A Model of Translational Research in Action: For over a decade, the WCP represents one of the first efforts in the US that combines a robust research platform with a world class treatment facility for women with breast and gynecological cancers. Our basic scientists and our clinicians are partners in a collaborative translational research effort dedicated to cure these diseases. Our research scientists studying cancer in the laboratory and our clinicians treating patients in the clinic are diligently working together to better understand women's cancers and to create better strategies for prevention, detection and treatment. Our ability to link clinical information with scientific data, our research investigators gain a finer understanding of why certain treatments work and others fail. As we look ahead, our research platform will allow for even more individualized care, treatments tailored to the genetic and molecular characteristics of each patient's cancer combined with her own unique medical history and needs. This will allow for the most personalized care possible --- and an even better experience and outcome for patients.

....HEADLINES....

Breast Cancer

• Livingston: International study launched at DFCI points to new breast cancer-susceptibility gene: PALB2 is a gene that affects one percent of Finnish breast cancers; however, its discovery reveals insight into a complicated network of gene interactions.
• Roberts and Zhao: Researchers knock out a key cancer signal: For over two decades, scientists have been searching for a means to effectively target the complex PI3K cell-signaling pathways.
• Brown: Molecular Atlas: "Cistrome" is the term used to describe the work of creating a map of gene switches influenced by the cell's estrogen receptors in the growth of breast cancer.

Gynecological Cancers

• Matulonis:Special Delivery: Intraperitoneal (IP) therapy offers definite survival advantages, but there is a need to study quality-of-life issues.
• Drapkin:  Finding a Needle in a Haystack:  Early detection is critical in ovarian cancer and finding biomarkers is a crucial priority.
• Anderson and Dranoff: Cancer Vaccines: Pursuing the Promise: The idea of using a patient's gene-modified cancer cells to stimulate their immune system to fight the cancer is the theory being pursued.

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