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Exploring the macro and micro
With a few strokes of a computer keyboard,
todays online satellite imagery tools allow us to
change our geographic perspective in seconds.
We can view Earths surface as if from space,
then zoom in on our nation, our city, our
neighborhood and even our rooftop.
That seamless journey between macro and micro has parallels
in science and medicine. At City of Hope, we take the same
sweeping look at cancer, from its impact on the population to
its roots deep in the body.
Cancer affects the most subtle aspects of our cells, wheregenes reside. Mutations in genes passed down through generations
can raise the risk of certain cancers. Other genetic defects can
happen over the course of a lifetime, and these errors may
accumulate until cells turn cancerous and grow unchecked.
As you will learn in this issue, City of Hope researchers
investigate this world on a minute scale the molecular and
genetic levels creating critical knowledge and laying the
foundation for therapies.
From there, researchers widen their scope. They help create
and improve genetic risk assessments, which can identify people
at greater risk for cancer so people may take steps to prevent it.
Others investigate how genetics influence disease patterns among
ethnic groups, ultimately designing interventions for these populations.
This spectrum of cancer research from micro to macro is one
thing that characterizes us as a Comprehensive Cancer Center,
a special designation from the National Cancer Institute garnered
by only 39 institutions nationwide.
City of Hope supporters should take great pride in this
designation, since contributions from donors and volunteers have
helped us achieve this status. The institutions board of directors,
in particular, serves to steer us along this path, and Philip L. Engel,
the boards retiring chair, has been instrumental in our quest to
reach even greater heights. I thank and salute him for his generous
service, and wish him well as he leaves his post.
Michael A. Friedman, M.D.President and Chief Executive Officer
Honoring decades of inspirational service
During the past three years, I have been
honored to serve as chair of City of Hopes
board of directors. This experience has allowed
me to work with many talented and visionary
volunteer leaders who share the same passion
for furthering the institutions mission. As my
tenure draws to a close, I want to acknowledge six devoted
supporters whose terms as board members also will soon end:
Israel Izzy Freeman, Robbin Itkin, Stephen Kass, Claire Rothman,
Joseph Sanford and immediate past chair Jack Suzar.
These committed individuals have contributed theirinvaluable time, expertise and financial support to advance
City of Hopes growth and development. Reflecting their
unwavering dedication to the institution, all of these longtime
volunteers will remain engaged as active City of Hope supporters
in new roles, such as fundraisers, board committee members
and goodwill ambassadors, so that their relationships and history
with the organization will continue to benefit the fight against
life-threatening diseases.
Many volunteers stand alongside these leaders, guiding
and encouraging City of Hopes evolution into a world-renowned
biomedical research institute. In coming years, the contributions
of the auxiliary movement will continue to play a key role as we
aspire to expand the reach of our work to benefit even more lives.
Chapter members vision, funding and advocacy will serve to
further City of Hopes current research and clinical strengths,
as well as expand existing programs.
On behalf of the entire City of Hope family, I wish to thank
our retiring board members for their steadfast support and
continued commitment to City of Hopes mission to improve
and save lives.
Philip L. EngelChair, City of Hope Board of Directors
Leadership Messages
CITY NEWS SPRING 2007
City of Hope, an innovative biomedical research,
treatment and educational institution, is dedicated
to the prevention and cure of cancer and other life-
threatening diseases, guided by a compassionate
patient-centered philosophy, and supported by a
national foundation of humanitarian philanthropy.
City of Hope
City News is publishedquarterly for donors,volunteers and friendsof City of Hope.
BRENDA MACEO
Senior Vice
President,Communications
KEVIN KOGA
Associate
Vice President,Communications
STEVE KIRK
Editor
ALICIA Di RADO
Story Editor
KIM HOSOZAWA
Associate Director,Creative Services
CARMEN R. GONZALEZ
JENNIFER HEALY
PAT KRAMER
SHAWN LE
KATHLEEN ONEIL
FRAN RIZZI
H. CHUNG SO
MARK WHEELER
Writers
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WHATS IN YOUR
DNA?Studying nature and nurture links to cancer riskBy Kathleen ONeil
The genetic guessing game starts shortly after a babys birth.
Hes got your blue eyes.
She inherited your moms button nose.
He got his dads curly hair.
Anyone attending a parent-child night at school can quickly see the
role genes and inheritance play in human physical traits. Ear shape, skin
color, height these and so many other obvious features are passed
along from mother and father to son or daughter.
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Yet just as people inherit their
parents physical features, they also
inherit their less-noticeable genetic
characteristics. Human DNA preserves
the blueprints for astounding capabilities
developed over hundreds of generations,
such as sight, walking upright and higher
reasoning. However, those inherited genes
may also include some that are not so
helpful and some that may be downright
harmful including genes that increase
the risk of cancer and other diseases.
Today, researchers at City of Hope are
investigating just how these not-so-obvious
genes increase cancer risk. They also seek
ways to identify who is at increased risk of
disease so they can take steps to prevent it
or catch it early. Some also look beyond the
genetic make-up of individuals looking
instead at bigger groups to learn how
cultural, genetic and social differences may
contribute to risk and survival amongvarious ethnic populations.
What links withinEach cell in the human body contains
25,000 to 35,000 genes. Genes line up in
structures called chromosomes. The
nucleus of human cells contains 23 pairs
of chromosomes half inherited from
the mother, the other half from the father.When genes are altered or mutated,
they may cause disease. Sometimes
parents pass along altered forms of genes
to their children. Sickle cell anemia, for
example, arises in children due to genetic
mutations inherited from their parents.
Other mutations in genes come not
from parents, but from genetic hiccups
that can happen during the course of a
lifetime. Genes can become altered due to
exposures to toxins in the environment,
such as asbestos, chemicals and second-
hand smoke, for example. Personal
lifestyle habits and other factors, including
sun exposure, lack of exercise and a poor
diet, also may contribute.
Possessing an inherited mutation is like
a baseball player starting out with one
strike against him before he even steps up
to the plate. Sometimes it does not take
many more mutations to advance a cell to a
cancerous stage. More than 100 known
genes are thought to increase a persons risk
of cancer or other diseases, including breast,
ovarian and colon cancer and endocrine
disorders, said Theodore Krontiris, M.D.,
Ph.D., executive vice president of Medical
and Scientific Affairs, director of City of Hope
Comprehensive Cancer Center and professor
of Molecular Medicine.
Mutations can lead to cancer in a
few ways. They can prevent the repair
of DNA damage, which can then lead to
a buildup of defects, some of which
overstimulate cell growth. Some turn offcontrols for cell maturation, while others
keep damaged cells from preventively
self-destructing before they go awry.
Each cancer has its own combination
of mutations that give rise to it and
keep it going even cancers that are
found in the same tissue type.
Krontiris and his colleagues have
studied genes associated with anincreased risk of prostate cancer by
looking at the DNA from men with
prostate cancer whose brothers also had
the disease. They identified a new
mutation that appears to only increase
the risk of prostate cancer when a man
inherits the mutation from both parents.
The finding could eventually lead to new
tests for prostate cancer risk.
That mutation may illuminate the
significance of introns, small sections of
DNA that were thought to be extra,
unused genetic bits a sort of filler in the
genetic code. Krontiris and his colleagues
are studying introns to understand how
they affect the function of active genes
around them. They are finding that introns
act indirectly and might contribute to
cancer, diabetes, hypertension and
neurodegenerative disorders.
Its still too early to understand how
they work, Krontiris said. While we think
4 I CITY NEWS SPRING 2007
More than
100 known
genes are
thought to
increase apersons risk
of cancer
or other
diseases.
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we know what the genes do, were not
sure how gene variations cause elevated
risks of cancer.
Most people who develop cancer do
not have an inherited genetic mutation.
Instead, they accumulate mutations from
environmental exposures, lifestyle and
the passing of years. But for the 5 to
10 percent of people who have genes
known to increase cancer risk, the odds
can loom particularly large.
While the risk of getting cancer
from having inherited cancer genes for
the total population is small, the risk for
people who carry these genes is much
higher, said Jeffrey Weitzel, M.D., director
of the Department of Clinical Cancer
Genetics and associate professor in the
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Division of Medical Oncology &Therapeutics Research. For example,
women without a genetic predisposition
for breast cancer have about a 2 percent
risk of developing cancer by age 50. But,
women who carry a mutation in one of
the BRCA genes mutations known to
be linked to breast and ovarian
malignancy have a 20 percent risk of
developing breast cancer by age 40. That
rises to a 50 percent chance by age 50,
and as much as an 85 percent risk over
their entire lifetimes.
