Funding for projects aiming to transform lung cancer care from rethinking screening to improving patient experience when treating advanced disease
TORONTO, Aug. 21, 2024 /CNW/ - Lung Cancer Canada, The Lung Ambition Alliance and AstraZeneca Canada are excited to announce the winners of the 2024 Lung Ambition Awards, a Canadian-based lung cancer research awards program designed to help improve the lives of people living with lung cancer.
In the program's second year, grants of $50,000 each will be awarded to the following research teams:
- Dr. Fei Geng, leading a team at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, is working towards revolutionizing lung cancer screening by developing and evaluating a new blood-based test with the potential to cost-effectively screen more people with the goal of detecting more lung cancers earlier.
- Currently, lung cancer screening criteria (in Ontario) is limited to people aged 55 – 74 who have smoked cigarettes every day for 20 years.
- This research has the potential to change lung cancer detection, broaden eligibility criteria, as well as screening for other cancer types.
- Dr. Natasha Leighl, leading a team at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto, Ontario, is incorporating liquid biopsies (a simple blood draw) into care for patients with advanced lung cancer. Two sets of patient groups will have access to liquid biopsies – those who need more information about their cancer's molecular profile and those who have stopped responding to a targeted treatment. The liquid biopsy results can help determine the patient's most effective treatment and start it more quickly.
- The inclusion of liquid biopsies will be evaluated for treatment value and cost-effectiveness.
Watch the full video announcement here
"In Canada, in spite of our best efforts, about 70% of lung cancer cases are diagnosed at stage 3 or 4. This means the disease has already spread and survival outcomes are worse," said Dr. Stephanie Snow, medical oncologist and President of Lung Cancer Canada. "These two research initiatives are working to tackle this major issue from either end – catching more lung cancers at an earlier, more treatable stage, and using new technology to treat people with advanced lung cancer more quickly and precisely with the goal of achieving better outcomes."
Lung cancer remains the most diagnosed cancer in Canada (excluding non-melanoma skin cancers) and is the leading cause of death from cancer in this country.i In Canada, the five-year survival rate for lung cancer is only 22% – significantly lower than prostate (91%), breast (89%) and colorectal (67%) cancers.ii Despite its devastating impact, on average lung cancer receives a small fraction of the research dollars of other cancers, in part due to stigma that compromises fundraising efforts.iii
In 2024, the Lung Ambition Awards received 28 applications from research teams across Canada. All submissions were reviewed and adjudicated solely by Lung Cancer Canada's Research Committee. The winners were chosen based on scientific merit, feasibility, alignment to the award criteria and relevance to the Canadian lung cancer community. To support the awards, AstraZeneca Canada has committed $100,000 per year for three years.
"Our bold ambition is to redefine cancer care and eliminate cancer as a cause of death. These research projects have the potential to move Canadians closer to that goal," said Marc Zarenda, Therapeutic Area Lead, Lung Cancer, AstraZeneca Canada. "This underscores the importance of collaborations and partnerships like the Lung Ambition Awards that can achieve better patient outcomes and improve health equity."
Complete information about the Lung Ambition Awards and application guidelines can be found at www.lccresearch.ca.
About the Lung Ambition Awards
The Lung Ambition Awards, a joint initiative between Lung Cancer Canada, The Lung Ambition Alliance and AstraZeneca Canada, is a Canadian-based lung cancer research awards program designed to help improve the lives of people living with lung cancer. The Lung Ambition Awards will award two to three research grants per year, with a maximum award of $50,000 CAD each. This is the second year of the program.
Awards are granted to research work being done to improve patient care in any of the following areas:
- Enhancing early detection – including research into methodologies like screening, incidental pulmonary nodules and blood-based testing, particularly for those individuals not meeting current screening criteria
- Improving the timeliness and/or coordination of care – including ways in which institutions or healthcare systems can improve care along the patient pathway
- Addressing disparities to improve equity – including identification of systemic barriers and ways to overcome them
About the Lung Ambition Awards Partners
- Lung Cancer Canada is a registered national charity that serves as Canada's leading resource for lung cancer education, patient support, research, and advocacy. Based in Toronto, Ontario, Lung Cancer Canada has a wide reach that includes both regional and pan-Canadian initiatives. Lung Cancer Canada is a member of the Global Lung Cancer Coalition and is the only national organization in Canada focused exclusively on lung cancer.
- AstraZeneca is a global, innovation-driven biopharmaceutical business with a focus on the discovery, development, and commercialization of medicines that transform lives. AstraZeneca's core areas of scientific focus are Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolic (CVRM) disease; Oncology; Rare Disease; Respiratory & Immunology; and Vaccine & Immune Therapies.
- The Lung Ambition Alliance is a global coalition, with cross-discipline partners in more than 50 countries dedicated to accelerating innovation and driving meaningful improvements for people with lung cancer. With the bold ambition to one day eliminate cancer as a cause of death, the Alliance is focused on three core areas: increasing screening & diagnosis; delivering innovative medicine; and enhancing the quality of care for lung cancer patients.
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Lung Cancer Canada, 2024 Hard facts infographic, available online at: https://lungcancercanada.ca/about-lung-cancer/facts-about-lung-cancer/ |
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Lung Cancer Canada, 2024 Hard facts infographic, available online at: https://lungcancercanada.ca/about-lung-cancer/facts-about-lung-cancer/ |
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Kamath, Suneel D, et al. "Comparison of Cancer Burden and Nonprofit Organization Funding Reveals Disparities in Funding Across Cancer Types." Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network : JNCCN, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 1 July 2019, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31319386. |
SOURCE Lung Cancer Canada
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For more information about the Lung Ambition Awards, please contact Winky Yau at [email protected].
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