Inside the Tulane Cancer Center
Winter 2001/2 Newsletter
Headlines in this Issue
New Mammography Legislation for Louisiana
Beauty Shop Initiative Reaches Out to African-American Female Community
NFL Gridiron Glamour Celebrity Luncheon & Fashion Show
"Fashion Targets Breast Cancer" Highlights
Cancer Crusaders Celebrate 25th Anniversary
STAR Breast Cancer Prevention Study Seeks Volunteers
New Telephone Counseling Study Underway
TCC Researchers Explore Chemoresistance and NF-kB
Member Spotlight on Frank E. Jones, Ph.D.: Researching ErbB2 and Breast Cancer
A Message from the Director
Accolades: Faculty honors and awards
Index to all archived issues
Index to archived articles by topic
Editorial Staff & Contacts


Mammography Made Simpler
Physician's Referral No Longer Needed for Mammograms in Louisiana
NOTE: Just prior to this publication, a controversial critique of mammography appeared in the journal Lancet and was widely reported in the popular press. Tulane's breast cancer experts and most of the medical community at large await more data and the outcome of scholarly debate before advocating any change in our recommendations for mammography. At this time, it is our opinion that an annual mammogram and a clinical breast exam beginning at age 40 is the best way for women to avoid dying from breast cancer. For questions, call 1-800-588-5800 (press *).
The statistics are disturbing: But by far the most alarming statistic for Roy Weiner, M.D., Director of the Tulane Cancer Center, is that Louisiana has one of the lowest mammography testing rates in the nation. The reason? "Mammograms are not the types of tests women look forward to," said Dr. Weiner. "The test is uncomfortable and there's a certain amount of anxiety associated with waiting for the results." But, more importantly, until August 2001, Louisiana was one of only seven states in the nation requiring a referral from a primary care physician in order for a woman to have a mammogram.

Early last year, Dr. Weiner joined with Oliver Sartor, M.D., Director of LSU's Stanley S. Scott Cancer Center, State Representative Jacquelyn B. Clarkson, and State Senator Diana E. Bajoie to change this. Clarkson and Bajoie co-authored a bill providing direct access to this vital test, and in August 2001, the Louisiana State Legislature passed the mammography legislation, which provides, among other things, the opportunity for women to have mammograms without referrals from their primary care physicians.

House Bill 2000: "Before this legislation was passed," said Clarkson, "women would call my office and say one reason they don't get screening mammograms is because they have to pay for two doctor visits -- one to get the prescription and then the mammogram itself. Women, especially young working women, can't afford the time and money for two doctor visits, so they tend to put it off and take their children to the doctor instead."

Currently, a women living in the United States has a 12.5%, or a 1 in 8, lifetime risk of developing breast cancer. The seriousness of breast cancer is strongly influenced by the stage of the disease, or how far the cancer has spread when it is first diagnosed. Women over the age of 40 are urged to have a mammography screening once a year. It is hoped that this new law will allow the women of Louisiana to take full advantage of the benefits of early detection afforded by screening mammography and eventually change the grim statistics listed above.

Some opponents to the bill said it would increase health care costs in the state, but Dr. Weiner disagrees. "It takes much more money to treat late-stage disease than it does to treat early disease," said Dr. Weiner. "Plus, early disease is curable."

Tulane is the only facility in the region that offers women the results of their mammograms while they wait when they book a Breast Health Appointment. A Breast Health Appointment, which lasts about an hour, includes: "We invite women to call us directly to schedule their screening mammograms," said Dr. Weiner. For more information or to schedule a Breast Health Appointment, call the Tulane Center of Excellence in Women's Health's Breast Health Center at (504) 988-5100.
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Reaching Out to Our Community: Beauty Parlor Initiative
Bringing Breast Health Awareness to the African-American Community
"Every woman knows that visiting the beauty salon can be a very time-consuming process," joked Maggie Ramsey, R.N., M.S.N., A.O.C.N., Executive Director of the Tulane Cancer Center and director of the Tulane Office of Clinical Research. "We intend to train our salon owners and hairdressers and to provide them with the materials and the messages we want communicated so they can interject breast health education at some point during their clients' visits."

