NCI Director Injects Hope into the Future of Cancer Research

June 13th, 2008

"Among our many challenges, there is none, I believe, greater than the necessity that we more rapidly translate our discoveries, our new interventions, to patients."¹

On May 31, 2008, the National Cancer Institute Director Dr John Niederhuber delivered a keynote address to commence the annual American Society of Clinical Oncology Meeting in Chicago, Illinois. He delivered the aforementioned quote with an impassioned plea to increase awareness, funding, and research into the many faces of cancer; impacting nearly every single human life, it is crucial to optimize patient treatment, with an ultimate goal of finding a cure for every single different cancer.

In his speech, Dr Niederhuber recognized The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) as an important pilot project into the "feasibility of large-scale characterization and sequencing of patients' tumors"¹, with the ultimate aim being the comprehension of the molecular basis of cancer.²

Among several initial tumor types being studied, the exceptional quality of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) tumor tissue makes it a fundamental tool in the development of the initiative. 1300 genes have already been sequenced from more than 234 characterized tissue samples. From this, the NF1 gene and the Erbb2 gene, not previously linked to GBM, have been ascertained. Furthermore, previously uncharacterized changes in the EGF receptor gene and the p53 suppressor gene have been discovered to impact GBM.¹ As is clearly evidenced, the TCGA project is already aiding in the genetic understanding of GBM and other cancers. This is exciting news for projects such as AGOG, which will be looking at the genetic epidemiology of GBM and grade 3 gliomas.

In closing, Dr Niederhuber imparted that he hopes that this project, along with many others will help in the fight to end cancer. With all of the discoveries made yesterday and today, and with the innovation planned for the future through funding and research, he aims to make cancer history.

¹ Niederhuber J. "Dr Niederhuber's Remarks at the ASCO Opening Session". ASCO Annual Meeting. Chicago, IL. 31 May 2008.
² The Cancer Genome Atlas. Mission and Goals. Retrieved June 12, 2008. http://cancergenome.nih.gov/about/mission.asp