A few interesting and exciting developments in cancer research that have occurred at the BC Cancer Agency this past year. Each of these donor-funded initiatives is being translated into tangible improvements in the prevention, detection, and treatment of cancer.

Some of the advances that donors have helped to make possible through their donations include:

August 2010
Personalized genome sequencing in cancer treatment—a major breakthrough in care
Researchers at the BC Cancer Agency Genome Sciences Centre have provided the first published example of genome-scale RNA and DNA sequencing of a tumour to aid in clinical decision making and therapeutic choice. Read more.

March 2010
BC Cancer Agency Hodgkin Lymphoma Discovery
BC Cancer Agency researchers find presence of macrophages (scavenger cells) can predict treatment outcome in Hodgkin lymphoma. Read more.

January 2010
BC Cancer Agency Lymphoma Discovery 
Researchers at BC Cancer Agency identify one of the most frequently mutated single genes in the fastest growing cancer in North America. Read more.

October 2009
BC Cancer Agency announces huge breast cancer breakthrough
For the first time in history, BC Cancer Agency scientists in British Columbia, Canada have decoded all of the three billion letters in the DNA sequence of a metastatic lobular breast cancer tumour, a type of breast cancer which accounts for about 10 per cent of all breast cancers, and have found all of the mutations, or “spelling” mistakes that caused the cancer to spread. Read about this breakthrough discovery.

October 2009
Largest Pan-Canadian Cancer Research Study of its Kind Underway
Researchers at the BC Cancer Agency are taking part in a Canada-wide initiative to learn more about preventing cancer. This project will recruit 300,000 Canadians to participate in a 25-year study. The BC Generations Project will collect data and bio-specimens from 40,000 British Columbians between the ages of 40 and 69 years. Researchers will use the data collected to determine whether environmental, lifestyle, genetic or other risk factors contribute to the development of cancer and other serious diseases. Data collected through the project will be a major resource for health research studies in British Columbia and across Canada, providing the basis for developing better prevention and screening programs. More information or to participate visit www.bcgenerationsproject.ca

June 2009
Researchers Find Spelling Mistake in DNA for Ovarian Cancer
The Ovarian Cancer Research (OvCaRe) team, led by Dr. David Huntsman, has recently discovered the genetic spelling mistake which causes granulosa cell tumours, a rare subtype of ovarian cancer. Using next generation DNA sequencing technology at the BC Cancer Agency’s Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre, scientists were able to completely sequence and decode ovarian tumour samples. Until this discovery, granulosa cell tumours have been difficult to diagnose and treat, but the finding provides an important diagnostic tool and presents the first clue in the development of more effective treatments for women with this disease. The effective use of this DNA sequencing technology will now be applied to decode other types of ovarian cancer. This important discovery was published in the New England Journal of Medicine in June 2009. Watch the video of the research discovery announcement.

Novel Lab Procedure Will Transform Cancer Research
Dr. Yuzhuo Wang and his team in the Cancer Endocrinology lab have developed a novel procedure for successfully grafting and transplanting primary human cancer tissues into immuno-deficient mice. This model will enable scientists to effectively test chemotherapy drugs in animal models to predict the response that may occur in a human patient. Unlike previous methods of tumour grafting, Dr. Wang’s method has resulted in a high acceptance rate and ensures the tumour samples retain the major characteristics of the original human tumour. The new approach could potentially help reduce the need for unnecessary cancer therapies that are unlikely to be successful.

Research Will Help Predict Resistance to Future Childhood Cancer Drugs
Over 850 children are diagnosed with cancer in Canada each year. Compared with adult-based clinical trials, childhood studies are challenging to assemble because of the relatively small number of patients. Dr. Poul Sorensen, a senior scientist in the Molecular Oncology lab, is conducting research with applications in different types of childhood cancers including sarcomas and acute myeloid leukemia. This past year saw the acquisition of new research instruments which will enable Dr. Sorensen to use an unprecedented approach called high content screening to test the efficacy of promising new drugs in the pre-clinical or early clinical trial phase to determine how they function and to predict whether a patient could become resistant to the drug. This information will also be useful for determining the minimum dosage amount necessary for the therapy to be effective, in order to reduce unnecessary exposure to toxic drugs which may impact the child’s growth and development.

