New study finds smokers accumulate 150 extra genetic changes in every lung cell for each year of smoking one packet of cigarettes per day What A paper published today in Science shows that smoking tobacco causes added mutations in the DNA of lung cells and in the DNA of other cells in the body. This is the first study to show the process by which smoking causes these cancers. Why Mutations are changes in [...]
Turquoise Trail Ladies of Harley organize second annual “Pink Your Ride — Motorcyclists Increasing Awareness (MIA)” ride What The Turquoise Trail Harley Owner’s Group will end its second annual “Pink Your Ride — Motorcyclists Increasing Awareness (MIA)” ride at The University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center. Why The Turquoise Trail HOG Chapter decided last year to join a Pennsylvania HOG Chapter in increasing awareness of breast [...]
Incidence rates of cervical pre-cancers in young women decrease statewide after HPV vaccine offered Every 20 minutes, someone in the United States receives a cancer diagnosis related to human papillomavirus. HPV causes cancer of the cervix, anus and throat. The HPV vaccine can prevent infections causing most of these kinds of cancer if people receive it before being exposed to the virus. But fewer [...]
The Helping to Enhance Research in Oncology program’s ninth annual event raises awareness of and offers free education seminars about clinical trials What The ninth annual Helping to Enhance Research in Oncology event will honor those who take part in cancer clinical trials. The event will also raise awareness for the importance of cancer clinical trials and will offer education sessions about clinical trials that are free and open to the public. [...]
Clinical trial shows new drug holds promise for treating advanced mastocytosis Most people have never heard of mastocytosis. It’s a rare, sometimes deadly, immune disorder. Now new research may help those with advanced mastocytosis and possibly many more people, too. “This is the first drug that’s shown to be effective in this very rare disease,” says Tracy George, MD, at the [...]
$1.7 Million federal grant is supporting research at the UNM Cancer Center on new method to slow tumor growth and turn the immune system on tumors Ellen Beswick, PhD, studies a protein that could be key in attacking cancers of the colon and rectum, and possibly other cancers, too. Beswick studies granulocyte-colony stimulating factor, or G-CSF, and its receptor. It’s a signaling protein that helps bone marrow stem cells to mature into different types of blood [...]
Dinner, Dance and Silent Auction slated for October 7, 2016, in Las Cruces Cowboys for Cancer Research will continue its annual fundraising tradition with a celebratory dinner, dance and silent auction. All proceeds benefit cancer research in New Mexico. The event will feature music by Will Banister & the Modern Day Ramblers. Proceeds from the event fund innovative cancer research at The University [...]
Scientists discover how leukemia cells escape programmed cell death and how anti-malarial and anti-fungal drugs can force them into self-destructing Cancer cells don’t die when they’re supposed to. Animal and human bodies follow an orderly process of birthing new cells and killing old ones. But cancer cells escape programmed cell death, called apoptosis, and multiply uncontrollably. Now new research from The University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center sheds light [...]
UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center scientist led international team that shows HPV vaccine protects women 26 years and older What A research paper published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases reported that the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is safe and efficacious across a wide age range of women. The international study found that it protects against HPV infection in women older than 26 years. Vaccination programs worldwide currently target routine [...]
UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center Director Invited Cancer Moonshot Summit in Washington, DC, and local summit to be held Wednesday, June 29 What Vice President Biden and Dr. Jill Biden will host a Cancer Moonshot Summit in Washington, D.C. at the White House. Cheryl Willman, MD, Director and CEO of The University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, will attend. At the same time, the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center will host a [...]
New follow up study shows cancer genetic counseling delivered by telephone as good as in-person counseling Ever since Angelina Jolie used cancer genetic counseling and testing to learn about her risk for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer, many other women have chosen to do the same. But for women in rural communities, traveling to meet in person with cancer genetic counselors can be time-consuming and expensive. [...]
UNM wins $375,000 subcontract, adds new UNM Center of Excellence as one of seven Dedicated Centers to its Elite Drug Development Program The University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center has joined a national network of scientists on the leading edge of drug discovery and development in the fight against cancer, centered at the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research. The Frederick National Lab, sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, is managing [...]
Gift from Wood Estate and Trust will support a comprehensive approach to cancer research and patient care delivery The Estate of Dana C. Wood and the Dana C. Wood Revocable Trust have provided a $750,000 gift to The University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center. The gift has been matched by the New Mexico Higher Education Department through its Higher Education Endowment Fund program. The UNM Comprehensive Cancer [...]
UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center using $250,000 state appropriation to offer 3D mammography to women who qualify in New Mexico What A $250,000 state appropriation is helping eligible New Mexico women to get three-dimensional mammography through The University of New Mexico Hospital and the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center Why Also called “tomosynthesis,” 3D mammography uses many x-ray images to create a 3D picture of the breast. When combined with two [...]
