The first invasive lobular carcinoma-focused research grant solicitation in the history of both organizations
April 8, 2021 – The Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance is pleased to announce the 2021 Conquer Cancer-Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance Young Investigator Award for Invasive Lobular Carcinoma Research. Conquer Cancer, the ASCO Foundation, and the Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance will award a one-year grant in the amount of $50,000 to the most successful applicant later this year.
Conquer Cancer’s Young Investigator Awards are offered each year to promising investigators to encourage and promote quality research in clinical oncology. The purpose of this award funded by Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance is to support a physician-scientist who is focusing on research on invasive lobular breast cancer (ILC) during the transition from a fellowship program to a faculty appointment.
“I am excited for this historic moment! This week Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance realized one of its longstanding goals to begin direct funding of ILC research,” said Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance Executive Director Laurie Hutcheson. “A core part of our mission is to advance research to identify the best methods for diagnosing and treating ILC because we know that ILC is harder to detect than the more common invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), and sometimes recurs in different parts of the body. Little is known about why and what this should mean for treatment. Treatment protocols are currently no different for ILC than for IDC! By providing the grantmaking, selection and award infrastructure, and enabling representatives from our scientific advisors and patient advocates to assist, Conquer Cancer has helped us accelerate our aims to advance ILC research. We are grateful for this collaboration.”
Nancy R. Daly, MS, MPH, chief executive officer of Conquer Cancer, echoed Laurie’s enthusiasm. “We recognize the critical importance of advancing invasive lobular carcinoma research and are proud to work alongside Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance in issuing this historic grant opportunity. We are confident that it will help generate interest among young investigators in pursuing ILC research.”
Dr. Otto Metzger, head of the Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance Scientific Advisory Board and a clinician-trialist with a special interest in ILC at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute noted the importance of the grant. He said, “It is gratifying to see a grant dedicated to ILC, the second most common histological subtype of breast cancer. The study of clinical presentation, patterns of response to therapy, or natural history, will form the basis for important scientific questions related to ILC. Through Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance’s vision and support we expect to impact the survival of patients diagnosed with ILC.”
Applications for the Young Investigator Award will be accepted until May 21, 2021 with the award granted in July. Those interested can learn more at 2021 Conquer Cancer – Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance Young Investigator Award for Invasive Lobular Carcinoma Research.
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About the Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance. Founded in 2017 by patient advocates with ILC, the Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance engages patients, clinicians, and researchers to increase knowledge of lobular breast disease and promote lobular breast cancer research. Working with the guidance of an international, expert scientific advisory board of breast cancer researchers and clinicians, patient advocate volunteers, and through growing collaborations with other breast cancer advocacy organizations, Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance provides a platform for ILC research, maintains a library of current lobular breast cancer studies, and identifies clinical trials and ILC patient research advocacy opportunities with a focus on lobular breast disease. Visit us at lobularbreastcancer.org.
About Conquer Cancer. Conquer Cancer, the ASCO Foundation, funds research for every cancer, every patient, everywhere. In 1964, seven oncologists created the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), now a global network of nearly 45,000 cancer professionals. As ASCO’s foundation, Conquer Cancer supports groundbreaking research and education so both doctors and patients have the resources they need. For more information, visit CONQUER.ORG.