Discovery May Explain Why Some Patients Do Not Respond to Current AML Treatments
While impressive strides have been made in the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), the reality is that some patients do not respond well to current drugs. Dr. Keith Humphries and his team in the Terry Fox Laboratory recently discovered that certain genes when over-expressed (i.e. a gene that produces too much genetic material) cause a very aggressive form of leukemia. This particular discovery is significant because it sheds light on why some AML patients do not respond to current therapies and these findings could become a basic tool for identifying patients most at risk for treatment failure. Future research will focus on finding new drug therapies that will specifically target the over-expressed genes.

New Technology May Help Reduce the Reoccurrence of Oral Cancers
The VELscope, which was developed at the BC Cancer Agency, uses autofluorescence light to detect oral cancers in the mouth and allows clinicians to discover cancerous and precancerous tissue that might not be apparent to the unaided eye. The tool has dramatically enhanced the ability of clinicians to diagnose oral cancer earlier. A recent pilot research study reveals that auto-fluorescence technology may also be useful for helping to reduce the reoccurrence of oral cancer. The study compared the experience of two groups of oral cancer surgery patients. In one group, the surgeon used auto-fluorescent lighting to determine the surgical margins for removing the tumour tissue, while in the control group, the surgeon used standard white light during the procedure. To date, there has no been reoccurrence of oral cancer in patients who had a VELscope guided surgery, while 32% of the control group experienced a reoccurrence. This discovery has the potential to radically change the way in which future oral cancer surgery is performed.

Honey May Help Head and Neck Cancer Patients
Oral mucositis is a common side-effect of radiation therapy for many head and neck cancers, and can have a very severe impact on the quality of life and nutritional status of patients. Over 40% of patients treated for head and neck cancers will develop grade 3 or 4 oral mucositis. Some patients are not able to tolerate mucositis and as a result are unable to proceed with radiation therapy to treat their cancers. Dr. Pippa Hawley, a pain and symptom management specialist at the BC Cancer Agency’s Vancouver Centre, is currently conducting a clinical trial to investigate whether manuka honey (found exclusively in New Zealand) is an effective substance in preventing and treating mucositis, Finding a better way to manage mucositis will not only reduce painful side effects for patients, but will result in less interruptions to treatment and thus increase the likelihood of survival.

Advances in Radiation Therapy Will Revolutionize Patient Care
In October 2007, a 72 year old prostate cancer patient at the BC Cancer Agency was the first in the world to be treated with RapidArc, new radiation therapy technology, being developed in global partnership with seven other institutions. RapidArc makes it possible to deliver radiation therapy two to eight times faster than conventional radiation therapy. It also dramatically increases the efficiency of dose utilization and reduces the amount of scattered radiation delivered to the patient. As a growing proportion of patients join the ranks of long-term survivors, late radiation effects are being given serious consideration. Dr. Peter Lim and other radiation oncologists at the BC Cancer Agency are conducting clinical research studies that may revolutionize the current standard of care, particularly for prostate and brain cancer patients.

Personalized Cancer Therapy Gets Closer
Earlier this year, Dr. Marco Marra and his team in the BC Cancer Agency’s Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre (GSC) sequenced the whole genome of a tumour that had spread from a patient’s tongue to his lung. They found that the patient had an abnormally high expression of a gene called RET which explained why he had not responded to a particular common drug therapy. Using the results derived from the sequencing process, physicians were able to recommend a different drug which inhibited the protein made by RET and the patient’s cancer subsequently regressed. This clinical example demonstrates the potential of using genetic screening and sequencing technology to increasingly provide personalized therapy to cancer patients. With the addition of advanced computers and technology, the GSC has plans to sequence other types of tumours in the future.

Helping Patients Make Decisions About Complementary Medicine
The Complementary Medicine Education and Outcomes (CAMEO) Program was established last year as a partnership between the BC Cancer Agency and the University of British Columbia’s School of Nursing. Recent studies show that the majority of cancer patients use at least one form of complementary medicine, along with their conventional cancer treatments (e.g. surgery, chemotherapy and radiation). CAMEO will seek to address current gaps related to decision support in the context of conventional cancer care and develop resources which are meant to assist both patients and health professionals to make evidence-informed decisions regarding the use of complementary medicine. CAMEO hosted its first patient education program in July 2009.