The scientific focus of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Program is to investigate the pathogenesis, epidemiology and optimal therapy of patients with hematologic and viral-associated malignancies.
These two areas first came together in the early 1980s, when USC/Norris scientists began to study AIDS-related malignancies. The program then expanded to include HTLV I-related lymphoma/leukemia. Recently, the program has expanded to include lymphoma associated with hepatitis C.
USC/Norris researchers' work in AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma led to a greater focus on the role of angiogenesis and vascular biology in malignant disease, as well as the development and testing of angiogenesis inhibitors as a means of therapy. The newly developed vascular biology program has provided a mechanism for strong inter-programmatic collaboration, with receipt of cancer center seed funding (from the Whittier Initiative) for a translational Phase I clinical trial of an anti-sense oligonucleotide against VEGF, which was developed within our program.
The program's collaborations with the Pediatric Oncology Division at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles also have been strengthened by the USC/Norris, allowing researchers to work together on translational research studies, such as a Phase I study of fenretinide (N-[4-hydroxyphenyl] retinamide) in patients with hematologic malignancies, again with initial seed funding from the cancer center. The program's ongoing collaborations with the Cancer Epidemiology and Cancer Control Research Programs have led to NCI/NIH grants that further expand inter- and intra-programmatic research.
Specific aims include these:
The program has 26 members from eight different academic departments in the Keck School of Medicine of USC. They also participate in seven other USC/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center programs.
