Researchers Hunt for New Treatments to Rare Cancer

City of Hope
Wednesday, 28 January 2004

City of Hope Awarded $1.5 Million for Mantle Cell Lymphoma

Today, the Lymphoma Research Foundation (LRF) announced funding to help hunt for clues to cure and better treat a rare form of blood cancer, mantle cell lymphoma. The nine institutions named today are part of an overall $12.8 million funding initiative the foundation announced in December. A total of eighteen research grants will be provided. City of Hope National Medical Center, a Comprehensive Cancer Center and a founding member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network in Southern California, will receive $1.5 million. Lymphoma is the most common blood cancer and the third most common cancer of childhood.

"Our goal is to develop new and improved, less toxic therapies to enhance survival rates and ultimately find a cure," said Joseph Bertino, M.D. Chair of the LRF Scientific Advisory Board. "Mantle cell lymphoma is a very aggressive cancer and less than ten percent of patients with the disease are alive after ten years. We hope to change that," he added.

The project at City of Hope Medical Center will be conducted under the leadership of Laurence J.N. Cooper, M.D., Ph.D., and Auayporn Nademanee, M.D. Their project aims to prevent relapses in those mantle cell lymphoma patients who have had stem cell transplants. Soon after the transplant Dr. Cooper's team plans to infuse the patient's own T-cells, which have been genetically manipulated in the laboratory, to be specific for mantle cell lymphoma.

"Combing the power of immune-based therapy with the promise of gene therapy opens up new possibilities for the treatment of mantle cell lymphoma, as well as for lymphoma in general," said Dr. Cooper. "At the City of Hope, we are committed to the discovery and implementation of novel therapies and thanks to the help of LRF, we can provide new options for patients with this terrible form of lymphoma," he added.

Mantle cell lymphoma is a relatively uncommon B-cell lymphoma which accounts for 5% to 7% of all adult non-Hodgkin's lymphoma cases in the U.S. It is a malignancy of cells located in the mantle zone of the lymph node, a thin area surrounding individual follicles. Mantle cell lymphoma predominantly affects older males.

More than 500,000 Americans are affected by some form of lymphoma, either non- Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) or Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL). Each year another 61,000 new cases are diagnosed and nearly 25,000 people die from the disease. NHL is the most common cancer of the lymphatic system. The overall five-year survival rate is only 55%. Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL), also known as Hodgkin's disease, is a less common form of lymphoma. The overall five-year survival rate is 84%. Hodgkin's lymphoma occurs mainly in young adults, with a peak occurrence between ages 16 and 34. Older patients, especially those over age 55, may also develop HL.

Funding for the $12.8 million initiative was made possible through an anonymous donation to the foundation by a New York-based family. For a full listing of all the institutions which received funding, please visit the 'news' section of the LRF website at www.lymphoma.org

About City of Hope: City of Hope is one of the world's leading research and treatment centers for cancer, diabetes, HIV/AIDS and other life-threatening diseases. Named by U.S. News and World Report as one of America's best medical centers for cancer treatment, City of Hope is a pioneer in the fields of bone marrow transplantation and genetics. Founded in 1913, City of Hope is a Comprehensive Cancer Center, the highest designation of the National Cancer Institute, and is a founding member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. For more information, visit www.cityofhope.org.

About the Lymphoma Research Foundation: The mission of the Lymphoma Research Foundation (LRF) is to eradicate lymphoma and serve those touched by the disease. The Foundation is the nation's largest lymphoma-focused voluntary health organization devoted exclusively to funding research to cure all lymphomas and providing patients and healthcare professionals with critical information on the disease. To date, LRF has funded over $9 million in lymphoma research. People affected by lymphoma can receive free personalized information tailored to their diagnosis, help with finding a clinical trial, and easy-to-understand information on lymphoma, current treatments, and promising research. Please call 800-500-9976, email helpline@lymphoma.org, or visit the website www.lymphoma.org.

For more information, or to contact City of Hope, see their website at: www.cityofhope.org