Posted on

USC Norris shares $500,000 federal grant with Chinatown Service Center to improve equity in cervical cancer screening and treatment

Recent Posts

USC Norris shares $500,000 federal grant with Chinatown Service Center to improve equity in cervical cancer screening and treatment

USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center is taking part in a new program launched by the Department of Health and Human Services to improve access to cancer care by partnering NCI designated cancer centers with community health centers across the country.

By Hinde Kast 

October 19, 2022

Due to the HPV vaccine and screenings, the vast majority of cervical cancers are preventable. Yet each year 13,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and 4,000 women die from the disease in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In Los Angeles County, racial/ethnic minorities and other marginalized groups, including Chinese Americans and Latinas, are more likely to be diagnosed with cervical cancer.

To address this disparity, the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center (USC Norris) is joining forces with the Chinatown Service Center to improve access to life-saving cervical cancer screenings, referrals, and treatment for Chinese and Latina women in Central Los Angeles. This first-of-its-kind partnership is part of a new program just launched by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to promote equitable access to cancer screenings and care by bringing community health centers together with National Cancer Institute (NCI)-Designated Cancer Centers. The Chinatown Service Center is one of 11 community health centers across the country sharing a $5 million award from HRSA to implement the new partnerships — and it is the only one in Los Angeles.

“I am extremely excited by the partnership between USC Norris and the Chinatown Service Center and the initiatives that will be developed and implemented to find ways to optimize access, shorten the time frame between diagnosis and treatment, and enhance the quality and delivery of screening and follow up to abnormal findings for cervical cancer patients in our catchment area,” said Dr. Caryn Lerman, director of USC Norris, H. Leslie Hoffman and Elaine S. Hoffman Chair in Cancer Research and associate dean for cancer programs. “We hope to become a model for the nation on how this innovative work can be done to improve cancer outcomes and quality of life for cancer patients and their families.”

USC Norris efforts will be led by Jennifer Tsui, Ph.D., MPH, a member of the USC Norris Cancer Control Research Program and associate professor at the Keck School of Medicine’s Department of Population and Public Health Sciences. The team also includes two additional USC Norris members, Lourdes Baezconde-Garbanati, Ph.D., associate director for community outreach and engagement for USC Norris, and Chanita Hughes- Halbert, Ph.D.,associate director for cancer equity for USC Norris.

“Cervical cancer is a highly preventable disease, but the disproportionate burden of this cancer still rests on racial/ethnic minorities and other marginalized groups, including Chinese American and Latinx communities in Los Angeles,” said Dr. Tsui. “This HRSA-supported project with the Chinatown Service Center will play an instrumental role in facilitating improvement in access to cancer screenings and access to follow-up care while addressing social determinants of health, cultural influences, and structural health system barriers that lead to poor outcomes.”

Cervical cancer death rates within Los Angeles are nearly five times the rate of those in the county, state, and nation.  Ensuriing that vulnerable communities have access to HPV vaccines and early detection/screening strategies, which prevent 93% of cervical cancers, is vital to bringing the cervical cancer death rate down in the city.

“The partnership between the Chinatown Service Center and USC Norris supported by HRSA is truly a game changer,” said Dr. Baezconde-Garbanati, a professor in the Department of Population and Public Health Sciences at the Keck School of Medicine. “Not only will this effort eliminate disparities, but it will help save lives. This grant will support significant systemic changes to accelerate the integration of traditionally medically underserved disadvantaged communities in Los Angeles into treatment, optimizing access, and shortening the time between screening, diagnosis, and follow-up care. We are delighted to join our Chinatown Service Center partners in this significant venture. “

To maximize equitable access to cervical cancer screening and treatment, the USC Norris cancer center and the Chinatown Service Center will work together to address barriers to equitable care by providing community outreach and patient education, training staff in cultural competency practices, especially for the female perspective; guiding patients through the treatment process; establishing referral pathways to ensure follow-up for abnormal screenings; establishing systems to assist patients in adhering to ongoing treatments; providing printed and electronic educational materials in culturally and language specific ways; and providing training in cervical cancer prevention and treatment so the support staff is equipped to provide education in the community.