That points out the need to identify
who is carrying the genes, so they may be
screened and consider preventive
therapies to help reduce their risk,
Weitzel added.
The family treeGenetic screening is not for everyone,
noted Weitzel. Experts say prime
candidates for the testing include those
who have several close relatives with acertain type of cancer, as well as women
or men who develop a gender-specific
cancer but who do not have enough
relatives of that gender to determine if the
disease runs in the family.
Testing even after cancer diagnosis
can help patients prevent future cancers,
Weitzel said. In a study published in
2003, he and his colleagues found that
when women newly diagnosed with
breast cancer underwent genetic testing
to determine their inherited risk, they
were more likely to select treatment that
reflected that risk. The seven women in
the study whose tests indicated they had
a high risk of recurrence all chose to have
bilateral mastectomies rather than more
conservative treatment.
If a woman is a BRCA carrier, the
chance shell develop another cancer in
the next 10 years is 40 percent, and mostwomen have no desire to go through
surgery, radiation and chemotherapy
again. It gives them a chance to practice
both therapy and prevention, Weitzel
said. And if women who know their
genetic risk share that information with
family members, they can encourage
family members who also may be at
higher risk to be vigilant about getting
screened, he added.
Recent research indicates that
mutations in more than 500 genes may
be involved in human cancers, and
about 120 of them actually drive cancer
development. According to cancer
genome researchers, mutations in
1 percent of all human genes are linked
to cancer. Of these, about 20 percent can
be inherited, while the rest can be
acquired through environmental or other
exposures. (About 10 percent can either
be inherited or acquired.) As researchers
comb through the human genome, the listof known cancer-linked genes will
continue to grow.
Garry Larson, Ph.D., associate
research scientist in the Division of
Molecular Medicine, Weitzel and others
at City of Hope are working to develop
tests for such gene mutations in breast
cancer. By comparing genetic material
from tumors from sisters with breast
cancer, they hope to find more inherited
breast cancer gene mutations.
These discoveries change lives.
When 45-year-old City of Hope breast
cancer patient Merry Rogers was diagnosed
with the disease, she did not believe family
history could be to blame. Since her mother
did not develop breast cancer, she thought,
genetics could not be playing a role.
But Rogers later learned that her
fathers mother and several other relatives
on her fathers side had died of breast
cancer. She got tested for BRCA genes.
When results confirmed she had the
BRCA1 gene mutation, she felt relieved.
It sounds silly, but I was really happy
to know that I had the gene, because then
I could explain to myself why I got cancer,
Rogers said. She shared the results with
her two sisters and brother, andencouraged them to be tested, as well.
Im happy because I think Im leaving
a legacy for my nephews, so that three or
four generations from now, they can be
more aware of the risk, Rogers said.
Based on the results, she decided to
have a more radical surgery to nearly
eliminate her risk of breast cancer.
I used to think that Id die of cancer
that it would eventually come back, she
said. Now I think Id be really surprised
if I got it again. I think Ill live to be 90.
Extended familiesWhile parents contribute their offsprings
genetic traits, their race and ethnicity tie
their children to those larger groups, too.
Those ancestral histories can influence
risk, as researchers have found that
certain cancers occur more often or are
Most people who
develop cancer do
not have an inherited
genetic mutation.
Instead, theyaccumulate
mutations from
environmental
exposures, lifestyle
and the passing
of years.
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more lethal in certain groups. Genemutations that occurred early in the
history of certain races and ethnic groups
are passed on, so many members of those
populations now carry them.
For instance, studies show descendents
of Ashkenazi Jews are more likely to
carry BRCA gene mutations, which
increase the risk of breast cancer in both
women and men. Ashkenazi Jews trace
their heritage to the medieval Jewish
communities that lived near the Rhine
river in Germany.
Weitzels lab also has found a
previously unrecognized gene linked to
people of Mexican descent that is a
variation on the Jewish genes. He
suspects its origins may stretch back to
Jewish people who fled to Mexico during
the Spanish Inquisition.
This finding may explain in part whycertain Latinas are at higher risk of breast
cancer, despite Latinas overall lower risk
compared to whites.
Researchers found that 31 percent of
Latinas with breast cancer who were
screened between 1998 and 2004 at
City of Hope had genetic mutations that
increased their risk of breast cancer.
Other races and ethnicities have different
mutations that similarly increase the risk
of breast cancer.
Race and ethnicity also influence
survival rates in patients with life-
threatening diseases. Smita Bhatia, chair
of the Division of Population Sciences and
associate director of the Cancer Control
and Population Sciences Program, is
researching the influence of race and
ethnicity, as well as socioeconomic
status, on the survival of children treated
for leukemia.
Eighty percent of children diagnosed
with acute lymphoblastic leukemia themost common form of childhood
leukemia live at least five years after
treatment, depending on the severity of
their disease. However, children in certain
ethnic groups appear to have a better
chance of surviving and avoiding
recurrence than others. Children of Asian
descent had the highest rates of survival
at five years, with no relapse in 75 percent
of those studied, followed by whites
and Latinos. Blacks had the lowest rates
of survival without relapse, at about
62 percent.
The difference, Bhatia said, might be
genetic or physiologic. Social factors also
come into play. Possible reasons include
differences in the way children of different
ethnicities respond to drugs, varying
levels of access to health care that
could lead to later-stage diagnoses, or
differences in how well the children and
their parents are able to comply with
taking medication and receiving care.
Researchers must perform rigorous
studies to separate true genetic factors
from environmental and social ones.
Bhatia recently began a five-year
study to determine which of those factors
influence survival. She will analyze blooddrawn from children and young adults up
to age 22 to see how well their bodies
metabolize therapeutic drugs. In addition,
researchers will survey childrens pill-
taking habits and provide smart pill
bottles that record each time they are
opened to record compliance.
Its important for the children to take
their drugs as prescribed. If they dont, it
really increases their chance of recurrence,
Bhatia said. But if theyre taking them, and
its not helping them as much, this will help
us to understand what is going on
physically to create that difference.
Understanding those connections
between social, family and genetic
predispositions to cancer and other
diseases is the first step in finding better
ways of treating them, and eventually
preventing them. I I I
Ancestral
histories can
influence risk.
Gene mutations
that occurred
early in thehistory of certain
races and
ethnic groups are
passed on.
CITY NEWS SPRING 2007
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A breast cancer fighter
may be lurking in the aisles
of the local supermarket.
White button mushrooms,
the garden-variety fungi
so common in the kitchen,
may help prevent breast
cancer by suppressing
estrogen production in the
body, according to a study
led by City of Hope
researchers.
The mushrooms
may wield their greatest preventive
effect on postmenopausal women by
blocking the important enzyme known
as aromatase, according to a study
published in the recent issue of the
journal Cancer Research. Aromatase is
a substance that helps the body make
estrogen.
We decided to look at mushrooms
because we know that synthetic
aromatase inhibitors can prevent
breast cancer recurrence, said Shiuan
Chen, Ph.D., director of the Department of
Surgical Research and lead author
of the study.
About 60 percent of the breast
cancers in premenopausal women and
75 percent of those in postmenopausal
women depend on estrogen to grow;
controlling estrogen levels in the body
can help limit or prevent cancer growth.
Inhibiting aromatase is an important way
to control estrogen levels among
postmenopausal women.
Before menopause, the brain
governs the bodys estrogen levels by
controlling the ovaries production of
estrogen from aromatase. The brain can
override attempts to inhibit aromatase in
these women. But after menopause,
estrogen primarily is created in fat and
other tissues, independent of control by
the brain. Consequently, blocking
aromatase blocks estrogen production.
Aromatase is normally expressed in
tissues such as ovary, placenta, fat and
bone. The substance also is expressed at
higher levels in breast cancer tissue than
in normal breast tissue.
The researchers tested seven
vegetable extracts for aromatase-
inhibiting activity. They found
that mushrooms had the most
effective anti-aromatase effect due to one
phytochemical: conjugated linoleic acid.
They were surprised to find that
mushrooms contain conjugated linoleic
acid, a compound previously shown to
have anticancer properties, because it is
mainly present in animal-based foods.
They found celery has a moderate
effect on aromatase, while green onion,
carrot, bell pepper, broccoli and spinach
extracts did not significantly reduce
aromatase levels. The group then tested
other mushrooms, and found that white-
stuffing mushrooms had the strongest
effect. Shiitake, white button, portobello,
crimini and baby button mushrooms also
had significant inhibitory effects on
aromatase, even when cooked.
