Cancer Research Changed My Life: Carol’s story

Carol Richardson explains how cancer research has shaped her personally and professionally.

I was always interested in working in an area that had real-world applications and would improve human health.

My first full-time job was in research studying how a substance called surfactant could help treat premature babies with respiratory issues.

From there, my research work has been on the molecular basis of memory, diabetes, and medical imaging. I am currently working with a team of researchers that is focused on developing new imaging techniques to detect and treat cancer. Every day in my work, I see real-world applications that will improve the lives of those with cancer.

As with most people, I have a number of links to cancer. My mother had breast cancer with multiple recurrences. Because of cancer research, tests were developed that allowed my mother to be tested and a genetic mutation that caused her breast cancer was identified. This explained why she, her sister and a number of her nieces had breast cancer.

Knowing my family history of breast cancer, I started getting mammograms when I was 35. It was through cancer research that new digital mammography and MRI techniques were developed so that over the years, my cancer screening was with lower dose radiation and more sensitive technology, making them safer and more accurate.

My husband has been monitoring his PSA for years. Last year, his PSA levels reached the point where it was time to start taking further steps to see if he has prostate cancer. Through cancer research, new MRI techniques are available to detect changes in his prostate, and new ultrasound technologies are available to guide needles to biopsy suspicious areas of his prostate. Research has also led to new protocols to monitor men for progression of prostate cancer. He is currently in the monitoring phase, and we are pleased to see that research is leading to new technologies that will improve detection and, if necessary, treatment of his prostate cancer.

Through my professional life, my own health, and the health of my family, cancer research really has changed my life.

Carol Richardson is a research manager with the OICR Imaging Program and the corporate secretary for the Centre for Imaging Technology Commercialization. When she isn’t working with the imaging research team, she is figuring out how many days of skiing she can get in this winter.

Cancer Research Changed My Life: Vinesha’s story

When I was 15, I was diagnosed with high-grade aggressive osteosarcoma.

Being in grade 11 and having come to Canada as a refugee, we were just blown away by this diagnosis, and so shocked.

Thanks to the many people that were caring for me, I was able to get treatment and surgeries. I was able to make it through, get into rehabilitation programs and go on to university. I was really thriving.

Then when my second year at university started and I was 19 years old, we got an even more shocking diagnosis that the cancer had spread to my lungs. The outlook they gave us was that I would only have a few months to live, at best.

Thankfully, I was able to meet with an incredible oncologist who had such a fighting spirit. He did a lot of research and made sure that I would get into one of his clinical trials for rare cancers.

The trial was, at best, supposed to keep me comfortable or extend my life by a few months, but it ended up working beyond hope.

As my tumor shrank, more people started getting involved in my care and were able to do surgery and continue my treatments until I was able to be discharged.

That was over 15 years ago, and I’m thankful to that oncologist.

Cancer research has changed my life and has allowed me a life of promise and hope.

Ask a Cancer Researcher: What is immunotherapy?

OICR’s President and Scientific Director Dr. Laszlo Radvanyi answers a question from the public.

In our latest Ask a Cancer Researcher video, we cover one of the most talked about types of cancer treatment.

OICR President and Scientific Director Dr. Laszlo Radvanyi explains what immunotherapies are and why they’re so promising, in response to a question from Beth Ciavaglia. Check out his answer in the video below and submit your own question about cancer research to be featured in an upcoming video.

The Next Generation: Xindi Zhang

PhD candidate helping identify tumour origin to influence patient care.

With a passion for biology and a personal interest in cancer, Xindi Zhang is hoping to improve patient outcomes by providing faster, more accurate information about the origins of tumours.

Zhang is a PhD candidate in Lincoln Stein’s lab at OICR where she is developing ‘DeepTumour’, a computational tool for tumour origin identification. Knowing the origin of tumours can help inform how to treat them, but Zhang says the current processes for determining tumour origin can be time-consuming and prone to error. She hopes that DeepTumour can help improve this process.

She is particularly interested in applying DeepTumour to blood samples, which can be much easier on a patient than traditional biopsies.

“More excitingly, it allows us to potentially identify cancer types at very early stages before the tumour becomes clinically evident,” she says.

Watch Zhang’s The Next Generation video to learn more about her work and her experiences as a PhD student at OICR.

