Christine Ambrosone, PhD, to Host Meet-the-Expert Session at AACR National Meeting in Washington, DC

BUFFALO, NEW YORK – Christine Ambrosone, PhD, cancer researcher and Chair of the Department of Cancer Prevention and Control at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, will present a “Meet-the-Expert” session at the American Association for Cancer Research 101st annual meeting in Washington, D.C., April 17-21. Her session, Pharmacogenetic and Epidemiological Studies in Cooperative Group Trials, will be held Saturday, April 17, 3:15 pm, in Room 103 of the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.

Earlier detection and improved treatments are increasing the number of cancer survivors, so there is greater interest in understanding why some patients respond better than others when receiving similar treatment for similar cancer types. Researchers want to study whether there are genetic and non-genetic factors that may lower the risk of cancer recurrence and death, as well as improve patient well-being during cancer treatment. However, one difficulty in studying cancer survivorship is the potential effect(s) that cancer treatments and diverse patient characteristics may have on study results.

Dr. Ambrosone will discuss results from pharmacogenetic and epidemiological studies that her team conducted in one cooperative oncology group’s clinical trials. In this group, the effects of genetic variability on treatment outcomes could be studied in a fairly homogeneous population of patients who were receiving the same cancer treatments. These patients also provided an opportunity to study the effects of non-genetic factors, such as lifestyle habits, on treatment side effects and survival.

“Findings from these studies will provide us guidelines for patients during chemotherapy. The pharmacogenetic findings may lead to dosing depending upon genotypes, as well as new targeted therapies based upon findings of gene pathways that affect treatment outcomes,” says Ambrosone.

The AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010 brings together more than 17,000 participants to share the latest discoveries and developments in cancer research.

Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, founded in 1898, is the nation’s first cancer research, treatment and education center, and currently serves patients from across America and the world. The Institute was one of the first cancer centers in the country to be named a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center and remains the only facility with this designation in Upstate New York.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Colleen M. Karuza
716-845-5747; colleen.karuza@roswellpark.org