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SYNTHESIS- Logo
A publication  of the UC Davis Cancer Center
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Current Issue: Fall/Winter 2003
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  TO OUR READERS
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TO OUR READERS

Dear Readers,

 "" Photo - Ralph deVere White, M.D. Director, UC Davis Cancer Center
 
Ralph deVere White, M.D.
Director, UC Davis Cancer Center
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I hope that 2004 brings its share of new and exciting events to all of you, as it has to us at the Cancer Center. We ended last year with a tremendous turnout for the Cancer Center’s annual gala. I am extremely grateful to Darrell and Julie Petray, John Thomas and everyone at Regent Development in Sacramento for hosting the event. The highlight of the evening was a tribute to Jim and Sally Otto, ending with a special video greeting from Jim’s former coach, John Madden. A legendary center for the Oakland Raiders, Jim has become a formidable adversary against cancer — and Sally has been his partner every step of the way. The tribute allowed us, in a small way, to honor this extraordinary couple for everything they have done, and continue to do, to help the Cancer Center.

In this issue of Synthesis, you’ll be introduced to Dr. Primo Lara’s new project designed to reduce barriers that prevent cancer patients from enrolling in clinical trials of promising new therapies. Dr. Lara was recently awarded a large grant to carry out this project; his proposal was one of only six in the nation to win funding.

Nationwide, fewer than 3 percent of adult cancer patients participate in clinical trials — but there are exceptions to this dismal rule. For example, most children with cancer, and nearly all men with testicular cancer, receive treatment through a clinical trial. The reason: These are relatively rare cancers that usually require treatment at academic medical centers, where clinical trials are basic to the culture. We need to spread this culture to the more common cancers, and Dr. Lara will tell us how we are going to do so.

Also in this issue, you’ll read reports of exciting research by Dr. Katherine Ferrara in biomedical engineering on the Davis campus, Drs. Paul Gumerlock and Philip Mack at the Cancer Center, and Dr. Allen Christian at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. These joint projects exemplify the sort of high-risk, high-gain research that allows the Cancer Center to become a leader, rather than a follower, in beating cancer. The projects also exemplify the potential of our growing collaboration with Lawrence Livermore to turn biodefense into cancer offense.

And finally, these research projects illustrate the power of donor contributions. Drs. Ferrara, Mack and Christian were testing their promising new technologies against brain and lung cancers, when an anonymous donor gave them funds to extend that research into prostate cancer as well. Indeed, our entire Prostate Cancer Research Program, which today boasts 24 researchers and some $4 million in research funding, got its start with a gift from Susan and Robert Mathews, pioneers in the high-tech industry. Today, a decade later, we are once more indebted to Susie for a most generous contribution to the Cancer Center. You’ll learn about her latest contribution in this issue.

Donors often ask if their gifts will truly make a difference in cancer research. The answer is yes. Donor contributions are invaluable. The gifts go to specific projects. As you’ll see in these pages, our donors make possible discoveries that otherwise wouldn’t be made.
 
Sincerely


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Ralph deVere White, M.D.
Director, UC Davis Cancer Center

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  "Donors often ask if their gifts will truly make a difference in cancer research. The answer is yes. Donor 
contributions are invaluable. The gifts go to specific projects. As you’ll see in these pages, our donors make possible discoveries that otherwise wouldn’t be made" — Ralph deVere White, M.D.  
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UC DAVIS CANCER CENTER
4501 X Street
Sacramento, CA 95817

cancer.center@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu

© 2004 UC Regents. All rights reserved.

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