That's the premise of a unique new outreach program being organized by the Tulane Cancer Center Office of Clinical Research which will provide African-American women with educational materials and programs about breast health while they visit their favorite beauty salons. "Instead of having them come to us," said Ramsey, "this program takes our message to the people we're trying to reach in a place they would normally go as a matter of daily routine, and the message is being delivered by someone they normally talk to on a regular basis." According to Ramsey, the effectiveness of this effort depends greatly upon the salon representatives taking ownership of the program as a group and deciding this is something they want to do. So far, this seems a very realistic goal. At a recent orientation luncheon to introduce the program to beauty salon owners who expressed interest, there was a great deal of excitement and anticipation. "We were able to clarify some misconceptions they had about breast cancer, and they were willing and eager to share what they had learned with their clientele. In fact, some are actively trying to recruit other salon owners they know to participate as well," said Ramsey.

The owners will be provided with packets they can distribute to their customers. These packets will contain risk assessment forms, as well as education materials on breast cancer prevention and early detection. Some salons are even being equipped with televisions and VCRs so that clients can view informational videos while they wait.

Why the focus on the African-American female population? Statistics show that although the incidence of breast cancer among African-American women over the age of 50 is lower than the incidence for Caucasian women, there is a higher mortality rate among the African-American female population. In fact, black women with breast cancer are less likely than white women to survive five years: 72% vs. 87% (Breast Cancer Facts and Figures, 2001-2002, American Cancer Society). Just over half of this difference can be attributed to later stage at detection and tumors that are more aggressive and less responsive to treatment. The presence of additional illnesses and various sociodemographic factors also contribute to the observed differences in survival between blacks and whites.

"We're also trying to accrue more African-American women into our breast cancer prevention study, STAR," said Ramsey. One of the largest breast cancer prevention studies ever undertaken, STAR, or the study of tamoxifen and raloxifene, is actually the second study of its type organized by the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP). "Their first breast cancer prevention study which compared tamoxifen to a placebo didn't accrue a representative sample of African-American women," said Ramsey. "In fact, less than 2% of participants were black. We're trying to increase that percentage for the STAR study to at least 10%." It's hoped that the beauty salon program will help to do just that.

Supported by a one-time restricted grant from the New Orleans affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Foundation, this one-year program is modeled after a similar program that Ramsey started in Delaware. "In that program we educated the hairdressers so that they could identify skin abnormalities, particularly on the scalps of their clientele, as well as provide information about skin cancer," said Ramsey. "It was very successful and we were eventually able to branch out into education and awareness information on other cancers." The program's overall goal during the first year is to recruit at least a dozen beauty salons to participate and to gather data on the program's effectiveness. "Then when our initial funding runs out in March 2002, we can use the data we've collected to prepare a grant proposal for an additional three to five years of funding from another source," said Ramsey.
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NFL Gridiron Glamour 2002 a Star-Studded Success!
To everyone else in the country, the weekend of February 2-3 was Super Bowl weekend in New Orleans, but to Tulane Cancer Center members and friends, there was one event that outshone even the Super Bowl -- NFL Gridiron Glamour 2002. Held in the Grand Ballroom of the Sheraton New Orleans, this event attracted over 300 generous attendees, who paid from $750 to $1,000 a seat to enjoy a silent auction, luncheon, and celebrity fashion show featuring stunning couture from Saks Fifth Avenue, with 70% of proceeds benefiting the Tulane Cancer Center. Super Bowl MVP Marcus Allen and Access Hollywood entertainment anchor Nancy O'Dell served as hosts for the event. Thrilling the crowd as they strutted the catwalk were Daisy Fuentes, Marc Anthony, Serena Williams, Bonnie Bernstein, Aaron Brooks, Boris Kodjoe, Terry Kirby, Eric Moulds, Simeon Rice, and Tyrone Wheatley. Miss America 2002 Katie Herman showed off her beautiful crown, and making her runway debut following a tragic automobile accident nearly a year ago, Niki Taylor delighted the audience looking as stunning as ever.