Join the OICR Board

OICR is looking to recruit a dynamic leader to sit on OICR’s voluntary Board and ultimately co-chair the Audit Finance and Risk Committee. This role will oversee the audit and finance functions of the Committee, with a second co-Chair (already in place) overseeing enterprise risk management (ERM). It is anticipated that the candidate would join the Board July – September 2023.

View this opportunity

OICR Impact Report

We are pleased to share the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR) Impact Report 2021-2022.

Read the Impact Report

Massive leaps in understanding cancer’s molecular structures are enabling the development of the next generation of therapies and technologies. Backed by strong partnerships and growing research infrastructures, OICR is advancing game-changing discoveries that will help diagnose cancer earlier and treat it more precisely.

The Impact Report also highlights how OICR is integrating patient partnership and the principles of equity, diversity and inclusion to ensure that everyone can contribute to and benefit from our research.

We hope you enjoy reading about how OICR is powering new era of cancer research innovation. We welcome your feedback at info@oicr.on.ca.

Join the OICR Board

OICR is looking to recruit a dynamic leader to sit on OICR’s voluntary Board and ultimately chair the Audit Finance and Risk Committee.

The priorities of the Board are to provide oversight of the implementation of the Institute’s strategic plan; to ensure succession planning for the renewal of the Board, the Scientific Advisory Board, and OICR’s executive team; to oversee financial performance and risk management; and to assess the performance of the organization.

While OICR is seeking to recruit one individual, this role may be split into two co-Chair roles, one overseeing audit and finance functions, and the other overseeing enterprise risk management (ERM). It is anticipated that the candidate(s) would join the Board in September 2022.

OICR is firmly committed to fostering a climate of equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility in all its endeavors, believing this is central to — and mutually supportive of — their research excellence mandate.

View the opportunity

Mapping the Canadian clinical trials landscape in precision oncology to identify trial opportunities for patients, clinicians and researchers

Toronto – (December 15, 2021) With funding provided through the Precision Oncology Patient Innovation Award from Bayer, the Canadian Cancer Clinical Trials Network (3CTN) will create the Precision Oncology Map, a uniquely comprehensive, visual representation of all cancer clinical trials active in Canada that have a focus on precision medicine. The goal is to go beyond existing trial registry data to make it easier for cancer patients, their caregivers and the research community to locate suitable clinical trials, particularly precision medicine trials involving specific biomarkers and targeted therapies.

“Our vision is to have a quick and easy way to identify relevant precision medicine clinical trials,” says Dr. Janet Dancey, Scientific Director, 3CTN. “This project will help the cancer community, as clinical trials are essential for advancing health and scientific knowledge and providing early access to innovative therapies that may be the only treatment option available.”

Patients and clinicians will be able to intuitively search the approximately 1000 actively recruiting clinical trials within the Precision Oncology Map based on cancer type, tumour status, treatment, and biomarkers. Additional filters will enable selectivity based on site locations and other categories of special interest. In addition, trial sponsors and investigators can benefit from access to a customizable display of the current trial landscape to better identify clinical research gaps and inform future priorities.

“Precision medicine allows people affected by cancer to receive personalized treatment. With this Map, cancer patients will be able to find a precision medicine trial faster. A clinical trial can be the difference between life and death. Being able to quickly find the right trial matters,” says Jill Hamer-Wilson, 3CTN Patient Representative and Lung Cancer Survivor Advocate.

In the coming year, 3CTN will work with the research community and patient partners, as well as leverage its existing expertise in creating cancer site-specific maps to ensure the successful delivery of this project by September 2022.

About the Canadian Cancer Clinical Trials Network

Established at the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR) in 2014, the Canadian Cancer Clinical Trials Network(3CTN) is a not-for-profit, pan-Canadian initiative aimed at supporting and improving the efficient delivery of academic cancer clinical trials through funding, resources and advocacy to improve the clinical trial environment and increase patient access to cancer clinical trials. Clinical trials are a vital component of Canada’s cancer care system and are essential to advancing cancer research to bring new solutions to patients. Funding for 3CTN operations is provided by OICR and the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer. Core funding for 3CTN member cancer centres is provided by provincial cancer agencies.

Ontario Institute for Cancer Research announces funding for sixteen studies that support early detection of cancer, the development of new diagnostics to guide therapy and improved treatment options for patients

Funding provides $16 million in support for Ontario cancer research

December 2, 2021—Toronto—Today the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR) announced funding for 16 studies as part of the Institute’s new Clinical Translation Pathway (CTP). These awards support pre-clinical research and new clinical trials that have a focus on early stage and recurrent cancers.

