To: Catie

From: Julia
Re: Deadliest Cancers Caucus
Presented by: The Deadliest Cancer Coalition

Attendees: James Doroshow, Lynn Matrisian, Anil Ristugi, Adam Kuchinski

Panel:
James DoroshowDeputy Director for Clinical Translational Research
Lynn MatrisianVice President of Scientific and Medical Affairs
Anil RustigiCardiologist at the Hemet Medical Center
Adam KuchinskyDebbies Dream Foundation Representative


The deadliest cancers are identified by an average of less than a five year survival rate.

James Doroshow Tumors are hard to treat because they adapt and have a very specific genetic code.
One of the most important ways to research different cancers and work to develop treatments is to
build on the unexpected success of other treatments and work to develop antibodies. It is helpful to
understanding all cancers if specific/rare cancers are researched. There has been success with looking at
the genetic mutations of types of cancers and grouping patients who have cancers with similar genetic
mutations into clinical trials rather than grouping patients who have cancer in the same organ into
clinical trials. It is very important to constantly be aware of new advances going on all over the world.

Lynn Matrisia The top four cancers are prostate, breast, lung, and colorectal. The two cancers that
are expected to rise in occurrence are pancreatic and liver cancer, while the cancer that is causing the
most death is lung cancer. When researching treatments, it is important to look at changing risk factors,
as well as look into early screening and removal of pre-malignant lesions. In order to develop treatments
in the future it is important to make people aware of what is going on with the development of cancer
treatment, as well as what they should be thinking about in the future so that we can make the changes
that well need in the future today.

Anli Ristugi The liver is an organ that the human body cannot live without. It is also the only human
organ that can regenerate itself which is important in terms of liver transplants and treatments. If liver
cancer is found early, surgery and a number of different treatment options are available; but if it isnt
caught early enough, the treatment options become limited because by then the cancer has
metastasized into other organs. It is often not detected early enough in most patients.
Stomach cancer is very similar, which is why early detection and prevention is vital. Someone can find
out if they are at a higher risk for getting cancer if they have a family history of it. Patients can also have
a genome built for them to find out if they have a genetic marker for a particular kind of cancer. Early
detection and gene screening is vital to helping research for developing new treatment as well as to a
higher survival rate in patients.

Adam Kuchinski There needs to be more funding for research of stomach cancer because catching the
cancer early enough for effective treatment is extremely rare and difficult. Without advanced screening
and further research, early detection and prevention is hard; and the more research that is done, the
more people will survive.

*Some of the biggest hurdles for cancer research and treatments besides funding are: 1) the fact that
not many people are aware of the types of cancer or of the treatments available, 2) not every form of
treatment is available everywhere so patients often have to travel great distances to receive their
treatments, 3) the pace of change in regards to research and treatment is so rapid that it can be hard to
stay up to date, 4)education for all is key to receiving funding for research