"NFL Gridiron Glamour" is an annual celebrity fashion show and luncheon organized by the HollyRod Foundation, which was established by actress Holly Robinson Peete and NFL quarterback Rodney Peete to promote awareness and financial support for health and wellness issues, including Parkinson's disease and breast cancer research. One of two major fundraisers organized by HollyRod annually, NFL Gridiron Glamour always takes place in the Super Bowl host city on the Saturday prior to the big game, and a local beneficiary is always chosen to share in the proceeds from the event. Sharing beneficiary status with the Tulane Cancer Center this year was the New Orleans chapter of Dress for Success, an organization which helps women in need obtain the skills and resources necessary to re-enter the workforce.

New Orleans public school teacher and Tulane Cancer Center patient Ronella Stamps was honored during the program as a Woman of Courage, along with Geraldine "Brick House" Barber, the mother of twin NFL players Ronde and Tiki Barber. Mrs. Stamps is a breast cancer survivor and a vocal advocate of breast cancer education and screening programs for women in the Greater New Orleans area.

NFL Gridiron Glamour was a first-class event in every way," said Roy S. Weiner, M.D., Director of the Tulane Cancer Center. "On behalf of the 110 faculty members of the Tulane Cancer Center, our staff, and the thousands of patient beneficiaries of present and future research, I thank the HollyRod Foundation for selecting us. The style, the sincerity, and the commitment this organization displayed was beyond perfection." The night before Gridiron Glamour, on Friday, February 1, the HollyRod Foundation itself played the part of beneficiary, as Maxim magazine's high-profile, much anticipated Super Bowl party at Tipitina's Ruins raised awareness as well as funds for the organization.
Roy S. Weiner, M.D. (left) and Paul Whelton, M.D., Senior Vice President for Health Sciences (right), with Miss America 2002 Katie Herman, who was one of the celebrity models for the NFL Gridiron Glamour fashion show. NFL quarterback Rodney Peete and actress Holly Robinson-Peete, founders of the HollyRod Foundation and NFL Gridiron Glamour.

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Special Events Supporting our Mission
 Serious Shopping for a Serious Cause
Fashion Targets Breast Cancer Raises Money, Awareness
(Standing, from left): Roy S. Weiner, M.D. and Cathy Pierson, Fashion Targets Breast Cancer Committee co-chairperson; (seated, from left) Carolyn Elder, general manager of Saks Fifth Avenue New Orleans, and Ana Gershanik, Fashion Targets Breast Cancer committee chairperson.
Spotlights swept across the New Orleans sky on the evening of Thursday, October 18, guiding patrons to the hottest party in town. It was serious shopping for a serious cause, as the Tulane Cancer Center took center stage at Saks Fifth Avenue New Orleans for the kickoff of the second annual Fashion Targets Breast Cancer Charity Shopping Weekend, October 18-21. Hosted by SFA New Orleans in partnership with the local Mercedes dealership Benson Motor Company, Thursday evening's kickoff celebration attracted over 1,500 shoppers, nearly double the expected number.

Held at all 63 Saks Fifth Avenue locations nationwide simultaneously, this four-day charity shopping weekend is co-sponsored nationally by the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), a non-profit trade association organized to raise funds for charity and industry activities. Each Saks store nationwide chooses a local beneficiary to receive proceeds from the shopping event -- 2% of sales over the four-day period. Saks New Orleans chose Tulane Cancer Center to receive the proceeds from this year's event -- nearly $50,000 for breast cancer research, advocacy, education, and outreach programs.

One out of eight women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year, but with early detection and greater awareness, the odds of survival are greatly increased. "Breast cancer is one of the largest health concerns for our core constituents -- women between the ages of 35 and 60," said Steven Putt, manager of publicity and special events at SFA New Orleans. "Saks Fifth Avenue is proud to do our part to combat this disease by partnering with the CFDA in sponsoring this wonderful event."