“Cancer is the leading cause of death in Ontario. Currently, nearly two in five people in the province will receive a diagnosis of cancer in their lifetime. One in four of those people are expected to die from the disease,” says Dr. Steven Gallinger, Head of Clinical Translation at OICR. “The Clinical Translation Pathway is a major new source of funding for Ontario’s cancer researchers that will support practice-changing research in biomarkers, diagnostics and therapeutics that will advance early detection and intervention research with a clear path to clinical impact.”

One of the newly funded studies is from Drs. Glenn Bauman (Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Ontario) and Andrew Loblaw (Sunnybrook Health Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario). They are co-leading a clinical study to validate “next generation” imaging techniques to find and track prostate cancer from diagnosis through treatment. By tracking imaging changes before and after treatments they will monitor whether patients are responding to radiation therapy.

“Optimizing the integration of advanced prostate imaging into the non-invasive treatment and monitoring of men with prostate cancer is a clear need,” says Dr. Bauman. “This funding supports a clinical study that provides access to state-of-the-art imaging for men with locally advanced prostate cancer and allows us to better understand how this image can help us design high dose precision radiotherapy treatments and evaluate the success of this treatment.”

Integral to the CTP program is the engagement of patients in the research process. OICR’s Patient and Family Advisory Committee reviewed and provided feedback to the applicants’ patient engagement plans, ensuring that the studies being supported had the potential for real-world impact.

“We are excited by the compelling and innovative cancer research proposals being funded by OICR,” says Antonia Palmer, Chair of OICR’s Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC). “The OICR PFAC felt inspired by all of the research proposals. It is rewarding to be able to bring the patient and caregiver perspective to the scientific review process and we are hopeful that these projects will be impactful for patients with cancer.”

By investing in research projects on a pathway towards clinical adoption, OICR supports studies that evolve from testing pre-clinical ideas to new potential therapies and new precision medicine tools for patients. Several of the studies announced today are moving forward after showing initial promise as part of the OICR Adaptive Oncology program, while others are studies advancing from the earlier funded Translational Research Initiatives.

“One of OICR’s goals is to fund work along the continuum of a cancer patient’s journey starting from initial diagnosis or early relapse after initial therapy. The new CTP is supporting the development of precision oncology tools to select the best therapies in order to more effectively intervene in the disease process earlier and prevent further disease progression towards a more uncontrollable situation,” says Dr. Laszlo Radvanyi, OICR’s President and Scientific Director. “The CTP is critical to accelerate the progression of research findings that show real potential to move into clinical trials and eventually into the health care system. The CTP also synergizes with OICR’s window-of-opportunity clinical trial network to develop the best precision medicine tools for our patients.”

“Ontario is proud to support OICR in creating a clear path from the clinic to real-world application for research that advances the early detection and intervention of cancer,” said Jill Dunlop, Minister of Colleges and Universities. “Thanks to OICR’s work, the impressive oncology discoveries and innovations from these 16 projects could lead to improved patient outcomes in the future — ensuring Ontarians with cancer have hope for a better future.”

The CTP is part of OICR’s Clinical Translation research theme, which supports the advancement of discoveries through early clinical validation, partnering with patients, industry and the health system for downstream development and implementation.

The other new funded researchers include:

Dr. Jane Bayani – Ontario Institute for Cancer Research
Dr. Tobias Berg – McMaster University
Dr. Scott Bratman – University Health Network
Dr. David Cescon – University Health Network
Dr. Eric Chen – University Health Network
Dr. John Dick – University Health Network
Dr. Marc de Perrot – University Health Network
Dr. Richard Kim – Lawson Health Research Institute
Dr. Natasha Leighl – University Health Network
Dr. Stephanie Lheureux – University Health Network
Dr. Mitchell Sabloff – The Ottawa Hospital
Dr. Ana Spreafico – University Health Network
Dr. Martin Yaffe – Sunnybrook Research Institute
Dr. Gang Zheng – University Health Network

A summary of each project is available now on the OICR website.

For more information or to book an interview, contact:

Christopher Needles
Director of Communications
416-319-5252
christopher.needles@oicr.on.ca

New funding from the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research supports projects developing methods for cancer detection and tools to facilitate better treatment decisions for high-risk cancer patients

December 1, 2021—Toronto— Today the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR) announced renewed funding for its Adaptive Oncology (AO) research theme, which includes funding for three new research projects with the potential to have rapid clinical impact.

