US delegation to Galliera for preventive therapy against tumors

Today, a delegation from the Cancer Prevention Division (DCP) of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in Washington DC and the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston visited Galliera hospital in Genoa.

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss updates on the data obtained to date on the cancer preventive therapy trial, for which the Galliera Hospital and IEO (European Institute of Oncology) received funding from the NCI. "Randomized pre-operative study with exemestane at different dosages, in postmenopausal women with bad cancer (stage 0-II hormone-responsive)", this is the title of research conducted at the # 39, IEO and SC Hospital Galliera Medical Oncology under the responsibility of Prof. Andrea De Censi Director of the S.C. Oncology of Galliera and in collaboration with the Breast Unit of ASL 3, coordinated by Dott.ssa Nicoletta Gandolfo

"Experimentation – explains the Prof. Andrea De Censi – a year ago is set the goal to evaluate the reduced doses of anti-estrogen exemestane administered for 4 to 6 weeks, waiting for the first time. a surgical intervention, on the ultrasensitive plasma levels of estradiol (main female hormone) and on the Ki67 cell proliferation index present in the tumor tissue. This preoperative study has particular characteristics because it is short-lived, performed on a small number of patients and uses biomarkers as criteria for clinical response. "

Compared to traditional tests that require many years and a large number of subjects to arrive at evaluable results, this study allows a considerable savings in terms of time and costs.

In addition to Italian centers of Galliera / ASL3 and IEO, the MDACC of Houston, the Columbia University New York Medical Center and the Moffitt Cancer Center of the University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida.

During the visit , the delegation met the Galliera team and the Breast Unit, ASL3, involved in the experimentation.The possibilities of future collaborations and new projects between the two accredited Italian centers and the NCI also

"I am happy – says the Vice President and Regional Councilor for Health Sonia Viale – that today they are present here at the Galliera hospital, with the. Asl3 Genovese, excellent professionals in the international scientific community, in this case the United States, for the update on the test of a drug that has the function of relieving the disease and treating women with cancer of the bad. The Asl3 / Galliera Breast Unit is fully involved as it is one of two identified centers in Italy, with the European Institute of Oncology, for the creation of bad units, which see Liguria at the forefront of treatment and care

The visit to the Galliera Hospital was led by Dr. Leslie Ford, Associate Director of Clinical Research at NCI DCP and by Dr. Powel Brown, director of the consortium and MDACC Prevention Division of Houston. Dr. Eva Szabo, Head of the Clinical Research Group for Upper Air Pulmonary and Aerial Pathways and Coordinator of the Consortium for NCI, and Dr. Brandy Heckman-Stoddard, Head of Clinical Research Group in the Field of Senology and of gynecology

The discovery of drugs for the prevention of tumors is revolutionizing the approach of cancer by the use of new drugs and substances able to stop molecular pathways the specific ones which lead to the appearance of cancer itself

And that is precisely the area of ​​prevention that has characterized the scientific research of Prof.'s group. Andrea De Censi, director of SC Oncology of Galliera and Dr. Bernardo Bonanni at the Division of Prevention and Oncological Genetics of the European Institute of Oncology of Milan. Both groups designed and conducted several preventive studies with drugs used in clinical practice with other indications, at reduced doses compared to conventional doses, and at low cost.

In order to conduct effective scientific research and stimulate collaboration between Excellence, the NCI DCP inaugurated in 2003 a consortium-based funding program, in which 6 major centers of recognized excellence participate in the world such as : the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Texas, the University of Arizona, the Northwestern Evanston University of Illinois, the Mayo Clinic Foundation of Minnesota, the University of Wisconsin- Madison and the University of California-Irvine. Every 4 months, the NCI publishes a competitive funding announcement on specific topics or on the recommendation of the 6 different consortia to which everyone can participate.

The SC Medical Oncology of EO Galliera Hospitals, with the Division of Prevention and Oncological Genetics of the European Institute of Oncology of Milan and prestigious cancer research centers such as the I & # 39; Dana Farber Cancer Institute at Boston Harvard University and the Kettering Memorial Sloan Cancer Center of New York is part of the consortium coordinated by the Houston MDACC.