In addition to the shopping, kickoff celebration attendees were treated to an incomparable bill of fare from 20 of New Orleans's finest restaurants. The five-star menu included salmon pinwheels from the Windsor Court, turtle soup from Commander's Palace, shrimp creole from Le Meridien, and banana's Foster from Brennan's, just to name a few of the tantalizing treats. Chef Andrea Apuzzo made a special appearance and demonstrated the preparation of three of his most famous pasta creations -- cheese ravioli, vegetarian pasta, and meat cannelloni. An impressive array of spirits was also provided on each level of the store, compliments of Glazer's Companies of Louisiana. Party-goers were also treated to all varieties of entertainment Thursday evening. There was truly something for everyone. Bubbling flutes of champagne and the spicy Brazilian tunes of Blake Amos and Saudade greeted shoppers as they entered the store on the first level; the Pfister Sisters performed their nostalgic cabaret numbers near the dessert tables on three, and the Charmaine Neville Band delighted shoppers making their selections near the main stage on the second level. There were also fun Fashion Targets Breast Cancer tattoos, a caricaturist providing complimentary drawings, a very popular tarot card reader, and a raffle of unique items generously donated to the event, many of them in memory of local breast cancer victims. The family of Jacqueline Vance was kind enough to donate an exquisite Tibetan rug to the raffle in her memory from Jacqueline Vance Rugs, and a breathtaking antique Napoleonic mirror was donated in memory of Cynthia F. Fowler by Mirror Mirror. Other donated raffle items included a glass sculpture of a female figure, appropriately named Hope, created especially for the event by sculptor Maurice Alvarado, and a unique, abstract metal sculpture donated by local artist Hernan Caro. Internationally famous jewelry designer Steven Lagos made a personal appearance at the kickoff celebration to unveil his latest creation, The Heart of New Orleans, a heart-shaped emblem beautifully adorned with architectural and cultural reminders of what makes New Orleans such a unique and memorable city. The Heart of New Orleans is found on several pieces in Lagos's fall collection, and he generously donated an 18k-gold Heart of New Orleans pendant and pearl necklace to the raffle.

In addition to the Saks Fifth Avenue New Orleans donation of 2% of their gross sales over the four-day shopping weekend, Tulane received sponsorship contributions from a variety of New Orleans businesses, organizations, and philanthropists. Combine these funds with proceeds from the sale of Fashion Targets Breast Cancer t-shirts and national sponsorships, and Tulane Cancer Center will receive close to $50,000 from this event for breast cancer research.

Tulane Cancer Center was privileged to have a volunteer committee over 150 strong who planned for many months to make this event such a success. Led by co-chairs Ana Gershanik and Cathy Pierson, this phenomenal group was instrumental in driving both attendance and sales throughout the four-day event. "Both Ana and Cathy should be bursting with pride at their achievement," said Roy S. Weiner, M.D., Director of the Tulane Cancer Center. "Their ability to mobilize their committee and to set the tone and style for the evening is a tribute to them both. Not only did their dedicated committee members help to raise needed funds for breast cancer research, but they were able to raise our public image in a spectacular manner, and I am thrilled with the result." Saks Fifth Avenue seems to be as well, as the New Orleans store has chosen to partner with Tulane Cancer Center again next October for the third annual Fashion Targets Breast Cancer charity shopping weekend. Look for details in an upcoming issue of Inside the Tulane Cancer Center.
Many thanks to this event's sponsors and restaurant participants.
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Tulane Cancer Center Seeking Postmenopausal Women to Participate in On-going
STAR Breast Cancer Prevention Trial
Breast cancer may be a preventable disease. Recent results of a study involving 1,300 women showed that Tamoxifen could reduce the risk of breast cancer by 50%. Based on these breakthrough results, an important new study is being conducted to test a promising new approach. Post-menopausal women who are at least 35 years old and who are at increased risk of developing breast cancer are being recruited by the Tulane Cancer Center and over 400 other centers across the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico, for the Study of Tamoxifen and Raloxifene (STAR), one of the largest breast cancer prevention studies ever undertaken. The goal is to recruit five hundred women locally to participate in this nationwide study of 22,000 women, which will determine whether the osteoporosis prevention drug Raloxifene (Evista(R)) is as effective in reducing the chance of developing breast cancer as Tamoxifen (Nolvadex(R)) has proven to be and with fewer side effects. Women who participate in STAR must be post-menopausal, at least age 35, and have an increased risk of breast cancer based on the following factors: current age; number of first-degree relatives (mother, daughter, or sisters) with a history of breast cancer; number of children and age at first delivery; the number of breast biopsies a woman has had, especially if the biopsy showed a condition known as atypical hyperplasia; and the woman's age at her first menstrual period. The study is limited to post-menopausal women because the drug Raloxifene has yet to be adequately tested for long-term safety in premenopausal women. Menopause could have come naturally or by the result of a surgical procedure.

