Leukemia research is the foundation for answers to other cancers

This issue of Quest features an article on how the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center will build from its expertise in leukemia research to have a greater impact on many other types of cancer.

The article explains why leukemia has been easier to study than other forms of cancer and how leukemia research has produced many "firsts" that apply to other cancers - the first genetic change, first adult stem-cell therapy, first immune therapy, first molecular diagnosis of different disease types, first sensitive genetic tests for early disease, and first specific molecular therapy. These advances, many of which occurred at the Hutchinson Center, will be equally important in fighting other forms of cancer.

The Hutchinson Center's plan to use its experience in leukemia to advance the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of other cancers goes back many years. It was the motivation for the formation of the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, our patient-care partnership with the University of Washington Academic Medical Center and Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center.

Making similar advances in other areas of cancer will require enormous commitments. Our Clinical Research Division has 65 faculty members, nearly all of whom have been devoted to blood cancers. We cannot afford to recruit 65 additional faculty members in the cancers of breast, prostate, colon etc. Fortunately, our strong partnership with the University of Washington and Children's will enable us to collaborate with many of their medical, surgical and radiation oncologists to apply research lessons learned in leukemia to solid tumors.

However, to achieve our goal, we will need to recruit additional clinical researchers specifically devoted to breast, prostate and other cancers. We will need more institution-initiated clinical trials in each of these cancers. We will need to enhance our pathology and tissues resources. We will need to build on our strong Public Health Division programs that emphasize identifying risk factors for these cancers and trying to prevent them. We will need to collaborate with other community and national experts.

These are big goals, but the need is great and the opportunity is at hand. It is my sincere hope you will continue to help us meet the challenges ahead.

Lee Hartwell
President & Director