to contact Dr. Hawley at phawley@bccancer.bc.ca, or phoning 604-877-6000, ext. #2707.

In some regions of the world, opioids are unavailable, whereas lidocaine is easy to access. If lidocaine infusion is proven to be effective for cancer pain, this research could offer a promising way to improve cancer patients’ quality of life in B.C. and beyond.

If you’d like to learn more about how you can support ongoing research, contact Sharon Kennedy at the BC Cancer Foundation, 604-877-6160, skennedy2@bccancer.bc.ca.

Rare cancers found to share genetic mutation

B.C.’s Ovarian Cancer Research Program (OvCaRe) caps 2011 with an exciting discovery. Led by Drs. David Huntsman and Gregg Morin, the research team has linked rare and seemingly unrelated cancers (ovarian, uterine, and testicular tumours) to a single genetic mutation in DICER1.

The discovery shows that the mutations change the function of DICER1 so that it participates directly in the initiation of cancer. This breakthrough is particularly pivotal because it could lead to solutions for treatment of more common cancers.

Dr. Huntsman, pictured here, comments on the value of the study, which suggests they may need to start rethinking the way they define cancers. He said, “Once you start defining cancers by what they are, rather than where they occur, you find that there are cancers across the body that share features, which perhaps could be treated the same way."

The discovery is the third in a series of OvCaRe papers to be published in the New England Journal of Medicine.