Each potential participant will complete a one-page questionnaire (risk assessment form) which will be forwarded to the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP), the network of research professionals conducting STAR. The NSABP will then use computer software to generate an individualized risk profile estimating the woman's chance of developing breast cancer over the next five years based on the information provided. The profile will also present the potential risks and benefits of the study drugs. The woman can then use this information to help her decide whether or not she is interested in participating in STAR. Participants are required to have blood tests, a mammogram, a breast exam, and a gynecologic exam before they are accepted into the study, and these tests are repeated at regular intervals during the trial. The trial is double-blinded, which means neither the participants nor the local researchers will know which drugs are being taken. Each woman in the study will take two pills a day for five years: half will take 20 mg active Tamoxifen and a Raloxifene placebo; the other half will take 60 mg active Raloxifene and a Tamoxifen placebo. All women will receive one of the active drugs; no one in STAR will receive placebo only.

Both Tamoxifen and Raloxifene have known side effects, the most common of which are hot flashes and vaginal discharge, dryness, or itching. It is possible that some women may experience leg cramps, constipation, pain with intercourse, sinus irritation or infection, or problems controlling the bladder upon exertion. Treatments to eliminate or minimize most of these side effects are available to participants. Women with certain medical conditions will not be eligible to participate in STAR. Most notably, women taking hormone replacement therapy (estrogen or an estrogen/progesterone combination) cannot take part in the trial unless they discontinue HRT. Those who stop taking these hormones are eligible for the study three months after they discontinue the drugs. Women who have taken Tamoxifen or Raloxifene for not more than three months are eligible for the study, but they must also stop the medication for three months before joining STAR.

In addition to Tulane Cancer Center, the Ochsner Cancer Institute and LSU's Stanley S. Scott Cancer Center are participating in the STAR trial locally. Post-menopausal women who are interested in participating in STAR are asked to call the Tulane Call Center at 1-800-588-5800 (press *) to receive detailed information. Women Who Participate in STAR Must Be: Factors Determining Increased Risk of Breast Cancer
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Patricia Trost Friedler Cancer Counseling Center
New Telephone Counseling Study for Breast Cancer Recurrence Patients
The Office of Clinical Research at the Tulane Cancer Center is currently enrolling participants in a Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG) study designed to assess the impact of telephone counseling on women diagnosed with a first recurrence of breast cancer. "This is a very interesting area of research," said Tim Pearman, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Neurology and Director of the Patricia Trost Friedler Counseling Center at the Tulane Cancer Center, "since very little research has focused on women experiencing a recurrence of their cancer. Most research has been on women newly diagnosed, women who have survived cancer disease-free, or women with metastatic, terminal illness."

Participants in this psychological study will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. The first group, the control group, will receive only the psychological treatment customarily available to Tulane Cancer Center patients through the Patricia Trost Friedler Counseling Center. The second group will additionally receive four to eight telephone counseling sessions from a trained peer counselor, someone who has already dealt with a recurrence of breast cancer and survived, over the course of one year. Participants in both groups will receive written information reviewing proper nutrition for cancer patients, coping with side effects, chemotherapy regimens, etc., as well as a book for patients suffering from cancer recurrence entitled I Still Buy Green Bananas. After one year, participants will be assessed for depression, anxiety, social support and quality of life and their results compared to their baseline measurements taken at the beginning of the study.