After confirming the presence of
anti-aromatase chemicals in white button
mushrooms, the researchers used
laboratory and mouse studies to confirm
that the anti-aromatase compounds
could stop the growth of breast cancer
cells. They found that mice that were fed
mushroom extract had a 58 percent
reduction in breast tumor growth.
Chen said the research team is now
carrying out similar studies on the effect of
anti-aromatase compounds from food on
prostate cancer. They also are planning a
clinical trial to test the effect of
mushrooms on estrogen levels in women.
The idea of exploring foods for
cancer prevention is very important,
because prevention is much better than
treating a disease, Chen said. You dont
need a strong effect to cause cancer
prevention. Eating 100 grams (about 3.5
ounces) or even less of mushrooms per
day could have an effect on preventing
new breast cancers.
Other City of Hope researchers
included Sei-Ryang Oh, Ph.D., Sheryl
Phung, Gene Hur, Jing Jing Ye, Sum Ling
Kwok, Lynn Adams, Ph.D., and Dudley
Williams, Ph.D., as well as Gayle Shrode,
Ph.D., and Martha Belury, Ph.D., of Ohio
State University.
The research was supported by the
California Breast Cancer Research
Program, the National Institutes of Health
and the Mushroom Council. I I I
By Kathleen ONeil
GOOD TASTING
AND GOOD FOR YOU,TOOMUSHROOMS MAY SUPPRESS ESTROGEN, DETER BREAST CANCER
MARKIERAMIREZ
CITY NEWS SPRING 2007
MShiuan Chen
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Sometimes the bodys defenses
can readily fight off infections,
pummeling cold- and flu-causing
viruses into submission. But
at other times a virus gets the
upper hand, and the bodys
immune system cannot battleinvaders on its own.
That is when City of Hope researchers
step in.
Scientists at the institution are
investigating a method to fight HIV, the virus
that causes AIDS, with genetically modified
stem cells. But that is not all. At the same
time it seeks to knock down virus levels, the
technique aims to eradicate the lymphoma
that arises in many HIV-positive patients.
The treatment would be the first to use
specially engineered, HIV-fighting genes that
are inserted into patients own harvested
stem cells. The cells would then be reinfused
into HIV-infected patients during a bone
marrow transplant. If successful, the new
treatment could allow patients bodies
to produce HIV-resistant white blood
cells indefinitely.
This may be a way to control the
patients HIV while still allowing them to have
a successful bone marrow transplant to
treat their cancer, said John Zaia, M.D.,
chair of the Division of Virology at
City of Hope and an investigator in the pilot
study. Its especially exciting because if the
method using stem cells works, it could be
applied to many hematological diseases
that have a genetic basis.
Scientists presented the research at the
48th annual meeting of the American Society
of Hematology in Orlando, Fla., late last year.
Zaia now is awaiting approval for an
upcoming trial at City of Hope that would
incorporate the anti-HIV therapy.
Researchers at City of Hope and other
institutions have shown that autologous stem
cell transplants can benefit HIV-positive
patients with lymphoma. City of Hope has
performed autologous stem cell transplants
on 28 HIV-positive patients with lymphoma
since 1998.
Autologous stem cell transplants involve
harvesting stem cells from a patients blood,
then reinfusing the cells into the patient aftercancerous cells have been destroyed. Today,
autologous stem cell transplants are standard
therapy for lymphoma that cannot be cured
by regular-dose chemotherapy alone.
In this form of transplantation, the new
stem cells develop into white blood cells,
immune cells that form the bodys line of
defense, after they are reinfused into the
body. The constant destruction and
production of immune cells in response to
HIV is one reason HIV-positive people
develop lymphomas at a much higher rate
than uninfected people. Lymphomas are
cancers of the lymphatic system, the network
of lymph ducts and nodes where immune
cells circulate.
City of Hope and the Food and Drug
Administration have not yet completed
review of the proposed study. But upon
study approval, scientists would take the
stem cells of patients with HIV and
lymphoma one step further: They would
insert HIV-fighting genetic material into the
cells before reinfusing them into the body.
Scientists use a lentivirus to carry the gene
segments into the stem cells.
Earlier clinical trials involving HIV-
related lymphoma patients provided stem
cells treated with one type of HIV-fighting
genetic material. Their stem cells contained
the anti-HIV gene for a short time, but after
a few months the cells died off, presumably
because the genetically treated stem cells
were unable to replicate. But researchers
hope new advances will allow the body to
keep producing HIV-resistant white blood
cells, Zaia said.
The new trial would mark the first time
that scientists will use three different anti-
HIV segments at one time, which they hope
will prevent HIV from developing resistance.
The virus can mutate around any one
element, but its hard to mutate around
three things, he said.
The method has already shown
promise in preclinical studies conducted byCity of Hope researchers working with
Ramesh Akkina, Ph.D., of Colorado State
University, and colleagues.
This could provide the optimal
chance of knocking down the virus long-term
for patients with high-risk AIDS-related
lymphomas, Zaia said. The method cannot
completely rid the body of every trace of HIV,
however, since the virus lies deep in lymph
nodes and other parts of the body, he said.
The pilot study also included these
City of Hope researchers: principalinvestigator Amrita Krishnan, M.D.,
associate professor and physician in the
Division of Hematology & Hematopoietic
Cell Transplantation (HCT); Stephen J.
Forman, M.D., the Francis and Kathleen
McNamara Distinguished Chair in
Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell
Transplantation and chair of the Division of
Hematology & HCT; Jiing-Kuan Yee, Ph.D.,
professor in the Division of Virology; and
John Rossi, Ph.D., chair in the Division of
Molecular Biology. I I I
By Kathleen ONeil
CITY NEWS SPRING 2007
DELIVERING A
ONE-TWO PUNCH
ALICIADIRADO
MJohn Zaia and Amrita Krishnan
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A TINY IDEA
WITH
HUGE IMPLICATIONSIN THE FIGHT AGAINST CANCER
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City of Hope researchers have opened a clinical trial of a
new nanomedicine to fight cancer. Although it is too early to
report results, researchers are enthusiastic about the innovative
technologys potential.
The clinical trial combines a synthetic polymer (a long
molecule) and camptothecin, a very powerful chemotherapy,
into a new experimental drug called IT-101.
Researchers designed the polymer to safely deliver the
camptothecin directly into tumor cells and provide slow release
of the drug once there. Physicians hope the method fights
tumors more powerfully than traditional chemotherapy with
fewer accompanying side effects, according to Yun Yen, M.D.,
Ph.D., director of the Department of Clinical and Molecular
Pharmacology and the trials lead investigator.
The phase I clinical trial is a collaboration with Insert
Therapeutics Inc., a company founded by a chemical engineer
from the California Institute of Technology who conceived the idea
for the nanodrug after seeing chemotherapys effects firsthand.
The engineer Mark Davis, Ph.D., the Warren and
Katharine Schlinger Professor of Chemical Engineering at
Caltech is now part of City of Hope Cancer Centers
Experimental Therapeutics Program, as well as a member of
the National Academy of Engineering and the National
Academy of Sciences. But in 1996, he visited City of Hope
for much different reasons.
Diagnosed with breast cancer, Davis wife, Mary, was under
the care of City of Hopes Stephen J. Forman, M.D., the Francis
and Kathleen McNamara Distinguished Chair in Hematology
and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation and a physician in the
Division of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research. While
undergoing treatment, she suffered the side effects common to
patients on chemotherapy, including hair loss, loss of appetite
and nausea.
Davis vowed to find a better way to deliver therapy. Over
three months in the mid-1990s, while his wife was in treatment,
Davis pored over materials in City of Hopes Graff Library to
learn about cancer therapies and began to develop his strategy.
He used his expertise in creating new materials molecule by
molecule, ultimately building his first nanomedicine for cancer
from scratch.
But he could not bring his idea to the clinic without
knowledgeable collaborators. Davis founded Insert Therapeutics
to develop the invention into a product that could be used in
humans. Investigators at Insert Therapeutics showed the
potential of this new nanomedicine in animals, and Yen worked
with company investigators to design the clinical trial that was
eventually approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
These partnerships brought an inspiration from the patients
bedside into the lab and back to the bedside.
Now, the resulting nanomedicine developed by Insert
Therapeutics is in a human clinical trial only at City of Hope.