Largest fundraising event for pancreatic cancer in New Mexico, “Polly’s Run” to take place June 4 and benefit UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center What The seventh annual “Polly’s Run” event raises awareness for pancreatic cancer and money for research. The event is sponsored by Albuquerque Pet Memorial Services. The majority of the proceeds will benefit The University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center. Why Polly Rogers was a healthy, non-smoking wife and mother [...]
Nancy Floyd Haworth Foundation passes torch for breast cancer support and awareness to four New Mexico organizations The Nancy Floyd Haworth Foundation announced that it has donated to four New Mexico organizations to support women battling breast cancer. The foundation was started in 1990 to help women in New Mexico diagnosed with breast cancer and to help their families. After 25 years of bringing sweeping social change [...]
Second annual Splash Away Cancer! event to take place May 21, benefits UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center What The second annual “Splash Away Cancer!” event raises money for cancer research and treatment at The University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center. The event is sponsored by the Lobo Aquatic Club, UNM Recreational Services and New Mexico Masters Swimming. Why The event celebrates swimmers and all those whose [...]
Acting Director of the National Cancer Institute Douglas R. Lowy, MD, visits April 8 to discuss cancer research and treatment efforts in the Southwest What National Cancer Institute Acting Director Douglas R. Lowy, MD, will visit the University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center April 8, 2016. Cheryl Willman, MD, the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Director and CEO, will join him in meetings with several other top officials in the state, at the university, [...]
Second annual Kevin Rudi Superhero 5K Fun Run slated April 23 in Las Cruces What The second annual Kevin Rudi Superhero 5K Fun Run will start and end by the Memorial Stadium Field House in Las Cruces. Money raised for sarcoma research will benefit The University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center. Why Kevin Rudi passed away November 12, 2014, from spindle cell sarcoma. [...]
What The “Ride for the Cure NM” event will begin with a motorcycle ride from Tijeras and end in Edgewood. Why The annual motorcycle ride will raise money for the University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center. The money helps New Mexicans fighting cancer and supports cancer research at the [...]
Lobo Women’s basketball game raises awareness for breast cancer Year after year, breast cancer affects New Mexico’s women. And year after year, the University of New Mexico Lobos support those women and raise awareness of breast cancer by playing a game in their honor. This year, the game in their honor will be played on February 20, 2016 against [...]
UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center Opens First of Many Lung Cancer Clinical Trials using advanced immunotherapy drug combinations The 1,000 people in New Mexico fighting lung cancer may soon be able to breathe easier. The first of more than 10 new lung cancer clinical trials has just opened under the direction of Yanis Boumber, MD, PhD. Boumber is a lung cancer expert and physician-scientist at the University of [...]
Annual Art of Systems Biology and Nanoscience show slated for March 18, 19 at Peters Projects Gallery, Santa Fe, features works from artists and scientists DaVinci knew it. Michaelangelo knew it. And the artists and scientists featured in the annual Art of Systems Biology and Nanoscience show know it, too: art and science are closely related. This year’s show, ‘Spectrum,’ will feature stunning artwork by artists inspired by nature and dazzling images by scientists studying [...]
Clinical Trial update presented by UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center Leaders at international Neuro-Oncology meeting; UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center opens new clinical trial testing immune therapies for glioblastoma Glioblastoma is a particularly aggressive type of brain cancer. Only about one fifth of adults diagnosed with it survive two years or more after their diagnosis. A new two-drug combination, currently in early clinical trials, might help people diagnosed with glioblastoma to fight the disease. In a presentation of early [...]
NCI-designated cancer center leaders unite to support HPV vaccination to prevent cervical and throat cancers during January, Cervical Cancer Month View the Consensus Statement Leaders of several cancer centers designated by the National Cancer Institute have united to support human papillomavirus vaccination. Among them is Cheryl Willman, MD, Director and CEO of the University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center. A team of human papillomavirus experts drafted a consensus statement [...]
Cheryl L. Willman, MD, invited to Washington DC to Brief President Obama’s and Vice President Biden’s Staffs on New National Cancer Initiative What Vice President Joe Biden’s office has invited a delegation of six cancer experts to a meeting with his scientific staff and President Obama’s scientific staff to discuss new national cancer initiatives in precision medicine, research and cancer clinical trials. Cheryl L. Willman, MD, director and CEO of the University [...]
UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center physician-scientist garners grant to study how the cells around a cancer tumor might help it Gregory Gan, MD, PhD, doesn’t just study cancer cells to find out why they regrow and spread; he also studies their surroundings. Called the tumor microenvironment, cells around a tumor create the scaffold in which the cancer cells live. Gan thinks the tumor microenvironments may help head and neck tumors [...]
State legislature “Hoops 4 Hope” game pits Senators against Representatives in a benefit game to support UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center State legislators aren’t known for their prowess on the basketball court, but that hasn’t stopped them from playing seriously in the annual “Hoops 4 Hope” game. Legislators of all skill levels play in the hotly-contested game that pits the House “Aggies” against the Senate “Lobos.” The legislators enjoy the game, [...]