Based in San Antonio, Texas, the Southwest Oncology Group is one of the largest National Cancer Institute-supported cancer clinical trials cooperative groups in the United States. SWOG's primary mission is clinical research in the prevention and cure of cancer in adults. "The mission of the Patricia Trost Friedler Cancer Counseling Center is to provide psychological adjuvant therapy for patients undergoing treatment for cancer in New Orleans in an effort to improve their quality of life," said Pearman. "This study satisfies that mission."

The Friedler Cancer Counseling Center was established 15 years ago through a bequest by the late Patricia Friedler and her husband, Frank Friedler. The services provided at the Friedler Cancer Counseling Center are available to patients and their families regardless of where they got their cancer treatment. Women experiencing a first-time recurrence of their breast cancer who are interested in participating in this psychological study are asked to call the Tulane Call Center at 588-5800 (press *).
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NF-kappa B Possible Factor in Breast Cancer Chemoresistance
Tulane Publication Sheds Light on Why Some Cells Resist Chemotherapy
"It's a Darwinian response," said Christopher B. Weldon, M.D., Ph.D., surgical resident in the Department of Surgery at Tulane University Health Sciences Center, when asked to describe the process of chemoresistance. "All cells, including cancer cells, instinctively strive for survival." Chemotherapeutic regimens are designed to use a variety of innate intracellular and extracellular pathways to bring about cell death. However, cellular adaptations have enabled some tumor cells to elude the effects of many chemotherapeutic drugs. According to Dr. Weldon, one such adaptation is the activation of molecular pathways within tumor cells which are upregulated or turned on when the cell is exposed to stressors, such as chemotherapy. These mechanisms ultimately lead to chemoresistance. "The goal of our research was to better define these chemoresistance pathways in breast cancer cells," said Weldon. "If we can better understand the molecular responses leading to chemoresistance, we can then develop adjuvant therapies which can basically downregulate, or turn these responses off, making chemotherapy regimens more successful. Our research has determined that the nuclear transcription factor NF-kappa B (NF-kB), which is present in all cells, both healthy cells and cancer cells, is intimately involved in a cell's ability to resist death."

NF-kB is found naturally in the cytoplasm of cells in an inactivated or resting state, accompanied by its "chaperone molecule" inhibitory kappa B (IkB). When a cell is exposed to stressors, the chaperone molecule is broken down due to the cellular stress, and NF-kB is released into the nucleus of the cell where it activates genes which encode molecules involved in the cell's survival. According to Dr. Weldon, several drugs and molecules have been identified which activate NF-kB, including chemotherapeutic agents. "Our ultimate goal is to overcome the cell's innate resistance, or to counteract the activation of NF-kB by chemotherapeutic, pharmacologic or molecular means. We believe that once this pathway is overcome, we can re-induce sensitivity to chemotherapy in these cells," said Dr. Weldon. Supported by a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant, a U.S. Department of Defense Army Breast Cancer Research fellowship, the Cancer Association of Greater New Orleans, the Tulane Cancer Center, and the Center for Bioenvironmental Research at Tulane and Xavier Universities, this research was presented at the 62nd Annual Meeting of the Society of University Surgeons in Chicago, Illinois, in February 2001, and was published in the August 2001 edition of the journal Surgery (Surg, 130(2):143-150, 2001). Co-authoring the manuscript with Dr. Weldon were Matthew E. Burow, Ph.D.; Research Assistant Professor of Pharmacology; Kevin W. Rolfe, B.S., Department of Pharmacology; John L. Clayton, M.P.H., Department of Epidemiology; Bernard M. Jaffe, M.D., Professor of Surgery; and Barbara S. Beckman, Ph.D., Professor of Pharmacology.
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Meet Tulane Cancer Center Member: Frank E. Jones, Ph.D.
Looking Hard at ErbB2 as Possible Culprit in Progressive Breast Cancer
His quest to better understand the causes of breast cancer has led researcher Frank E. Jones, Ph.D., to what he feels is a prime suspect -- ErbB2 (pronounced er-bee two). It's a hormone-driven receptor gene that aids in the natural growth and development of the female breast and is found on the surface of breast cells. Hormones regulate ErbB2, activating it to perform its natural functions. Then, in a healthy individual, signals are in place to turn it off naturally, or downregulate, its growth-stimulating activity at the appropriate times. In breast cancer patients, it is believed that these signals are lost, leading to enhanced activity of overexpressed ErbB2 and unchecked cellular proliferation and tumor development. "In fact, ErbB2 is overexpressed in 40-60% of breast cancers," said Dr. Jones. "So, the signals regulating ErbB2 are the aim of our research. At this time, we don't fully understand the mechanisms leading to ErbB2 overexpression and activation in breast cancer cases, but we do know that ErbB2 plays a major role in the progression to metastatic disease."