As Yen explains, delivering chemotherapy always has been
problematic because side effects limit the dosage that
physicians can safely give patients.
But minimizing these side effects gives us greater
flexibility in the dosing frequency, said Yen, also a professor of
medical oncology at City of Hope. It also allows us to use
combinations of drugs that were previously limited by
accumulated toxicity. The result could be used to provide
more effective therapies.
The drug, IT-101, measures about 35 nanometers in length.
(One nanometer equals one-billionth of a meter, and a single
strand of human hair is about 80,000 nanometers across.) That
is tiny enough to pass through even the smallest blood vessels
to get to where cancer has metastasized, and then enter the
cancer cells.
Size is critical, according to Davis. The polymerbased
nanoparticle is small, but its huge compared to the tiny
molecules that compose a drug. Comparatively speaking, its the
difference between the size of a soccer ball the drug molecule
and about half the size of the Goodyear blimp, the polymer
device, he said. Make the nanomedicine too small and it will
be quickly excreted from the body. Conversely, if it is too large,
it wont allow for good penetration into the tumors.
The resulting particle is designed to access cancer cells,
target growth processes and shut them down by effectively
delivering a large payload of drug.
Both Davis and Yen agree such nano-sized medicines have
the potential to ultimately become the medical standard in
cancer therapy. This is
a perfect example of
linking clinical expertise
with research expertise
to push drug
development and cancer
treatment to more
efficient levels, said
Yen. Ultimately, this
collaboration can only
benefit patients through
more targeted drug
dosages and, hopefully,
the virtual elimination
of side effects. I I IKAMINSKYPRODUCTIONS
By Mark Wheeler
CITY NEWS SPRING 2007 I
MYun Yen
Use tiny, engineered molecules as high-tech delivery trucks to
carry potent chemotherapy drugs to tumor cells? Although it may sound like a fantastic
voyage, such a scenario is very real and happening today in laboratories at City of Hope.
7/31/2019 CN Spring 2007
16/3214 I CITY NEWS SPRING 2007
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is one such
microbe. Sadly, CMV often exploits
immunocompromised people, such as
cancer patients treated with bone
marrow transplantation.However, a CMV vaccine created at
City of Hope, and recently approved by the
Food and Drug Administration for its first
human clinical trial, might bring vulnerable
patients much-needed protection. Don J.
Diamond, Ph.D., director of the Laboratory
of Vaccine Research, has begun a phase I
clinical trial to test the vaccine.
The vaccine consists of a combination
of two small molecules called peptides.
One peptide acts as a vehicle or general
stimulant for the other, which is a peptidespecific to CMV. Researchers believe the
vaccine will stoke the body to boost
immunity against CMV.
This clinical trial is the culmination of
close to a decade of research and
development into the CMV peptide, said
Diamond. Our goal is to replace the
current standard therapy, ganciclovir,
which is toxic, with the less-toxic vaccine.
Diamonds work with the CMV
peptide began in 1997 under the aegis of
the hematology program, directed byStephen J. Forman, M.D., the Francis and
Kathleen McNamara Distinguished Chair
in Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell
Transplantation.
CMV is a common type of herpes
virus that infects from 50 to 80 percent of
adults in the United States by age 40 and
a similar percentage worldwide. It causes
no symptoms in most healthy adults and
usually remains dormant. But in people
with weakened or compromised immune
systems, such as patients who have
undergone hematopoietic cell transplants,
CMV can reactivate and cause life-
threatening pneumonia and other diseases.In the beginning days of the bone
marrow transplantation program, CMV
infection was the cause of the majority of
patient deaths, said Diamond. To control
the possibility of CMV infection more
effectively with fewer side effects, perhaps
even eliminate it, would be a great benefit
to all transplantation patients.
City of Hope is enrolling healthy
volunteers who either have or have not
had a CMV infection to participate in the
one-year study of two different forms ofthe CMV peptide vaccine. The safety trials
will determine which form of the vaccine
has milder side effects, and possibly hint
at which one is preferable for patients.
The vaccine is specific to people who
carry or react to a specific type of
molecule (or human leukocyte antigen
type) found in about 40 percent of the
transplant population.
If were successful with this first
target antigen, then we can develop and
test versions that will cover up to 80percent of the transplant population,
said Diamond.
The vaccines implications may
eventually reach beyond hematopoietic
cell transplant patients, as well. Others
vulnerable to CMV include patients
susceptible to vascular disease, those in
need of a lung, liver or kidney transplant,
and those with HIV. Babies infected with
CMV at birth or when very young, too, may
face disabilities and might one day benefit
from this or other vaccines in development.
Collaborators on the vaccine project
include John A. Zaia, M.D., professor and
chair of the Division of Virology and
principal investigator of the phase I clinical
trial, Corinna La Rosa, Ph.D., assistant
research scientist, the General Clinical
Research Center at City of Hope, and
the nursing staff in the Department of
Transfusion Medicine.
When the vaccine becomes availableto City of Hope transplant patients, the
Division of Hematology & Hematopoietic
Cell Transplantation, under Formans
direction, will supervise the clinical trial,
Diamond said.
To find out more information about
the clinical trial or how to participate,
call 877-482-HOPE (4673) or visit
City of Hopes clinical trials Web site
at clinicaltrials.coh.org. I I I
MEDICALRESOURCESPLUS
MDon J. Diamond
By Shawn Le
The human body plays host to millions of bacteria and viruses in a
lifetime. Some are unwelcome invaders, like those that cause colds
and flus. Many others are beneficial, like the bacteria lining the
digestive system that help process food. Still others simply exist,
doing no harm until they find their opportunity.
Immunofluorescence shows the
presence of CMV in a specimen of
human embryonic lung.
M
C D C / C R A I G L Y L E R L A
D A R R I N S J O Y
Promising vaccine mayward off CMV invaders
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17/32CITY NEWS SPRING 2007 I
Information is power, and
for women information may
hold the power to save lives.
Genetic counselors can gather
information about their
families and backgrounds
that can shed light on
womens realistic, personalrisks of developing breast
cancer. City of Hope
researchers are helping make
these risk assessments even
more accurate.The researchers have found that using
measurements of a womans breast density,
as well as her family history, age and other
similar factors, may improve the ability to
predict her risk of developing breast cancerover todays standard risk-assessment
models.
City of Hope researchers and their
colleagues from the University of
Washington and the Fred Hutchinson
Cancer Research Center recently reported
these findings based on a sample from a
study of more than 13,000 women
considered at high risk for breast cancer.
The researchers are investigating ways to
determine womens true risk of developing
cancer so that women and their physicianscan take better steps to prevent it.
Research has shown that women with
certain patterns of dense breast tissue may
have as much as a six-fold higher risk of
developing breast cancer as other women,
explained City of Hopes Melanie
Palomares, M.D., assistant professor of
Medical Oncology and Population Sciences
and the studys lead author.
Breast density can be observed through
mammography and may be a measure of
breast cell proliferation. Researchers believe
the more breast cells multiply over a lifetime,
the greater the breast cancer risk.
At the same time, health professionals
today rely on other noninvasive clinical tools
to predict a womans breast cancer risk. One
commonly used tool is the Gail model, which
incorporates age, family history, childbearing
history, previous breast biopsies and similar
factors into a formula to calculate risk.
Palomares and colleagues comparedrisks using both the Gail model and breast
density to understand the significance of
each of the factors incorporated in the
Gail model.
They found that breast tissue was
significantly denser in women with a
15 percent or greater lifetime risk of breast
cancer, as determined by the Gail model,
compared to women with less than a
15 percent risk. For comparison, the average
woman has a lifetime risk of 12.5 percent.
Each factor in the Gail model correspondedto some of the risk increase associated with
dense breast tissue. But a striking 7 percent
of the women deemed at high risk through
mammographic density could not be
explained by any of the risk factors currently
included in the Gail model. Other factors
must be at play, Palomares said.
We found that when the two were
correlated, the Gail model could not explain
all the relationships between mammographic
density and breast cancer risk, Palomares
said. This shows the importance of includingmammographic density in future settings of
breast cancer risk and prevention.
This also wields implications for
prevention. Many of the factors that
influence breast density, such as hormone
replacement therapy, diet and weight, can be
changed through lifestyle choices. These
factors are not part of the Gail model.
If women gain a better idea of the
breast cancer risk they face, they may be
more encouraged to improve the risk
factors they can control, Palomares said.
