International Research

Our lifesaving research knows no borders

Like many American women, Jill, a mother of two, knows the importance of regular screening for breast cancer. During her annual mammogram, her doctor discovered a lump in her left breast. If her tumor is found to be cancerous and she requires treatment, she'll have an 85 percent likelihood of surviving her disease — even greater if the cancer is detected early, as the majority of breast cancer cases are in the United States.

In another part of the world, Alena has a very different situation. She has never had a mammogram. If she discovers a breast lump herself, her cultural perceptions of cancer and limited access to medical care may keep her from seeing a doctor until the cancer is advanced and hard to treat. It's likely the treatment she would receive won't be the most effective for her condition.

The stark contrast between Jill's and Alena's experiences with cancer illustrates one of multiple reasons why the likelihood of surviving cancer or other serious diseases differs vastly in different parts of the world. But inequities in access to affordable, effective therapies or regular disease screening aren't the only factors that affect differences in survival and quality of life — even the risk of developing certain cancers or infectious diseases varies widely across the globe.

Solving the world's urgent public-health problems

Our commitment to improving the quality of life for those with cancer, HIV/AIDS and other life-threatening diseases knows no borders. That's why our researchers work internationally to speed the development and delivery of preventive measures for the world's most urgent public-health problems — many of which take the hardest toll in countries with limited resources:

• More than half of the nearly 40 million people worldwide infected with HIV live in sub-Saharan Africa.
• In developing countries with few resources for cancer detection, four out of five cancer patients are diagnosed when their disease is at a late, incurable stage.
• Up to 25 percent of cancer cases in the developing world are caused by potentially preventable infections from viruses and bacteria, compared to 8 percent in developed countries.

Partnerships for prevention

Many of the world's most devastating diseases — HIV/AIDS as well as stomach, liver, cervical, and other cancers — could be prevented if vaccines or simple, affordable screening tests were available. Without them, millions of people continue to die each year. Through our international research, we are forging new international partnerships through which advances in medicine can be made where they are needed most. Major research areas include:

• Discovering the best ways to detect cancer early, when it's curable
  For a number of common cancers in the United States, when the disease is caught early, nine out of 10 cancer patients can be saved. Tragically, many patients in limited-resource countries, where these cancers are on the rise, suffer from poor survival rates and endure difficult treatments because of late diagnoses. We're leading an international collaboration with 10 countries in Asia dedicated to the discovery of affordable, lifesaving methods for early cancer detection —such as simple blood tests that spot the earliest traces of disease. We are also leading global alliances to develop guidelines to improve cancer outcomes in resource-limited nations.
  
  See the International Cancer Biomarker Consortium for more information.
  
  
• Developing vaccines against the world's most devastating diseases
  Our commitment to diseases that, like cancer, compromise the body's immune system has led us to establish one of the world's premier research programs in HIV/AIDS. Our scientists lead the HIV Vaccine Trials Network, the world's largest program to test candidate vaccines to prevent HIV infection. Building on this leadership, we're collaborating with the University of Washington on a comprehensive vaccine and immunization center that will develop vaccines to prevent AIDS and other diseases that affect vast segments of the world.
  
  See the HIV Vaccine Trials Network for more information.
  
  
• Developing prevention strategies agains global infectious diseases
  On May 1, 2007, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center announced the creation of a new Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute to develop and implement prevention strategies for globally important infectious diseases, including HIV, malaria and cancer.
  
  See the announcement of the new Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute.
  
  
• Learning what causes cancer around the world
  so we can stop it
  What causes cancer? The reasons are complex, but genes and behaviors such as smoking, diet, exercise, alcohol consumption and sexual practices all play roles. As home to the world's largest cancer-prevention program, we're leading the way in this field by partnering with an international team of researchers to learn how these factors contribute to cancer in populations around the world. A new study— which will involve more than 1 million participants—will yield new insight into why certain individuals and populations have higher risks of some cancers. This work will generate new ways to prevent cancer and reduce cancer risk for all.

How you can help

Our lifesaving international research depends on generous private contributions. Learn more online about supporting our international research, or call (206) 667-4399 or (800) 279-1618.