“We are excited about the partnership between the Chinatown Service Center and USC Norris,” said Dr. Hughes-Halbert, vice chair for research and professor at the Department of Population and Public Health Sciences. “The investment made by HRSA to support cancer screening through collaborative partnerships between Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) and NCI-designated cancer centers leverages the resources and assets in these settings.  Working together to address key drivers of disparities at system, provider, and patient levels will bring us closer to cancer health equity.”

Founded in 1971, the Chinatown Service Center is one of the largest community-based Chinese- American organizations in Southern California. As a multi-service, non-profit community health center with FQHC designation, they care for underserved populations at their five clinic sites across Los Angeles County. At these sites, the Chinatown Service Center provides health, dental, and behavioral health services to diverse, immigrant, limited English speaking, and low-income populations. In addition to their community health centers, they also operate a youth center and social service offices, as well as provide economic development services.

“Chinatown Service Center is grateful to HRSA for the opportunity to work alongside the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center to help strengthen our tools to fight and prevent cancer,” said Jack Cheng, chief operating officer at the Chinatown Service Center. “We are so thrilled for this innovative partnership and what it will bring to the underserved patients in our community.”

This investment from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through HRSA, supports President Biden’s Cancer Moonshot Initiative and advances President Biden’s Cancer Moonshot goals, which aim to close the cancer screening gap, decrease the impact of preventable cancers, and support patients and caregivers.

About USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center

At the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, more than 250 dedicated physicians and scientists are leading the fight to make cancer a disease of the past. As one of the eight original National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the United States, USC Norris has revolutionized cancer research, treatment, and prevention for nearly 50 years. Multidisciplinary teams provide the latest evidence-based care at USC Norris Cancer Hospital, a 60-bed hospital, as well as outpatient clinics throughout Los Angeles and Orange counties.

For more information, visit https://uscnorriscancer.usc.edu

Posted on

32nd Festival of Life

Recent Posts
Doves are released during the annual Festival of Life. (Photo/Hinde Kast)

USC Norris Celebrates the Strength of Cancer Survivors at 32nd Annual Festival of Life

By Hinde Kast 

The spirited sounds of the USC Trojan Marching Band reverberating through Pappas Quad at the Health Sciences Campus kicked off the 32nd Festival of Life – the first one in-person since June 2019.

Hosted by USC Norris on June 4, this event celebrated the strength, resilience, and tenacity of cancer survivors. The morning was filled with uplifting words of survivorship, inspirational speeches from cancer survivors, and a breathtaking dove release.

The USC Trojan Marching Band performs to kick off the Festival of Life. (Photo/Lusine Davtyan)
Joi Torrence-Hill, Dr. Steven Grossman, Debbie Sierra Wilhelm, and Mars Robles at Festival of Life (Picture/Lusine Davtyan)

The event included opening remarks by Steven Grossman, MD, PhD, deputy director for Cancer Services at the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center and Joi Torrence-Hill, MHA, chief of hospital operations for the USC Norris Cancer Hospital. Cancer survivors, including Mars Robles, a sarcoma cancer survivor, and Debbie Sierra Wilhelm, an acute myeloid leukemia cancer survivor, shared their experiences and talked about their hopes for the future. Moreover, Chaplain Symeon Yee led an invocation and blessing for the event.

“Never lose hope,” said Ms.Wilhelm. “Don’t let your thoughts consume you. Stay focused. There are people out there that genuinely want to help you. The doctors, nurses, and support staff at USC Norris are here for us. They are and will continue to be my guiding light. I can’t begin to thank everyone at USC Norris for being there during my darkest hours.”

Judy Stark, a 21-year cancer survivor and volunteer at USC Norris, led the tradition of inviting cancer survivors to stand amid applause during the Festival of Life in a show of celebration and support. Cancer survivors ranging from 20 years or more to those who are just beginning in their survivorship were honored and received a roaring round of applause by all in attendance.

The event concluded with the release of the doves, a tradition of this annual celebration. Doves are symbols of hope. In releasing the doves that day, we not only celebrated cancer survivors and patients who battle their cancer every day, but also remembered those we’ve lost along the way.

“Hope is not a cliché,” said Dr. Grossman. “Hope is possibly the most potent weapon we hold in our cancer treatment arsenal.”

At the event, a tree of life was available for individuals to honor loved ones that have survived, are currently battling, or have lost their lives to cancer. Additionally, a gratitude board was available for patients and caregivers to share notes of appreciation to those who have helped them or a loved one on their cancer journey. Both the tree of life and the gratitude board are currently on display in the lobby of the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center. 