In the future, more research must be
done to improve how health professionals
and researchers access digital mammograms
and read breast density, Palomares said.
The groups study was published in the
journal Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers &
Prevention. Women in the study were part
of the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast
and Bowel Project Breast Cancer Prevention
Trials site in Washington and were enrolledbetween 1992 and 1997. The National
Cancer Institute funded the research.I I I
By Pat Kramer and Alicia Di Rado
Finding the truth withinImproving ways to assess a womans risk for breast cancer
The density of breast tissue can range widely.
Mammography shows highly dense tissue, left, and t
of low density, on the right.
M
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By Alicia Di Rado
Frederic W. Grannis Jr., M.D., and Arnold Rotter,M.D., are hunting for a killer.
Todays most lethal cancer does not arise in the breast, nor in
the prostate. The leading cancer killer is lung cancer, but
physicians in City of Hopes Lung Cancer and Thoracic Oncology
Program believe certain technological tools already available today
can make it a little less deadly.
Using spiral computed tomography, or CT, to routinely
screen people at high risk for lung cancer can detect the disease
early and increase the chance of cure, according to a study in
the New England Journal of Medicine that included City of Hope
researchers.Grannis and Rotter are part of the International Early Lung
Cancer Action Program, or I-ELCAP, which published the findings
in October 2006.
Today, most lung cancers are found when they are advanced
and are more difficult to treat successfully, physicians say. Grannis,
Rotter and their I-ELCAP colleagues want to find a reliable way to
detect more lung cancers at an early stage to offer patients a
better chance at beating the disease.
I-ELCAP comprises researchers at 40 institutions in the
United States, Europe and Asia who are studying the potential
of CT for early lung cancer detection. City of Hope is the only
I-ELCAP participating institution in the
Los Angeles area.
In the study, researchers screened
more than 31,500 asymptomatic people
who smoked, people who had stopped
smoking, those who were exposed to
significant secondhand smoke or were
exposed to carcinogens, such as radon,
in their work. They conducted screenings
from 1993 to 2005, and conducted
nearly 27,500 repeat screenings between
seven and 18 months later.
Among participants, 13 percent
who underwent a baseline CT and
5 percent of those who had a follow-up
CT had a positive result requiring
further investigation.
Screenings and subsequent
biopsies detected lung cancer in
484 participants. Among these
patients, 85 percent had stage 1 lung
cancer (412 of 484). Researchers estimate
that 88 percent of these stage 1 patients will survive 10 years.
Moreover, the researchers estimated the survival rate to be
even higher 92 percent for stage 1 patients who had surgery
within a month of diagnosis. However, researchers still must
follow the patients to determine the true 10-year survival rate.
Another recent, unrelated study of CT to detect lung cancer
among current and former smokers found that CT did not appear
to increase patients survival. But I-ELCAP investigators believe the
body of research must be evaluated further to determine the true
value of screening tools.
Annual CT screening is a viable way to find lung cancers
in people at high risk while the cancers are still curable, said
Grannis, clinical associate professor of surgery and a member
of City of Hopes Lung Cancer and Thoracic Oncology Program.
Aside from saving lives, we also believe its cost-effective.
Low-cost CT screening costs less than $350, and treatment for
early stage lung cancers usually costs much less than that for
late-stage lung cancers.
In the U.S., more than 213,000 people are diagnosed annually
with lung cancer and more than 160,000 die of the disease each
year, according to the American Cancer Society.
Information about City of Hopes program is available at
www.cityofhope.org/lungscreen. I I I
16 I CITY NEWS SPRING 2007
Homing in on a deadly cancer
Physicians Frederic W. Grannis Jr., (foreground) and Arnold Rotter, seek out lung cancers while they are
still in an early stage through their participation in the International Early Lung Cancer Action Program.
M M A R K I E R A M I R E Z
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A $750,000 grant from the Ralph M.
Parsons Foundation will establish a new
teaching laboratory for students at
City of Hopes Graduate School ofBiological Sciences.
The 1,057-square-foot Ralph M.
Parsons Foundation Teaching Laboratory
will provide students with dedicated
research space and sophisticated
equipment for training in molecular,
cellular, chemical, biochemical and
genetic disciplines during their first year,
enhancing their ability to begin research
projects in their second and subsequent
years of study. The laboratory is slated forconstruction within the upcoming Arnold
and Mabel Beckman Center for Cancer
Immunotherapeutics and Tumor
Immunology at City of Hope.
John Rossi, Ph.D., chair of the
Division of Molecular Biology,and dean of the Graduate School of
Biological Sciences, noted that the
new laboratory will enhance instruction
in how to conduct research. The
Parsons Foundation teaching laboratory
will significantly expand the educational
resources available to our students,
he said. The facility will allow
students to learn basic and advanced
laboratory skills through direct,
hands-on experience. Our graduatestudents will be well-prepared to launch
their own scientific pursuits and
contribute to City of Hopes overall
research enterprise.
Dedicated to supporting the efforts
of nonprofits across Southern California,the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation
has been providing funding since its
inception in 1961. In 1976, it became fully
independent of the Parsons Company.
Over the past 20 years, City of Hope has
received grants exceeding $2.5 million
from the Parsons Foundation. Most
recently, the foundation funded
fellowships for students of City of Hopes
Graduate School of Biological Sciences.
The Parsons Foundation also supportedconstruction of Helford Clinical Research
Hospital at City of Hope. I I I
CITY NEWS SPRING 2007 I
By Jennifer Healy and Carmen R. Gonzalez
The W.M. Keck Foundation has awarded
investigators at City of Hope and the
California Institute of Technology a
$450,000 grant to study the molecular
mechanisms underlying lymphoma anddevelop new treatments for it. The pilot
grant includes the opportunity to renew
funding for as much as $1.55 million
through 2010.
Lymphoma is a group of cancers of
the immune system. It is the fifth most
common cancer in the United States and
is on the rise. Chemotherapy and
radiation cannot cure several types of
lymphoma, and many lymphomas recur.
The grant supports City of Hope and
Caltech scientists who are developing
nanotechnology-based therapies to
destroy lymphoma cells without harming
healthy cells, reducing side effects.
Patients would greatly benefit from
less-toxic therapies for lymphoma,
particularly older patients, who are most
often affected and may not be able to
tolerate intensive treatments, said
Stephen Forman, M.D., the Francis and
Kathleen McNamara Distinguished Chair
in Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell
Transplantation at City of Hope and
principal investigator of the study.Caltech investigators include Mark
Davis, Ph.D., the Warren and Katharine
Schlinger Professor of Chemical
Engineering, and Scott Fraser, Ph.D., the
Anna L. Rosen Professor of Biology,
professor of bioengineering and director
of the Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Center at Caltech. City of Hope
investigators include Forman; John Rossi,
Ph.D., chair of the Division of Molecular
Biology; Andrew Raubitschek, M.D.,
chair of the Division of Cancer
Immunotherapeutics & Tumor
Immunology; David Colcher, Ph.D.,
deputy director of the Department of
Radioimmunotherapy Research; Richard
Jove, Ph.D., chair of the Division of
Molecular Medicine and co-director of
the Developmental Cancer Therapeutics
Program; and Hua Eleanor Yu, Ph.D.,
professor in the Division of Cancer
Immunotherapeutics & Tumor
Immunology.
The Keck grant complements
City of Hopes Specialized Program ofResearch Excellence, work funded by the
National Cancer Institute to improve the
detection and treatment of Hodgkins
disease and non-Hodgkins lymphoma.
Based in Los Angeles, the W.M. Keck
Foundation was established in 1954 by
the late W.M. Keck, founder of the
Superior Oil Company. The foundations
grant-making focuses primarily on
pioneering efforts in the areas of medical
research, science and engineering. I I I
By Kathleen ONeil
Parsons Foundation gift funds new teaching laboratory in graduate school
W.M. Keck Foundation supports joint effort to develop advanced therapies against lymphoma
Stephen FormanM
Mark DavisM
COURTESYOFCALTECH
MARKIERAMIREZ
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20/3218 I CITY NEWS SPRING 2007
ByJennifer Healy
Gail K. Naughton, Ph.D.,
co-founder and former vice
chair of Advance Tissue
Sciences, has been named to
the national board of directors
of City of Hope. Naughton
currently serves as dean of the
College of Business
Administration at San Diego
State University (SDSU) and
holds more than 90 patents in
the field of tissue engineering.
