“Learning about the Breast from the Inside Out”
Laurence Fitzgerald, Ph.D., CBCRP Biomedical Research Administrator
The Susan Love MD Breast Cancer Research Foundation hosted their 3rd Symposium on the Intraductal Approach to Breast Cancer on March 27-30. The intraductal approach is an emerging field to detect and study the earliest stages of breast cancer. It includes such techniques as ductal lavage, ductal endoscopy, and analysis of nipple aspirate fluid to analyze, detect, and treat breast cancer. It is an outstanding area for clinicians and basic scientists to combine their skills. Researchers are employing state-of-the-art technologies in cancer genetics, proteomics (protein profiling), and cytology/ histology. The intraductal approach seems ideal for providing an extra level of cancer and pre-neoplasia detection for “high risk” women.
The CBCRP awarded a $25,000 Joining Forces Conference Award to Dr. Love to partially support the organization and costs associated with this meeting. The Symposium sessions consisted of 33 invited speakers and 20 presentations by scientists/clinicians seeking pilot grant support from The Susan Love MD Breast Cancer Research Foundation. There was excellent participation by California-based breast cancer researchers and advocates as attendees, speakers, and grant applicants. Three of the 10 newly awarded pilot grants at the Symposium were given to Californians.
You can find the program proceedings for both of these conferences at The Susan Love MD Breast Cancer Research Foundation Web site www.susanlovemdfoundation.org.