The 33rd annual USC Norris Festival of Life will take place on Saturday, June 3, 2023.

Tree of Life and Gratitude Board displayed in USC Norris lobby (Photos/Hinde Kast)
Posted on

Swing Against Cancer 2022

8th Annual Swing Against Cancer Event

REGISTER HERE
SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Register today for the 8th Annual Swing Against Cancer Event which supports lifesaving cancer research at the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center. This event will be held in person at the Rancho La Quinta Country Club in La Quinta, California, on Friday, November 18, 2022. To register for the event, click the button above. 

For more information or to register, please contact:

Hannah Padilla  
USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center
1441 Eastlake Avenue, Suite 8302 
Los Angeles, CA 90089 
Phone: 619.820.1290
Email: Hannah.Padilla@med.usc.edu

Posted on

New Study Demonstrates Feasibility of Non-invasive Profiling of Advanced Prostate Cancer by Combining Liquid Biopsies with Radiomic Analysis of CT Scans

Recent Posts

New Study Demonstrates Feasibility of Non-invasive Profiling of Advanced Prostate Cancer by Combining Liquid Biopsies with Radiomic Analysis of CT Scans

By Hinde Kast

May 9, 2022

Dr. Amir Goldkorn, study author and Associate Director for Translational Research at the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center

Cancer can evolve and adapt during therapy, leading to resistance and progression. New non-invasive technologies can track these changes in real-time, but to date, these approaches have been developed in isolation, which only allows physicians to obtain a partial idea of what is happening with a patient’s tumor.

Now, a new study published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences has demonstrated the feasibility of using a single tube of blood and computerized tomography (CT) scans to construct a complex cellular, molecular, and image profile of metastatic prostate cancer in real-time. Such a comprehensive cancer profile may help clinicians predict treatment response, disease progression and overall survival, leading to the development of better treatments.

“Having a more comprehensive picture of tumor biology provides a better understanding of disease progression and resistance mechanisms, which can lead to better therapies,” says study author Dr. Amir Goldkorn, Associate Director for Translational Research at the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center. “Having developed these capabilities, we are now excited to clinically validate the feasibility of this new approach in a large, national phase III trial for men with newly diagnosed metastatic prostate cancer, where these techniques will help us to track cancer progression and predict clinical outcomes.”

The two non-invasive technologies used in this study were liquid biopsy and radiomic analysis. Liquid biopsy detects rare material shed by tumors into the bloodstream, known as circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and cell-free DNA (cfDNA). Radiomic analysis uses artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to analyze image features in a CT scan. For this study, Dr. Goldkorn and his colleagues at USC Norris, Drs. Vinay Duddalwar and Tim Triche, combined cellular and molecular analysis of CTCs and cfDNA in blood samples with radiomic analysis of CT scans from 22 men with metastatic prostate cancer. They found that the radiomic CT scan analysis correlated with the liquid biopsy analysis. For example, some CT scan features were correlated with higher numbers of CTCs and DNA in the blood. Integration of data from the two complementary tests could provide a more comprehensive, non-invasive way to profile cancer and predict how the disease will respond to treatment.

The research team is now further testing the predictive value of this combined non-invasive approach to cancer profiling by correlating the results with clinical outcomes such as disease progression and overall survival in a multi-center phase III clinical trial for patients with advanced prostate cancer. Their studies are funded by a newly-awarded NCI R01 grant.

About this study:

In addition to Drs. Amir Goldkorn, Vinay Duddalwar, and Tim Triche,  other contributors from the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Keck School of Medicine include Drs. Jonathan Buckley, Steven Cen, David Quinn, Yi-Tsung “John” Lu, and Bino Varghese. Other major contributions were made by Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Thermo Fisher Scientific, and RareCyte, Inc.

The study was funded in part by the National Institutes of Health (1R01CA257610-01) and the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center (P30CA014089). Drs. Goldkorn and Triche have received in-kind reagent contributions from RareCyte and Thermo Fisher Scientific. Dr. Duddalwar received research grants from Samsung Healthcare. 