Herceptin is an FDA-approved drug that targets ErbB2. According to Dr. Jones, when used in combination with chemotherapy in patients suffering from metastatic breast cancer involving ErbB2, Herceptin increases the response rate by 70% and induces 50% tumor shrinkage in some patients. "This demonstrated to us that ErbB2 is a valuable target for therapeutic intervention in breast cancer," said Dr. Jones, "but not all patients respond to Herceptin." Because of this, the focus of Dr. Jones's research is to develop other methods for targeting and downregulating ErbB2 activity in breast cancer. Dr. Jones and his colleagues are using mouse models to do just this. The first step is to identify the normal functions and inter-relationships between ErbB2 and other naturally occurring receptor genes and growth factors that interact with ErbB2 in the body. Then they can make informed decisions about which receptors are involved in the progression of cancer and which antagonize this process. For instance, ErbB4 is another receptor gene occurring naturally on the surface of breast cells. It is essential for cellular differentiation, development of the breast, and most importantly milk production or lactation. Without ErbB4 mothers could not nurse their infants. ErbB4 also appears to have some influence on signaling pathways that regulate ErbB2. "Studies have shown that ErbB4 expression is selectively extinguished as breast cancer progresses to a more aggressive metastatic disease," said Dr. Jones. "The absence of ErbB4 appears to allow oncogenic genes, such as ErbB2, to stimulate uncontrolled growth." His studies will therefore focus on the normal function of ErbB4 during breast development, the signaling pathways activated by this receptor and how these pathways regulate ErbB2 oncogenic signaling.

ErbB4 was discovered ten years ago, but it has been largely ignored because it is not expressed in breast cancer and that, according to Dr. Jones, may be just the point. "At one time, it was considered a superfluous protein as far as normal breast development and breast cancer are concerned, but we have to ask ourselves the question, 'Why is a protein that is absolutely required for normal breast function suddenly eliminated during the progression of breast cancer?' We believe that ErbB4 suppresses the growth of breast cancers involving ErbB2. The promise of this research is that if we can one day re-introduce ErbB4 into breast cancer cells, we may be able to antagonize ErbB2 activity and slow or completely eliminate breast tumor growth," said Dr. Jones. The results of Dr. Jones's research may have implications for prostate cancer as well. Prostate cancer is very similar to breast cancer in that they are both epithelial in origin and they are both driven by hormones. "Just like the female breast, which expands and then reduces with the menstrual cycle, the male prostate gland contains cells that continue to proliferate over the male's lifetime," said Dr. Jones. "ErbB2 is one of the genes involved in the growth signal in each of these cases. In our prostate cancer research, we will use the same strategy we are using to study breast cancer progression. We'll identify the normal function of the receptors in prostate development, and then isolate those which stimulate the growth activity of ErbB2 and those which antagonize it. We hope that these studies will lead to the first clinically relevant animal model of prostate cancer. An animal model will be essential to allow testing of experimental therapeutic drugs for prostate cancer."