The Adaptive Oncology theme was developed to anticipate and counter tumour evolution and heterogeneity in space and time by administering the most appropriate therapies at the right time. To achieve this, the initiative brings together OICR researchers with expertise in genomics, bioinformatics, machine learning, imaging, robotics and histopathology in the pursuit of practical approaches for deeply characterizing the diverse properties of tumours and developing clinical tools to detect and adapt treatment strategies accordingly.

“We are very optimistic about the potential of these newly-funded projects. This research uses cutting edge technologies that could have a real impact in how cancer is diagnosed and treated,” says Dr. Lincoln Stein, Head of Adaptive Oncology. “We are thrilled to see how this initiative is maturing and building momentum each year. Several teams funded during previous years have now advanced to the pre-clinical testing phase. The new funding will foster collaborations among our research teams, facilitate knowledge sharing, and accelerate the pace of this research.”

This work supports OICR’s new Strategic Plan 2021-2026, which has a focus on advancing research towards earlier cancer detection and intervention, leveraging Ontario’s global leadership in data sharing and analytics, expanding on Ontario’s robust pipeline of novel cancer therapies and navigating new therapies into clinical use as well as into new commercial opportunities in Ontario. This new group of funded Adaptive Oncology projects helps move towards realizing these goals.

The three newly funded Adaptive Oncology research projects will each receive approximately $2 million over the next four and a half years to complete their work. The funding is being awarded to:

Dr. Jane Bayani from OICR, for her project to determine if MRI-guided targeted biopsy, together with the PRONTO test (a molecular signature test) developed by OICR researchers, can better detect hidden, high-risk prostate cancer cases compared to the current method, which involves ultrasound and multiple biopsies and associated risks for patients.

Dr. Aaron Fenster from the Centre for Imaging Technology Commercialization (CIMTEC) and Drs. Saman Sadeghi and John Valliant from McMaster University, for a project developing an optimized synergistic prostate imaging tracer and biopsy guidance system that integrates with and improves the existing prostate imaging-biopsy system. If successful, this project would provide a more sensitive and specific method to detect prostate cancer and a more accurate method for sampling the tumour for histological analysis, thus allowing for improved decisions on which therapy a patient should receive.

Dr. Philippe Bedard and Dr. Benjamin Haibe-Kains from the Princess Margaret Cancer Center, for their OCTANE 2.0 project. This work continues the initial OCTANE study, where more than 4,000 patients with advanced cancers received genomic testing or analysis of the DNA mutations in their cancers. This second phase will integrate this molecular data with imaging data to aid development of computational tools and models that more accurately predict whether drug treatments are likely to be effective and identify patients at increased risk for relapse.

Additional new funding will support the ongoing work of OICR’s Diagnostic Development, Genomics, Genome Informatics and Imaging Programs, as well as funding for the Global Alliance for Genomics and Health, ICGC ARGO, the Ontario Molecular Pathology Research Network and the new Ontario Hereditary Cancer Research Network (OHCRN).

“Cancer is the leading cause of death in Ontario. Currently, nearly two in five people in the province will receive a diagnosis of cancer in their lifetime. One in four of those people are expected to die from the disease,” says Dr. Laszlo Radvanyi, President and Scientific Director of OICR. “OICR is committed to funding initiatives like Adaptive Oncology, which use the latest technologies to address a common objective of developing advanced multi-omic approaches for the earlier detection of cancer and understanding how the cancer molecularly evolves in space and time so that it can be treated earlier and more effectively. This latest round of funding allows us to bring new projects and programs into the pipeline as our previously funded projects mature into translational programs—and one step closer to clinical implementation.”

“The OICR Patient and Family Advisory Committee (PFAC) was pleased to play a role in the scientific review process of the Adaptive Oncology initiative,” says Antonia Palmer, Chair of OICR’s PFAC. “We are deeply impressed by the Adaptive Oncology program and research initiatives and feel that this work will help to answer many important questions to make a difference for patients with cancer.”

“Patients and their families want to know that Ontario’s health care system is equipped to anticipate and address their evolving health care needs,” said Jill Dunlop, Minister of Colleges and Universities. “Ontario is proud to support the work of OICR, which has an impressive track record of helping to move oncology discoveries and innovations to real world application. Their success is reflected in this trailblazing work that is taking place through these three new adaptive oncology research projects.”

For more information or to book an interview, contact:

Christopher Needles
Director of Communications
416-319-5252
christopher.needles@oicr.on.ca

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