Posted on

New Data Suggests Entinostat Decreases Immune Suppression and Promotes Antitumor Responses against HER2+ Breast Tumors

Recent Posts

New Data Suggests Entinostat Decreases Immune Suppression and Promotes Antitumor Responses against HER2+ Breast Tumors

March 7, 2022

By Hinde Kast 

Evanthia Roussos Torres MD, PhD, member of the Tumor Microenvironment Program at the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center

Therapeutic combinations to alter the immunosuppressive, solid tumor microenvironment (TME), such as in breast cancer, are essential to improve responses to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), a new form of cancer immunotherapy. Entinostat, an oral histone deacetylase inhibitor, has been shown to improve responses to ICIs in various tumor models with an immunosuppressive TME. However, the precise alterations to the TME induced by entinostat remained unknown.
 
Now, a new study published in Cancer Immunology Research suggests that entinostat induced changes to multiple myeloid cell types, reduced immunosuppression, increased antitumor immune responses, and improved sensitivity to ICIs.
 
“We are excited to share our paper describing our work showing breast tumor sensitization to immune checkpoint inhibition using epigenetic modulation” says Evanthia Roussos Torres, MD, PhD, member of the USC Norris Tumor Microenvironment Program and Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Keck School of Medicine. “This work will aid in the development of novel strategies to improve response rates to immunotherapy of breast cancer.”
 
For this study Dr. Roussos Torres employed single-cell RNA sequencing on HER2-overexpressing breast tumors from mice treated with entinostat and ICIs to fully characterize changes across multiple cell types within the TME. This analysis demonstrated that treatment with entinostat induced a shift from a protumor to an antitumor TME signature, characterized predominantly by changes in myeloid cells in which suppressive signaling pathways were altered. In addition, tumor- associated macrophages were epigenetically reprogrammed from a protumor phenotype towards an antitumor phenotype. The study concluded that the use of entinostat could ultimately broaden the population of breast cancer patients that could benefit from ICIs.
 
About this study:
 
In addition to Dr. Evanthia Roussos Torres, other contributors from the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Keck School of Medicine include Drs. Julie K. Jang, Sofi Castanon, Aaron G. Baugh, Edgar Gonzalez, Valerie H. Narumi, Sathish Kumar Ganesan, and Min Yu. Other major contributions were made from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, College of Medicine and Health at the University College Cork, University of Maryland Medical Center, and the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center.

Posted on

USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center launches global clinical trial testing potential therapy for aggressive type of breast cancer

Recent Posts

USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center launches global clinical trial testing potential therapy for aggressive type of breast cancer

October 11, 2021 | Originally posted on: Keck Medicine of USC News

The therapy combines a monoclonal antibody and anti-cancer medication to deliver targeted doses directly to the tumor cells

Photo by: Shutterstock

LOS ANGELES — USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of Keck Medicine of USC, has launched a global registration, phase 2 clinical trial investigating the efficacy of a potential new breast cancer therapy called ARX788.

The trial is currently recruiting breast cancer patients whose cancer has metastasized (spread to other areas of the body) and whose tumors show increased levels of a protein called human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). Participants must also have experienced resistance or disease progression while on treatment plans containing T-DM1, and/or T-DXd, and/or tucatinib, which are typically prescribed for HER2-positive breast cancer patients.

About 20% of breast cancers are HER2 positive. The HER2 protein promotes cancer cell growth, which can make HER2-positive breast cancer more aggressive and difficult to treat, despite the availability of therapeutic options specific to this type of cancer.

Chemotherapy may be used in combination with targeted therapies, but can cause difficult side effects because the drug is administered throughout the body rather than just to the areas affected by cancer.

“At USC Norris, we treat a large volume of patients with HER2-positive, metastatic breast cancer and we’ve found that resistance to existing therapies is a major issue,” said Janice Lu, MD, PhD, a medical oncologist with Keck Medicine, medical director of the USC comprehensive breast oncology program and global lead principal investigator of the trial. “We are excited to lead this effort in assessing a possible alternative solution for breast cancer patients, and hope to expand our ability to provide effective personalized care.”

Michael Press, MD, PhD, a pathologist with Keck Medicine, member of USC Norris and the director of the Breast Cancer Analysis Lab at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, will lead the study’s pathological evaluation.

