The Kidney Cancer Program seeks to conduct innovative basic research into the molecular and biological basis for various cancers of the kidney with the goals of identifying: 1) meaningful biomarkers for early detection, prognosis and treatment selection;2) novel factors associated with either innate or acquired resistance to existing therapies that could be targets for future therapeutic development;and 3) new therapeutic targets. In addition, the Program seeks to conduct cutting-edge clinical trials across all disease strata in the hopes of identifying more effective treatments, used either alone or in combination, and better ways of predicting who should receive each therapy. It also aims to better understand the factors contributing to kidney cancer development and the relative cost effectiveness of various diagnosfic and treatment approaches. Finally, the Kidney Cancer Program will to continue to educate, train and promote the career advancement of the next generation of kidney cancer investigators. The Program has five Specific Aims: 1. identify and validate novel targets for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and other cancers of the kidney 2. Identify biomarkers for early detection, prognosis and treatment selection 3. Identity mechanisms for and opportunities for overcoming resistance to existing RCC therapies 4. Explore novel immunotherapies, either alone of in combination, in patients with advanced RCC 5. Investigate the epidemiology of RCC and cost effectiveness of treatment for this disease. The Program was first approved and funded by the NCI CCSG in 2005, at which time it received a score of """"""""Excellent to Outstanding"""""""" merit. The Program has 36 members from six DF/HCC institutions, seven departments of HMS and one department of HSPH. In 2009, total peer-review funding totaled $3.8 million (total costs), of which $3 million was from the NCI. During the project period (2006 to 2010), members published 371 papers, of which 15% were intra-programmatic , 41% were inter-programmatic and 27% were inter-institutional.
Cancers of the kidney are the second most common cancer of the genitourinary tract with over 50,000 new cases diagnosed annually accounting forever 13,000 deaths. This program seeks to understand the molecular basis for various cancers of the kidney in order to enhance early detection and treatment selection and devise better therapies that together can reduce the pain and suffering related to these cancers.
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