National Oncology R&D Consorcium to decrease cancer death in Hungary NKFP1/48/2001, PI: J

National Oncology R&D Consorcium to decrease cancer death in Hungary NKFP1/48/2001, PI: J. Tímár MD PhD, National Institute of Oncology

Department of Tumor Progression, National Institute of Oncology, Ráth Gy. u. 7-9. Budapest, H-1122, Hungary, Phone: 36 1 224 8786, fax: 36 1 224 8706, E-mail: jtimar@oncol.hu

35000 citizen dye each year of cancer in Hungary and according to WHO Hungary is the first in man while second in woman cancer-death worldwide. The trend is exponential, in the past 20 years cancer death increased by 100% in Hungary. The most frequent cancer type in Hungary is lung cancer in man and breast cancer in woman followed by colorectal cancer in both sexes, than by head-and neck cancer in man and woman genital cancers and prostate cancer. Pediatric malignancies has a special significance and imporvement in this field could have important social effects. To stop or even suppress these trends cancer has to have priority in our health policy. Considering the economical possibilities in Hungary we have suggested the concentration of R&D efforts to the most significant cancer types which may result in a significant (measurable) change in cancer trends at the end of the 4 year program in 2005. The budget of the program is 3 M euro which includes the contribution of the private sector (0.5 M euro).

The National Oncology Consorcium

The National Institute of Oncology (NIO) organized into a Consorcium the most significant and active Institutions in Hungary traditionally engaged in basic and translational cancer research. Due to the fact that several significant tumor types are treated in other Institutions, the consorcium is completed by the National Institute of Neurosurgery (brain cancers), the National Institute of Pulmonology (lung cancer), the National Health Office (epidemiology). Pediatric oncology is traditionally strong in Hungary due to the activity of the Pediatric Oncology Nework represented by the Pediatric Department of the Debrecen University. Another internationally recognised member of the Consorcium is the 1st Department of Pathology and Experimental Cancer Research at the Semmelweis University. We tried to outline a program which heavily relay on the new biotechnological methods therefore the Biotechnology Institute of the Bay Foundation, at Szeged and the Biotechnology Department of the Pécs University both became members of the Consorcium. Although we considered strong translational research program, the development aspects of the R&D cannot be represented by the previous Institutions. We have invited several leading pharmaceutical companies (AstraZeneca, Aventis, Janssen-Cilag-Johnsson and Johnsson, Bristol-Myers-Squibb, Pharmacia) to help in the program. Since diagnostic research was planned to be a strong aspect of our activity we were happy to collaborate with the Byk-Gulden Diagnostica.

Specific aims of the program are as follows

P1. Molecular epidemiology studies (PI: E. Olah PhD, NIO, e.olah@oncol.hu)

A./Inherited and acquirred genetic aberrations in familiar breast and ovarian cancer syndromes and associated tumors

B./ Geographical distribution of cancers in Hungary

P2. Development of non-invasive screening and prognostic markers to decrease death due to colorectal cancers (PI. Sz.Otto, NIO, sz.otto@oncol.hu)

P3. Development of molecular pathology of various cancer types (Z. Szentirmay MD PhD, NIO, szentirmay@oncol.hu)

A./ Lung cancer (National Institute of Pulmonology, PI Z. Ajkay MD PhD, ajkay@koranyi.hu)

B./ Etiological role of HPV in planocellular cancers

C./ Lymphomas

D./ Soft tissue tumors

P4. Molecular biological properties of breast cancer and their use in diagnostics and therapy( PI O. Csuka PhD, NIO, csuka@oncol.hu)

A./ Carcinogenesis of sporadic breast cancer

B./ Predictive molecular markers of breast cancer

C./ Innovative types of prevention and therapy of breast cancer

P5. Genetical risk-factors and molecular diagnostics and prognosis of head and neck cancer (PI: M. Kásler MD PhD, m.kasler@oncol.hu)

A./ Role of life-style and genetic predisposition in the carcinogenesis

B./ New prognostic and therapeutic markers

P6. Pediatric Oncology R&D (PI É. Olah MD PhD, Hungarian Pediatric Oncology Network, szecsine@gyermek.dote.hu)

A./ Application of molecular genetics of acute lymphoblastic leukemia to improve diagnostics and to test new therapies

B./ Screeening for neuroblastoma

C./ Potential role of HPV in pediatric oncology

P7. Formation of the gene expression map of tumor progression and its potential use for prognosis and therapy (PI: J. Tímár MD PhD, NIO, jtimar@oncol.hu)

A./ Adhesion molecules and signaling pathways in metastasis

B./ Potential use of ectopic gene expressions for differential diagnosis of cancers

C./ Formation of the gene expression map of tumor progression and its potential use for prognosis

D./ Development of protein-chip technology to characterize the progression phenotype of tumors

E./ Preclinical innovative antimetastatic therapies

F./ Clinical studies to develop new antimetastatic protocols

P8. Molecular and pharmacological conditions of the anticancer drug-effects (PI: J. Kralovánszky PhD, NIO,kralo@oncol.hu)

A./ Potential role for the extracellular matrix

B./ Role of the genetic polymorphism and changes in gene expression

C./ Role of the individual gene expression profile

P9. Introduction of the gene therapy of brain tumors (PI: I Nyáry MD PhD, National Institute of Neurosurgery, nyary@mailer.oiti.hu)

A./ Production of humanized GM-CSF vector system

B./ Transfection of human glioblastoma cell lines with GM-CSF

C./ Vaccination of brain-cancer patients with GM-CSF-transduced tumor cells

E./ Development of glioblastoma cell lines characterized by different HLA profiles