ARX788 is an antibody drug conjugate, which is a type of therapy that combines a monoclonal antibody with a potent dose of medication, allowing for precise, targeted drug delivery that could potentially lessen side effects. ARX788 is designed with an anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody that identifies HER2-positive tumor cells to deliver a powerful dose of Amberstatin269, which destroys cancer cells and prevents new cells from forming.

Results from two phase 1 clinical trials demonstrated promising anti-tumor activity in patients who had previously received aggressive treatment plans, showing an overall response rate of 74% and a disease control rate of up to 100%, depending on dosing. ARX788 was well-tolerated, with most adverse events being mild or moderate.

“If this drug is effective, it could provide a hopeful alternative to patients with a difficult prognosis and help them maintain a quality of life in ways that chemotherapy cannot,” said Lu, who is also a member of USC Norris.

The trial is currently recruiting participants at more than 20 sites across the United States and Australia, with plans to open 150 sites worldwide, including Europe and Asia.

Those interested in enrolling at the USC Norris site can contact (323) 865-BRST (323-865-2778). To learn more about USC Norris breast cancer research, treatment and prevention please visit the USC Breast Center.

The trial is sponsored by Ambrx, which manufactures ARX788. Those wishing to learn more about the trial can email breast03trialinquiry@ambrx.com.

This study will be presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium on Dec. 7-10, 2021 as an ongoing trial.

Posted on

Data Reveals Promising New First-Line Treatment for Newly Diagnosed Colon Cancer

Recent Posts

Data Reveals Promising New First-Line Treatment for Newly Diagnosed Colon Cancer

October 20, 2021

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide with a poor 5-year survival rate in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. Patients with metastatic colorectal cancer treated with first-line standard-of-care chemotherapy have shown to have poor outcomes.

Heinz-Josef Lenz, MD, associate director for clinical research at USC Norris
Heinz-Josef Lenz, MD, associate director for clinical research at USC Norris

Now, results from a new study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology reveal that a combination of Nivolumab plus low-dose ipilimumab, two immune therapeutic agents approved in refractory microsatellite high cancers, were used for the first time in newly diagnosed MSI H metastatic colorectal cancer and demonstrated robust and durable clinical benefit and was very well tolerated as a first-line treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer.

“The data suggests that Nivolumab plus low dose ipilimumab combination has very promising activity in newly diagnosed colon cancer which are characterized with microsatellite instability,” says study author Dr. Heinz-Josef Lenz, associate director for clinical research at the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center (USC Norris). “As a result of this study, this regimen is being included into the NCCN guidelines as a new treatment option for colon cancer.”

Patients were enrolled in this phase II clinical trial between December 2016 through October 2017. At data cutoff, which occurred in October 2019, 45 patients with microsatellite instability-high/mismatch repair-deficient metastatic colorectal cancer who had not received prior therapy for metastatic disease were treated. Among 43 response-evaluable patients, 84% had a reduction in tumor burden and 13% had complete remission of their disease. Most of these patients experienced a deepening of response with a longer follow-up of 29 months. While off treatment, further tumor shrinkage was observed in some patients.

Ryan D’Cunha (left) and Dr. Heinz-Josef Lenz

Ryan D’Cunha, a colon cancer survivor and trial participant, was one of the trial participants that had complete resolution of his cancer when it was removed with curative surgery. After receiving a diagnosis of stage four colon cancer, Ryan’s pathology results came back indicating that his cancer was MSI-High, qualifying him for enrollment into the trial with immunotherapy instead of chemotherapy for newly diagnosed metastatic colon cancer. Following 6 months of treatment, the tumor was shrinking allowing Ryan to undergo surgery to remove his cancer in the colon and liver. He did tolerate the immunotherapy very well which has much fewer side effects than chemotherapy. At his post-operative appointment, Dr. Lenz informed Ryan that all tumors had disappeared in the colon and liver demonstrating a complete response to the treatment. He has now been cancer free for four years.

“Cancer has exposed us to the harsh realities of battling a life-threatening illness,” said Ryan D’Cunha. “We are truly blessed to be in the hands of one of the best medical teams in the world. We are also very grateful for the medical advances made possible by dedicated cancer researchers around the world giving us HOPE for the future, instead of fear.”

This combination represents a novel first-line treatment option for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.  

