Health and Fitness

State of IL Health Department Awards $600,000 in Carolyn Adams Ticket for the Cure Grants


Research aimed at advancing detection, prevention, screening and treatment techniques for breast cancer

SPRINGFIELD–(ENEWSPF)–March 9, 2012.  The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), Office of Women’s Health awarded three Carolyn Adams Ticket for the Cure research grants this year to help find new methods to detect, prevent, screen and treat breast cancer. Loyola University of Chicago, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine and the University of Chicago each received $200,000 to support breast cancer research in the areas of prevention, etiology, pathogenesis, screening, early detection, treatment and psychosocial issues. 

Launched in January 2006, the Carolyn Adams Ticket for the Cure was the nation’s first lottery ticket dedicated to helping fund breast cancer research, early detection, education and patient services throughout the state.

“Early detection is the key to surviving breast cancer. If found early, the five year survival rate for breast cancer is 98 percent, but when detected in later stages, that survival rate drops to 26 percent,” said Dr. Arthur F. Kohrman, Illinois Department of Public Health acting director. “Funding from the Carolyn Adams Ticket for the Cure lottery game will help researchers develop methods to find cancer sooner and increase the chance of survival through new treatment when cancer is detected in later stages.”

IDPH and the Carolyn Adams Ticket for the Cure Advisory Board sought breast cancer research proposals with a strong emphasis on transitioning what is discovered during research, directly to helping patients.

“We are deeply appreciative of the trust placed in us by the Illinois Department of Public Health as we move forward to developing a better treatment for breast cancer,” said Dr. Deliang Cao, associate professor of medical microbiology, immunology and cell biology at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine and a member of the Simmons Cancer Institute.

The grantees are as follows: 

  • Loyola University of Chicago – Clodia Osipo, PhD. Research on the role of PEA3 and notch and therapeutic targets in triple negative breast cancer.
  • Southern Illinois University School of Medicine – Deliang Cao, PhD. Research on new synthetic P53-HDM2 complex inhibitors for breast cancer treatment.
  • University of Chicago – Gregory Karczmar, PhD. Use of quantitative breast MRI to identify patients with high risk lesions on core biopsy who could avoid surgery.

After skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer among Illinois women. It is estimated 9,400 women in Illinois will develop breast cancer this year, and the disease will claim the lives of 1,890 women in 2012.

Net revenue from the sale of the Carolyn Adams Ticket for the Cure is used to provide grants to not-for-profit organizations to help fund breast cancer research, community education projects and supportive services for women with breast cancer. To date, more than $5.1 million in Carolyn Adams Ticket for the Cure grants have been awarded to 148 community organizations throughout Illinois, and more than $2.5 million in grants have been granted to 12 institutions for research.

For more information regarding breast cancer, visit www.idph.state.il.us/about/womenshealth/factsheets/breastcare.htm, and for more information on breast cancer screenings, log onto www.cancerscreening.illinois.gov.

Source: idph.state.il.us


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