Breast and Ovary Cancers

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle WA

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY Cancers of the breast and ovary together account for a high proportion of cancer deaths in women. These cancers share common themes, including derivation from hormonally responsive tissues, shared genetic susceptibility, augmented risk based on reproductive behaviors, defects in DNA repair, overlapping molecular alterations and therapeutic targets, and profound lethality once disease spreads beyond the site of initiation. To better understand and address these challenges, the Breast & Ovary Cancers Program brings together a cross- disciplinary and collaborative group of investigators dedicated to reducing the incidence and mortality of breast and ovary cancers locally, regionally, nationally, and globally. Broadly, we aim to 1) improve strategies to assess risk, identify, screen, and prevent breast and ovary cancer and 2) develop targeted therapies for breast and ovary cancers with a special focus on improving response. The program’s 54 members from Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and the University of Washington hold more than $20M in research funding, including $5.9M from NCI. Program members published 751 papers in the current cycle, of which 137 were intraprogrammatic and 180 were interprogrammatic. In response to prior critiques, over the last five years our program has: (i) engaged with community action boards to enhance the reach of mobile mammography to screen and educate populations throughout our catchment area, with a special focus on Indigenous populations; (ii) enhanced the basic and mechanistic expertise of our program through the appointment of a basic and translational research focused co- leader, by recruiting stellar faculty studying basic mechanisms of breast and ovary cancer therapy resistance, and by boosting existing research through targeted funding opportunities; (iii) broadened collaboration within and beyond our program by leveraging Consortium pilot funding opportunities towards the creation of a $25M inter- institutional endeavor to prevent lethal recurrence. The result of these extensive enhancements is an even more impactful research program that has more than doubled our NCI funding over the last funding period, enhanced the reach and impact of our publications reflected by both numbers and the impact metrics, and continued the conduct of practice-defining clinical studies on a national and international level. Successful execution of our aims will address incidence and mortality of two lethal cancers that occur within our catchment area (the entire state of Washington) at higher rates than the national average; reduce disparities in education and access to diagnostics and care; and produce a pre-eminent program aimed at delivering precision diagnostics and therapeutics to prevent the incidence and lethality of breast and ovary cancers.