About this study:

In addition to Dr. Heinz-Josef Lenz, other authors include Eric Van Cutsem MD, PhD, University Hospitals Gasthuisberg/Leuven and KU Leuven; Maria Luisa Limon MD, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocio; Ka Yeung Mark Wong PhD, Westmead Hospital; Alain Hendlisz MD, PhD, Institut Jules Bordet; Massimo Aglietta MD, PhD, University of Torino and Candiolo Cancer Center; Pilar García-Alfonso MD, Hospital Gral Universitario Gregorio Marañon; Bart Neyns MD, PhD, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel; Gabriele Luppi MD, University Hospital of Modena; Dana B. Cardin MD, Ingram Cancer Center; Tomislav Dragovich MD, PhD, Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center; Usman Shah MD, Lehigh Valley Cancer Institute; Sandzhar Abdullaev MD, PhD, Bristol Myers Squibb; Joseph Gricar MS, Bristol Myers Squibb; Jean-Marie Ledeine MS, Bristol Myers Squibb; Michael James Overman MD, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center; and Sara Lonardi MD, Istituto Oncologico Veneto IOV-IRCSS. 

About USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center

At the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, more than 250 dedicated physicians and scientists are leading the fight to make cancer a disease of the past. As one of the eight original National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the United States, USC Norris has revolutionized cancer research, treatment, and prevention for nearly 50 years. Multidisciplinary teams provide the latest evidence-based care at USC Norris Cancer Hospital, a 60-bed hospital, as well as outpatient clinics throughout Los Angeles and Orange counties.

For more information, visit https://uscnorriscancer.usc.edu.

Posted on

USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center Announces New Breast Cancer Survivorship Program

Recent Posts

USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center Announces New Breast Cancer Survivorship Program

October 19, 2021

There are currently more than 3.8 million breast cancer survivors living in the U.S., yet three out of 10 women with invasive breast cancer will develop metastasis in their lifetime, meaning cancer that has spread to other organs. This is a source of worry for both patients and families.  However, breast cancers that are not fully cured after treatment are often too small to be detected by mammograms or ultrasounds but pose a significant risk. 

To address this challenge, the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center at Keck Medicine of USC is launching a major new initiative – The Eileen McGeever Breast Cancer Survivorship Program.  Led, by USC Norris scientists and clinicians, Drs. Bodour Salhia, Irene Kang, and Caryn Lerman, this exciting new program is developing a novel blood test to detect the presence of micro-metastatic residual breast cancer at the end of therapy and develop a recurrence risk classifier that also incorporates additional clinical, environmental, and lifestyle risk factors.

“Approximately 90% of breast cancer deaths are due to metastasis,” says Dr. Caryn Lerman, director of the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, associate dean for cancer programs, and the H. Leslie and Elaine S. Hoffman Chair in Cancer Research at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. “The Multi-Ethnic Breast Cancer Survivorship Program at USC Norris will develop the vital tools and resources needed to detect residual disease before it spreads to other organs when the cancer may be more treatable, giving the patients a better chance at survival.”

Integrating research and survivorship care, this multi-ethnic Breast Cancer Survivorship Program will further the development of a potential liquid biopsy – a blood-based test for detecting circulating tumor DNA – that could spur cancer’s recurrence and spread. Using next generation sequencing and artificial intelligence, the research team will validate this novel blood test in a cohort of 1,000 women.  With the assistance of the USC Norris Population Research Core and the USC Norris Data Science Core, the multi-ethnic Breast Cancer Survivorship Program will leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning approaches to incorporate environmental exposures, neighborhood data, and social determinants of health. This recurrence risk classifier will be utilized to develop an AI-based tool for determining a breast cancer survivor’s risk of recurrence.

Women who participate in this program will also receive educational resources, supportive care, and surveillance to detect the possible return of cancer earlier, when it may be more treatable.

For more information about this exciting program, please join us for the virtual launch on November 9th at 6 PM PST. To register for the event, please go to https://bit.ly/2YOPnbo. 

About USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center

At the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, more than 250 dedicated physicians and scientists are leading the fight to make cancer a disease of the past. As one of the eight original National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the United States, USC Norris has revolutionized cancer research, treatment, and prevention for nearly 50 years. Multidisciplinary teams provide the latest evidence-based care at USC Norris Cancer Hospital, a 60-bed hospital, as well as outpatient clinics throughout Los Angeles and Orange counties. This year USC Norris successfully renewed its NCI comprehensiveness designation with an exceptional rating from the NCI.