Gail Naughtons biotech background and
entrepreneurial spirit make her an ideal fit
for our board, said Philip L. Engel, chair
of City of Hopes board. She brings a
wealth of knowledge, leadership skills and
ingenuity that will play a pivotal role in
guiding the organization toward its
strategic goals.Naughton has served as dean at
SDSU since 2002. Prior to that, she spent
more than 15 years at Advance TissueSciences, which specialized in engineered
skin products for the treatment of chronic
wounds. Naughton co-founded the
company and was co-inventor of its core
technology. She held a variety of
management positions during her tenure,
including president, chief operating
officer, chief scientific officer and
principal scientist, and she oversaw the
design and development of the worlds
first upscaled manufacturing facility for
tissue-engineered products. In 2000,
Naughton received the 27th annual
National Inventor of the Year award from
the Intellectual Property Owners
Association in honor of her pioneering
work in tissue engineering.
She began her career in academia,
first as an instructor and later as assistant
professor at New York University Medical
Center, and then as an assistant professor
at the City University of New Yorks
Hunter York College.
Naughton holds a Doctor of
Philosophy degree in hematology and a
Masters of Science degree in histology,both from New York University Medical
Center. She also received her executive
Master of Business Administration
degree from UCLA Anderson School of
Management, and earned her bachelors
degree from St. Francis College in
Brooklyn, N.Y.
City of Hopes board of directors is
composed of 29 members, spanning a
range of industries that include finance
and health care. I I I
Biotech entrepreneur and business administration dean
to serve on City of Hopes national board of directors
C O S Y O S A G O V S Y
Support breast cancer research, treatment and education.
Make a difference! Join thousands across the country
at Walk for Hope to Cure Breast Cancer.
The funds you raise will go directly toward
City of Hopes breast cancer research, treatment
and education programs.
Two million women in the U.S. are being treated for
breast cancer
One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast
cancer in her lifetime.
2007 WALK SCHEDULESunday, June 3 Edison, NJ
Sunday, October 7 Seattle, WA
Sunday, October 7 Phoenix, AZ
Sunday, October 7 Washington, DC
Saturday, October 13 San Francisco, CASunday, October 14 Chicago, IL
Sunday, October 14 Philadelphia, PA
Sunday, October 21 Los Angeles, CA
800-266-7920
www.walk4hope.org/walkinfo
For more information
National Sponsors:
MGail K. Naughton
7/31/2019 CN Spring 2007
21/32CITY NEWS SPRING 2007 I
By Carmen R. Gonzalez
Ruth Leaders family has always felt a
special bond with City of Hope, giving
selflessly of their time and money
for decades to support its mission.
The bond was recently solidified
by Leader a 13-year City of Hope
Oceanside, Calif., chapter member
who guided a $2 million bequest
from the estate of her niece,
Diana Chudacoff Levin, in 2006.
The generous Levin gift will benefit the Arnold
and Mabel Beckman Center for Immunotherapeutics
and Tumor Immunology, an advanced 108,000-
square-foot translational research facility dedicated
to the development of immunotherapy, a treatment
that uses the immune system to fight cancer and
other life-threatening illnesses.
Leader, who lives in Oceanside, Calif., explained
that Levins gift was a natural extension of their
familys pride and respect for the organization. Itwas just something we did. When we thought of
helping people, we thought of City of Hope, said Leader. It is
a very special place.
Leaders son, Lee, who is the executor of the estate, reflected
with his mother on how best to honor Levins memory. By
supporting the establishment of the Arnold and Mabel Beckman
Center, they believed the gift would create a legacy of scientific
inquiry that will benefit patients for generations.
Within the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Center, scientists will
explore how cancer cells evade the immune system the bodys
line of defense while translational and clinical researchers applythose discoveries to new therapies and evaluate such therapies
in clinical trials. The futuristic, five-story facility will stand
across from Helford Clinical Research Hospital at City of Hope,
encouraging cross-campus collaborations among the faculty.
Levins philanthropic nature resulted in gifts for a number of
worthy causes. Her other passions included a love of travel, with
numerous trips to Asia and other exotic locales. Levin, a widow
of her late husband Carl, lived in West Los Angeles.
The Levin estates $2 million gift represents a substantial
contribution toward City of Hopes $60 million fundraising goal for
the center. Some prior noteworthy gifts include $20 million from
the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation, a $15 million gift
from an anomymous donor, a $2 million bequest from longtime
City of Hope supporter Norma Connick, and a $1.5 million
bequest from longstanding backer Marcella S. Schwartz.
This generous gift
will advance City of Hopes
ability to create an
unrivaled translational
research center dedicated
to bringing the promise of
immunotherapy to
patients everywhere,
said Michael A. Friedman,
M.D., president and
chief executive officer
of City of Hope. I I I
MAn artists rendering of The Arnold and Mabel Beckman Center for Cancer
Immunotherapeutics and Tumor Immunology
A lasting legacy in immunotherapy
MFrom left, Diana Levins uncle and aunt,
Seymour Prell and Ruth Leader, Lorrie
Bernstein and Ocean Hills Chapter President
Sheldon Bernstein display a check denoting
the generous gift.
MICHAELBROWN
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A PHILANTHROPIC SPIRIT
BRIDGINGGENERATIONS
Familial bonds have been an integral
part of philanthropy at City of Hope
since its inception. Whether it is the
valued support of a devoted mother
who has turned her own personal
challenge into a crusade for children
everywhere, or a doting grandmother
striving to instill her commitment
to altruism in her grandson,
philanthropic legacies represent
a special form of support for the
institution.
Personalloss leads
to generouslifelongsupport
Sophia Sophie Fitzmaurice
believes future cancer
patients will have the
best chances for recovery
through ongoing research
at City of Hope. And she
has committed her own
personal resources to backup her belief.
The longtime volunteer, a founding member of the Angels
of Hope Chapter in Palos Verdes, Calif., recently made a
commitment of annual charitable gift annuities totaling $250,000.
In recognition, a hospital room in the pediatric unit of Helford
Clinical Research Hospital at City of Hope will be named in
her honor.
Her commitment to biomedical research began in 1953, when
she learned that two of her four children suffered from thalassemia,
a fatal blood disease. After living through her childrens
experiences, Fitzmaurice decided to dedicate her own life to
helping other children with serious diseases.During her first visit to campus more than 20 years ago,
Fitzmaurice learned of City of Hopes bone marrow transplantation
and pediatric cancer programs. Inspired by the work, she devoted
herself to backing City of Hope researchers in their quest of cures
for devastating illnesses. Her commitment paralleled that of her
close friends and neighbors, Irwin and Betty Helford, benefactors
of Helford Hospital.
On a recent visit to campus, Fitzmaurice visited the laboratory
of Michael C. Jensen, M.D., associate professor of Pediatrics and
director of the Pediatric Neuro-oncology program, and learned
more about an investigative cancer-fighting strategy called adoptive
T-cell therapy. Fitzmaurice became interested in a clinical trial now
under way for a particularly deadly cancer.
City of Hope is so advanced in its medical research,
Fitzmaurice said. My son and daughter spent their childhoods and
a good part of their adult lives in hospitals and doctors offices. It
was their wish that the children they left behind would not have to
experience the pain they had, and would be able to live long and
healthy lives.
I am confident that my gift to City of Hope will be well spent,
helping those with cancer and other life-threatening diseases thrive
and enjoy a better quality of life. I I I
20 I CITY NEWS SPRING 2007
By Pat Kramer
Sophia FitzmauriceM
N
EILRICHARDSON
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Grandmotherspurs a devoted
grandsons visionAs a third generation member
of a family devoted to
philanthropy, Scott Morielli
was educated by his late
grandmother on the importance
of charitable giving.
During her final decade of
life, Lee Graff instilled in the
37-year-old Morielli her own
values of altruism, preparing him
for his role as her successor. For 10 years, while helping torun the family company, Morielli would spend each Tuesday
with his grandmother, listening to her philanthropic vision.
My grandmother loved doing things for others. She was truly
selfless and focused on making the world a better place, Morielli
said.
Graff and her late husband Seymour are iconic figures
in City of Hopes history. From 1954 until he died in 1964,
Seymour Graff sat on City of Hopes board of directors, and
served as president and chair of the board from 1961 to 1964.
Lee Graff also served on the institutions board and was named
Vice Chair for Life in 1989.
The Lee Graff Medical and Scientific Library, which openedin 1984, is another important family contribution. Today, the Lee
Graff Foundation continues to fund the Graff Library, known as
one of the nations foremost medical research libraries.
