The Norris Cotton Cancer Center (NCCC), now in its 16th year as an NCI- funded cancer center, serves as a major referral center for all of northern New England. First established in 1972 on the campus of Dartmouth Medical School, the NCCC became an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center in 1990. This application for the development of a breast cancer research program arises from a series of monthly meetings of a diverse group of NCCC investigators interested in developing a multidisciplinary program in breast cancer research. Our principal objective is to facilitate interactions among investigators from a broad array of disciplines, perspectives, and experiences, and thereby generate a synergistic and cohesive program within the NCCC which focuses on the issues of breast cancer. The research activities and interests of the NCCC investigators proposed as members of the breast cancer research program are focused along the following three themes: pre-diagnosis (including the issues of etiology, epidemiology, screening, and chemoprevention), tumor biology, and treatment. We will pursue the development of a viable and productive breast cancer research program through a combination of: 1) New faculty recruitments (two) designed to provide increased research strength in areas that will enhance interdisciplinary and translational research; 2) Group meetings on a monthly basis and an annual group retreat; 3) An outside speaker program consisting of bi-monthly speakers and an annual day-long symposium; 4) Funding of pilot research projects, two of which are described in this application. The proposed breast cancer research program will be an integral component of the NCCC. Both an internal advisory committee and an external advisory committee, including leaders of the breast cancer patient advocacy groups of Vermont and New Hampshire, will provide guidance regarding the directions of the program. The Executive Committee of the NCCC, which will include the Program Development Director of the breast program, will oversee the activities of the group. The development of a breast cancer research program has the strong expressed support of the leadership of the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, the Dean of Dartmouth Medical School, and the Executive Committee of the NCCC.