To donate to this program, please contact Minhaal Nathani, Senior Director of Development, at Minhaal.Nathani@med.usc.edu for more information.

Posted on

Casino Night: An Evening in Monte Carlo

Casino Night: An Evening in Monte Carlo

REGISTER HERE
SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITES

Join us for ” Casino Night: An Evening in Monte Carlo:” which supports life-saving pancreatic cancer research at the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center. This event will be held in person at the San Gabriel Country Club in San Gabriel, California, on Saturday, October 23, 2021, at 5 PM. To register for the event, click above or call 323.855.0048. 

Featuring a special presentation by Dr. Caryn Lerman, Director of the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Drs. Steven Grossman and Wendy Setiawan, two leading scientists in pancreatic cancer research at USC Norris. 

For more information, please contact:

Lupe Tovar  
USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center
1441 Eastlake Avenue, Suite 8302
Los Angeles, CA 90089
Phone: 323.865.0700
Email: Lupe.Tovar@med.usc.edu

Posted on

USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center receives renewal of prestigious designation from the National Cancer Institute

Recent Posts

USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center receives renewal of prestigious designation from the National Cancer Institute

August 20, 2021

The USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center (USC Norris) at Keck Medicine of USC renewed its comprehensiveness designation by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the highest federal rank for a cancer center in the nation. This designation accompanies funding through the Cancer Center Support Grant (CCSG), providing over $33 million to support the research, training, and community outreach missions of USC Norris over the next five years. USC Norris has held this prestigious NCI designation continuously since it became one of the nation’s first eight NCI-designated cancer centers in 1973.

The NCI review and renewal of this coveted designation is the result of an extensive grant application and review process that culminated with an NCI virtual site visit in May 2021. USC Norris earned a near-perfect overall rating (a score of 16 in a system where 10 is perfect and 90 is the weakest possible score). This is the best score in the history of USC Norris. Among the USC Norris components rated “exceptional” by NCI are community outreach and engagement, molecular genomics, translational pathology, and population research, as well as the center’s organizational capabilities, transdisciplinary collaboration, institutional commitment, and cancer center director.  

“The renewal of this prestigious designation for USC Norris is a testament to our exceptional team of scientists, clinicians, and staff who work tirelessly to generate breakthrough discoveries that are revolutionizing how we assess risk, prevent, diagnose, and treat cancer,” said Dr. Caryn Lerman, director of the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, H. Leslie and Elaine S. Hoffman Chair in Cancer Research, and associate dean for cancer programs in the Keck School of Medicine of USC.  Indeed, USC Norris members hold over $104 million dollars in peer-reviewed cancer research grants of which over $20 million focuses on reducing cancer health disparities. “This fact, together with our exceptional community outreach and engagement, uniquely positions USC Norris to lead the nation in reducing racial and ethnic disparities in cancer mortality”, said Lerman.  

Building upon this success, USC Norris will leverage new patient care facilities to expand clinical trials including the Norris Healthcare Consultation Center, Koreatown Clinic, and oncology clinics in Pasadena, Buena Park, and Arcadia. Apart from this community expansion, the USC Norris footprint on the primary USC Health Sciences Campus spans three buildings totaling over 300,000 square feet. Additionally, USC Norris has a rich tradition of collaboration across multiple USC Schools, as well as with our close partners, Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles (CHLA) and Los Angeles County+USC Medical Center.

“USC Norris was one of the first and most successful Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the country,” said Dr. Steven Shapiro, senior vice president for health affairs at USC. “This most recent NCI renewal demonstrates the exceptional trajectory of the Cancer Center under Dr. Lerman’s leadership, as it continues to accelerate the pace of turning research discoveries into innovative treatments that will improve patient care.”

About USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center

At the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, more than 250 dedicated physicians and scientists are leading the fight to make cancer a disease of the past. As one of the eight original National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the United States, USC Norris has revolutionized cancer research, treatment, and prevention for nearly 50 years. Multidisciplinary teams provide the latest evidence-based care at USC Norris Cancer Hospital, a 60-bed hospital, as well as outpatient clinics throughout Los Angeles and Orange counties.

For more information, visit https://uscnorriscancer.usc.edu