From increasing colorectal screening for at-risk younger adults to combining technology to detect cancer earlier, last summer’s record-breaking Prouty fundraiser event raised more than $8 million for ground-breaking research. Here are four of these projects.
Why aren’t younger adults getting screened for colorectal cancer?
In response to rising cases of colorectal cancer in younger adults, in 2021, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force lowered the recommended screening age from 50 to 45. However, despite effective screening options where polyps can be found and removed before they become cancerous, many people aged 45-54 are still not getting screened as often as hoped.
In a new Pilot Project, researchers J. Henry Feng, MD, MPH, and Christine Gunn, MA, PhD, will figure out what is preventing younger adults who are at higher risk for developing colorectal cancer from getting screened. “With more younger people dealing with chronic health problems such as obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure, improving education and screening for this age group—and in particular with these health issues—is urgent,” says Feng. The team will then develop a patient-centered program that addresses the challenges faced by people in this at-risk group to improve screening.
The best of both worlds for detecting melanoma
It's hard to spot tiny, early-stage cancerous changes in the body using standard imaging. Irene Georgakoudi, PhD, Britt Anne Goods, PhD, and Edward Usherwood, PhD, will combine advanced fluorescent 3D imaging capabilities with a technique that can map the molecular makeup of tumor cells but is invasive, costly and labor-intensive.
Combining the best of both worlds could lead to a new way to detect cancer earlier and monitor how it responds to treatment, all without the need for invasive biopsies. “The combination of functional information with morphological features will enable real-time precision detection and dynamic monitoring of cancer lesions,” says Georgakoudi.
Combining Pathomics with Spatial Omics in Breast Cancer was selected as the “Team Tennis” Pilot Grant.
Here are some facts about this year’s Team Tennis to Smash Cancer (TTSC):
- This was the 10th Annual TTSC
- In 10 years participants have raised over $560K
- In 2024, 97 players raised over $56K
- Presenting Sponsor (top sponsor) was the Couch Family Foundation
When: Sunday, November 17, 2024
Where: The Alexis Boss Tennis Center at Dartmouth College
How it works: Modified team tennis format with 40 games of social but competitive round-robin doubles tennis.
Banding together for breast cancer
Another Pilot project, funded by The Friends of Dartmouth Cancer Center’s “Team Tennis” participants, aims to improve triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) diagnosis and treatment by combining traditional pathology (examining tissue samples under a microscope) with advanced machine learning technology. Principal Investigators Shrey S. Sukhadia, MS, PhD, Candice C. Black, DO, George J. Zanazzi, MD, PhD, and Mary D. Chamberlin, MD, are using "pathomics" to analyze digital images of tissue slides and extract detailed features of cells and tissues. They're also mapping gene and protein expression within the same tissue areas using advanced techniques that create a "tissue fingerprint."
The goal is to link these image features with molecular information to train artificial intelligence (AI) models. These models would then predict important cancer marker (called biomarker) expression just by analyzing tissue images, eliminating the need for expensive and time-consuming genetic/protein tests.
“This approach could speed up TNBC diagnosis, with great potential to improve prognosis and lead to more personalized treatments,” says Sukhadia. The team hopes to create a user-friendly online database for pathologists, doctors, and patients to access and understand this new information and how it could inform care.
Seeing the complete picture
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a common and aggressive cancer of the blood. Cases are expected to rise as the population ages and, unfortunately, often have poor outcomes. Genomics, which analyzes a person’s entire genome (all their genes at once), can be used to better understand and treat AML. But, current genomic testing methods have drawbacks, including processing time and result limitations.
With Prouty funding, pathologists Jeremiah Karrs, DO, Lauren Wainman, PhD, and Parth Shah, MD, want to use a newer technology called "long-read sequencing" to analyze the entire genomic makeup of AML cells. Current whole-genome testing uses "short-read sequencing," which looks at small pieces of DNA. LRS looks at much longer stretches of DNA, giving a more complete picture and uncovering changes that short-read sequencing could potentially miss. LRS also offers the possibility of faster results.
“We hope to provide a single, comprehensive test for all AML patients that identifies all relevant changes in DNA more accurately and quickly than current methods,” says Karrs. Faster and more complete genomic information could help oncologists choose the most effective treatments for each individual patient and ultimately improve outcomes.
Registration for the 44th annual Prouty is open! Now is the perfect time to start a team, join a team or Prouty your own way in support of life-saving research at Dartmouth Cancer Center. Visit TheProuty.org to learn how you can get involved. Hope Starts Here.