In addition, the Graffs helped found City of Hopes
Merchants Club, which merged with the Professions and Finance
Associates in 1995 to become the Apparel Industries Group,
now a leading support group. The three groups have raised tens
of millions of dollars for the institution since their inceptions.
Lee Graff appointed Morielli as executor of both her
estate and her foundation prior to her death in March 2005. In
this role, Morielli recently designated a $250,000 endowment
to support the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Center for Cancer
Immunotherapeutics and Tumor Immunology.
It was a forward-thinking process, said Morielli. I wanted
to ensure this donation went toward furthering immunotherapeutic
research and other advanced medical research that City of Hope
is leading.
In 1933, the Graffs founded their highly successful business,
Graff Californiawear, formerly one of the nations largest privately-
held apparel companies. After her husbands death, Lee Graff
assumed the role of company president and chief executive officer.
Morielli also served as a vice president of the company. I I I
CITY NEWS SPRING 2007 I
Arnold Zuckerman, Judi Schweitzer (center) and the late Lois Zuckerman
Lee Graff
M
M
A valued collection becomesa significant donation
Throughout his life, 81-year-old Tucson, Ariz., resident
and devoted City of Hope supporter Arnold Zuckermancollected postage stamps as a hobby. Now, his philatelic
investment is helping to save lives.
In preparation for his recent move into a retirement
home, the longtime City of Hope supporter sold his prized
stamp collection, valued at more than $153,000, and
donated the proceeds to City of Hope. He made the gift in
memory of his late wife, Lois, and his late mother, Edna,
both of whom succumbed to cancer.
Lois Zuckerman died in 1997 after battling both breast
and lung cancer. Prior to her illness, she served City of Hope
as a member of the Fred and Gertrude Rosen Chapter, also
located in Tucson.Zuckerman, who recalls the satisfaction he felt when
accompanying his wife to chapter meetings and fundraising
events during their marriage, also was pleased when the
Rosen chapter dedicated a memorial plaque to Lois in
memory of her years of faithful service. The plaque is
displayed on the Wall of Hope on the Duarte, Calif., campus.
Zuckermans mother, Edna, died in 1948 from stomach
cancer. Also devoted to charity, she was active in the
Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, which helped Jewish
immigrants make their way to America from Europe. His
mother also worked with orphaned children in the Chicago
area, where Zuckerman was raised.
Stamp collecting contributed to a lifelong interest in
history, influencing Zuckermans career path. Before retiring
to Arizona, he taught history for many years at Truman
State University in Kirksville, Mo. His surviving family
includes a stepdaughter, Judi Schweitzer.
In recognition of Zuckermans generous gift, an elevator
in Helford Clinical Research Hospital at City of Hope has been
named the Lois B. Zuckerman and Edna Zuckerman Elevator.
He hopes his gift will inspire others with valuable collections
to consider their own donations to City of Hope. I I I
CITYOFHOPEARCHIVES C
OURTESYOFZUCKERMANFA
MILY
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During May, Americans can celebrate
moms around the nation by joining City of
Hope in the fight against breast cancer.
Companies nationwide will raise
awareness and much-needed funds for
City of Hope through products and
services linked to the breast cancer theme.
Watch for these opportunities to help
women everywhere live longer, healthierlives.
With more than a dozen brands customers
know and trust, Sanford, a Newell
Rubbermaid company, is a leader in the
writing instrument and art supply industry.
To help in the fight against breast cancer,
Sanford brands Parker, Rolodex, and
Paper Mate collectively pledged to raiseup to $200,000 through Dec. 31, 2008.
For its part, Parker will donate 25 cents
from the purchase of every specially
marked Jotter pen, up to $50,000.
Rolodex is donating $20,000, and sales of
individual Paper Mate FlexGrip Pens and
Eraser Packs will generate 10-cent-per-
item donations, up to $200,000, all
benefiting City of Hopes breast cancer
research, treatment and education efforts.
3Ms steadfast commitment
to City of Hopes mission
continues. Since 2004, the companys
Post-it Super Sticky Notes Stick Up
for the Cause campaign has raised
hundreds of thousands of dollars for
breast cancer research, treatment and
education programs at City of Hope.
Specially marked pink-ribbon products,
including Post-it Super Sticky Notes
and dispensers, special flag pens and
highlighters, continue to generate
hundreds of thousands of
dollars from per-product
donations, including their
$100,000 sponsorship of
City of Hopes Walk for
Hope to Cure Breast
Cancer. In addition, 3Ms
Clean up for the Cause
with O-Cel-Oscrub
sponges campaign
generates a 10-centdonation for each
specially marked package,
with a minimum guaranteed donation
of $50,000.
Dole Fresh Flowers, the largest producer
and marketer of fresh-cut flowers in
the United States, aligns with Albertsonsin May to help benefit breast cancer
research, treatment and education
at City of Hope.
In honor of
MothersDay,
shoppers may purchase Dole Fresh
Flowers breast-cancer awareness flower
bouquets at participating locations
nationwide. On behalf of the participating
retailers, Dole Fresh Flowers donates
5 percent of the purchase price (excluding
a freight charge) for every bouquet
purchased by the retailer to City of Hope.
Dole and Albertsons also will collaborate
on a similar promotion again in October
2007. Purchase bouquets in your local
Albertsons during Breast Cancer
Awareness Month, and help Dole surpass
the nearly $80,000 they have raised for
the cause since May 2004.
Former talk-show host and TV personality
Jenny Jones provides simple, healthy
recipes and supports breast cancer
research with her book, Look Good, Feel
Great Cookbook: How Eating Superfoods
Can Help You Turn Back the Clock with
Over 80 Comfort Food Recipes. To date,
$100,000 in profits from the book have
been donated to City of Hopes breast
cancer research, treatment and education
efforts and donation generation efforts
continue. Available at bookstores
nationwide, this colorful cookbook
makes a great Mothers Day gift. I I I
City of Hopes dedicated corporate supporters have helped raise more than $25 million since 1999. These
programs generate considerable national awareness for the institutions mission to eradicate devastating
diseases. We thank all of the companies that support our lifesaving research, treatment and education efforts
through cause-related marketing campaigns.
Companies align with City of Hope to save lives
7/31/2019 CN Spring 2007
25/32CITY NEWS SPRING 2007 I
By Alicia Di Rado
The leading cancer centers now have
another mission in addition to vanquishing
an all-too-prevalent disease.Thirteen of the nations top-tiered, National Cancer Institute-
designated comprehensive cancer centers have formed the
Cancer Research Alliance, a nonprofit organization devoted to
securing national cause-related marketing alliances to fund
cancer research at the participating organizations.
Those organizations include City of Hope,
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Fox Chase Cancer Center,
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, the Holden
Comprehensive Cancer Center at University of Iowa, Arthur C.
James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute
at The Ohio State University, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer
Center at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Lombardi
Comprehensive Cancer Center at Georgetown University, the
University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, H. Lee
Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Robert H. Lurie
Comprehensive Cancer Center at Northwestern University,
Roswell Park Cancer Institute and the University of California,
San Francisco Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Cause-related marketing is the public association of a for-
profit company with a nonprofit organization or cause, both to
promote the companys product or service, and to raise money
and awareness for the nonprofit. Nonprofit organizations and
companies alike have long used cause-related marketing to benefit
their brands and impact their bottom lines. According to the
International Events Group, corporations in the United States spent
more than $1.6 billion on cause-related marketing in 2006 alone.
The participating cancer centers recognize the power
of cause-related marketing, both as a fundraising tool and
as a branding vehicle, said Kevin Koga, associate vice president
of communications at City of Hope, who is a staff member of
the Cancer Research Alliance. The Cancer Research Alliance is
the first organization of its kind to provide both local and
national value to participating companies.
The Cancer Research Alliance currently is securing national
corporate partners and expects the first consumer promotions
to begin in 2008. I I I
NCI centersUNITE to market for a cause
Among Americans
I 86 percent would
switch from one
brand to another of
similar price and
quality if that brand
were associatedwith a cause.
I 80 percent could
name a company
that stands out as
a strong corporate
citizen.
I 75 percent
said a companys
commitment to
a social cause
was important
when decidingwhich products
or services to
recommend
to others.
Americans believe that
corporations need to act
responsibly, and they
appreciate companies that
contribute to important
causes, such as the fight
against cancer and other
serious diseases. The Cancer
Research Alliance will link
with such corporations.
STANDING BEHIND A CAUSE
Source:2004 Cone Corporate
Citizenship Study
7/31/2019 CN Spring 2007
26/3224 I CITY NEWS SPRING 2007
K E N T H O M P S O N
Portland, Ore., resident and cancer survivorKen
Thompson was diagnosed with stage 4 multiple
myeloma in December 1996 when he was 52 years
old. After a successful bone marrow transplant
at City of Hope, he has been cancer-free for more
than nine years.
A former manager in the wholesale grocery
industry, Ken was the featured patient speaker atthe Pacific Northwest Food Industries Circles 18th
annual Harvest Celebration Ball, which was held on
Oct. 28, 2006, in Seattle. Now working in real estate,
he enjoys horseback riding, hunting, fishing and
hot-rod motoring. He and his wife, Rosemary,have two sons, a daughter and six grandchildren.
My doctor called me about my devastating cancer
diagnosis the day before Christmas in 1996 and he was
not optimistic. He said that while I might survive for another
two years, my cancer was terminal and treatment would
only keep me comfortable during that time.
Initially, I was shocked and angry that something like
this could happen to me. Then my anger turned to resolve.
I wanted to fight back. And to do so, I knew I had to develop
a strong, positive approach.
When news of my diagnosis reached my workplace
at the time, Alan Jones who is the chief executive officer
of United Grocers contacted me. He told me that the
grocery industry was a longtime supporter of City of Hope
and highly recommended it as the best place for me to
go for my treatment. As I made my first appointment for
Jan. 2, 1997, my hope began to grow.
My wife and I began to feel a sense of calm when we
arrived at City of Hope. As we looked around, we noticed
many others facing similar situations. It was good to know
that we werent alone.
After completing my initial tests, I met with my oncologist,
Margaret ODonnell, M.D., who explained the protocol for my
treatment. I was to receive a tandem stem cell transplant using
my own stem cells. This experimental treatment was so new, I
was one of the first 60 patients to receive it.
While I had concerns and fears about whether the
treatment would be successful, someone always was there
to answer my questions or to respond to my physical or
emotional needs during those nine months. The care my
wife and I received was so wonderful, it was as if I was the
hospitals only patient. Before long, I began to feel like the
staff of City of Hope was an extension of my own family. It
was also comforting to know that nearby on the samecampus, researchers were working to find new solutions for
treating my cancer, as well as many others.
My last transplant occurred on Sept. 25, 1997. I refer
to it as my born-again day, because I honestly feel that
City of Hope gave me my life back. I also feel grateful to all
those who contribute their time and efforts fundraising to
support research and treatment at City of Hope. It is
inspiring to think of all of the lives they have saved.
This past September, I celebrated my ninth year of
being cancer-free. Each year, as I acknowledge this special
anniversary, I will remember all those people who helpedme make it to where I am today. Alan Jones, Joseph
Weresch, M.D., of Portland, Dr. ODonnell, and all of the
other staff members at City of Hope, and the many friends
and family who were there always will hold a special place in
my heart. I I I
Industry group provides a
lifesaving referral
MKen Thompson and his wife, Rosemary.
C O U R T E S Y O F T H O M P S O N F A M I L Y
7/31/2019 CN Spring 2007
27/32CITY NEWS SPRING 2007 I
By Shawn Le andAlicia Di Rado
Fewer people died of cancer
in 2004 than in 2003, marking
the second straight year
that cancer deaths have
declined in the United States,
according to a new American
Cancer Society report. And
City of Hope physicians andresearchers are optimistic
about the progress.
According to the report, Cancer Statistics
2007, 3,014 fewer people died of cancer
in 2004 compared to the previous year.
The 2004 data were the latest available.
President Nixon declared war on
cancer in the early 1970s, and we are
finally beginning to see some of the fruits
of these efforts, said Robert Figlin, M.D.,
the Arthur and Rosalie Kaplan Professor of
Medical Oncology and chair of the
Division of Medical Oncology &
Therapeutics Research. Were making
great strides in fighting cancer, and each
research discovery and novel treatment
brings us one step closer to finding cures.
The drop in deaths marks the second
straight year that deaths from cancer
declined: officials reported 369 fewer
cancer deaths in 2003 than 2002.
American Cancer Society leaders credit
improved education about cancer
prevention, earlier detection and
treatment advances.
Death rates linked to most major
cancers, including breast, prostate and
colorectal cancers, have declined steadily
in recent years. And while lung cancer
remains the top cancer killer for both
genders, the lung cancer mortality rate
among women has leveled off, and fewer
men are being diagnosed with lung
cancer and dying from it.
City of Hope physicians and
researchers are contributing to the gains.
Researchers are helping to better identify
womens risk of developing breast cancer
based on genetics, while others are
determining which therapies may be
most effective in treating specific
patients, for example. City of Hope
physicians participating in the
International Early Lung Cancer Action
Program are evaluating computed
tomography as a lung cancer screening
method to find cancer early among those
considered at high risk for the disease.
Statistics within certain ethnic
groups show room for progress.
According to the report, cancer still hits
African-Americans particularly hard.
And while Latinos, Asian-Americans
and Pacific Islanders have slightly lower
cancer rates overall than whites, they
show a higher risk for cancers that may
be linked to infections, such as liver and
cervical cancers, the report indicates.
Scientists in the Division of
Population Sciences at City of Hope
explore cancer diagnosis, treatment,
outcome and quality of life among those
of different races, ethnicities and other
characteristics. The divisions Center
of Community Alliance for Research
& Education was created in 2006 to
address cancer education and control
in diverse communities, and seeks
interventions that can make a difference
in improving cancer outcomes.
Despite advances, physicians advise
that Americans must still adopt and
maintain healthy lifestyles to do all they
can to reduce their risk. The American
Cancer Society estimates 1,444,920
new cases of cancer will be diagnosed
and 559,650 people will die from
cancer in 2007. I I I
American Cancer Society report
U.S. cancer deaths drop for second consecutive year
7/31/2019 CN Spring 2007
28/3226 I CITY NEWS SPRING 2007
By Fran Rizzi
This summer, Southern California will welcome hundreds of volunteers from across the country
for the 2007 City of Hope National Convention. This years theme, Building a Future of Hope,
symbolizes the host of activities planned to highlight the institutions achievements and profound
legacy of support.
Extending intergenerational legacies of support
This years convention, held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in
Beverly Hills, Calif., from June 23 to 25, will feature opportunities to
learn directly about scientific and medical advances, as well as
inspirational sessions with City of Hope leaders.
The meeting will convene on Saturday, June 23, with
presentations from City of Hopes President and Chief Executive
Officer Michael A. Friedman, M.D., and outgoing Board Chair PhilEngel. Sundays activities will center around a Day of Discovery,
where conventioneers will interact with scientists and clinicians
who will share information on their research and treatment efforts,
as well as grateful patients, who will discuss their stories of hope
and healing. Mondays agenda will include Hope Forum, a series
of educational sessions that will focus on fundraising tools and
strategies, the traditional Roll Call and a dinner gala. During the
evenings gathering, the newly elected board chair, Terry Peets,
will address conventioneers.
While much of the convention programming will highlight the
future, activities also will celebrate the institutions legacy of
philanthropy integral to the auxiliary movement. Generations
of compassionate and committed families and many others have
enabled the institution to flourish and expand, and volunteer leaders
who share in this legacy will host each evening of the convention.
Saturdays opening events will be co-hosted by Bonnie Fein and
her brother, Michael Kaplan, who share their parents unwavering
commitment to City of Hope. In the Kaplan familys most recent
act of generosity in 2006, they established the Arthur and Rosalie
Kaplan Professorship in Medical Oncology. Robert Figlin, M.D., is
the first holder of the professorship. Additionally, the lobby of
Helford Clinical Research Hospital at City of Hope was named in
recognition of another magnanimous gift.
Longtime supporters Don Hoffman and Pat Perrott will host
Sunday evenings events. Hoffmans father, Irving, served as
president of the Merchants Club from 1962 to 1963. Today, Don
Hoffman chairs the think tank of the Board of Governors, of which
he is a member, and plays a vital role on the City of Hope NationalMedical Centers board of directors and with the institutions
Ambassador Leadership Council.
When the Perrott family was touched by leukemia in 1991, its
connection to City of Hope was firmly established. At that time,
Ed and Pat Perrotts son, Matthew, received a lifesaving bone
marrow transplant. Today, he is part of the institutions Speakers
Bureau, through which he shares his experience as a cancer
s