Frank Jones received his B.S. in 1984 from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry. He received his M.S. in 1986 from Iowa State University and received his Ph.D. in 1995 from McMaster University, Department of Molecular Immunology and Virology. He completed a post-doctoral research fellowship at the Yale University School of Medicine Department of Pathology in 1999 and worked as a research scientist at the University of Scranton Institute of Molecular Biology and Medicine. He joined the Tulane faculty as an assistant professor in July 2001. He is also an instructor in gross anatomy for first-year medical students. Dr. Jones's research is funded by a three-year NIH-NCI RO1 grant.
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A Message from the Director
With this issue of Inside Tulane Cancer Center, we introduce our new editor, Melanie Cross. Melanie comes to us with formal training and education in communication and experience in academic public relations, most recently at our own Tulane Department of Urology. Her insight and her skills are evident in our new format and the content of this issue. As a true professional, however, she requests that the readers help her improve our communications and provide her with feedback at mcross@tulane.edu.

As we look toward 2002, we are proud of our achievements and our progress in serving this region as a resource for cancer treatment, cancer research, and cancer information. Our treatment facility, Tulane Cancer Center Comprehensive Clinic, has expanded with new services and new expertise. We have the region's most sophisticated radiation therapy and multidisciplinary programs in the management of most cancers that utilize the latest technologies for both diagnosis and treatment. We have expanded our clinical faculty and can now provide prompt access to our facilities for all patients. Our Clinical Research Network continues to bring Tulane to the community in eight locations in the Gulf Coast states. Our research engine is really hot, with more grant-supported research, more published papers, and new faculty fueling this vital dimension of our cancer center. Our training program has been greatly enhanced by new government support for a formal curriculum in training physicians, pharmacists, and nurses in clinical research. In conjunction with the Tulane School of Pubic Health and Tropical Medicine, we are offering a program leading to Masters Degree in Clinical Research, one of only 30 such programs in the country.

We have been fortunate in gaining the support of local and national organizations to help us raise funds to sustain these vital programs. You will read about our good fortune and our success in this issue. You will also read about two programs aimed at breast cancer -- the STAR trial and the Beauty Parlor Initiative. You will also be introduced to three research projects by Frank E. Jones, Ph.D., Christopher B. Weldon, M.D., Ph.D., and Timothy Pearman, Ph.D. These projects demonstrate the scope of our research interests -- from the molecular biology of cancer to the psychosocial impact of cancer on the patient. Enjoy Inside Tulane Cancer Center and have a happy and healthy new year.

Roy S. Weiner, M.D.
Director of the Tulane Cancer Center
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Accolades: Faculty honors and awards
Barbara S. Beckman, Ph.D.

Melvin C. Gitlin, M.D., F.A.C.P.M.

Charles S. Hemenway, M.D., Ph.D.

Steven M. Hill, Ph.D.
Dr. Hill had four manuscripts accepted for publication recently: Dr. Hill also recently received a grant from Servier Pharmaceutical Company entitled Melatonin super-agonists and retinoic acid in the treatment of breast cancer.


Frank E. Jones, Ph. D.

Samuel J. Landry, Ph.D.
Dr. Landry recently had three papers accepted to the Journal of Biological Chemistry:

Laura S. Levy, Ph.D.
Dr. Levy had the following manuscripts recently published in peer-reviewed journals: Dr. Levy recently received the following grants:
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Inside the Tulane Cancer Center is a quarterly publication of the Tulane Cancer Center, Tulane University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans.
Executive Editor: Roy S. Weiner, M.D., Editor: Melanie N. Cross, Art Director: Kathy O. Barbazon

Address inquiries regarding this newsletter to: Melanie N. Cross
(504) 988-6592, fax (504) 988-6077, mcross@tulane.edu

To inquire about cancer research and treatment programs at Tulane
please call one of these toll-free numbers:
(800) 588-5300 (Physicians) 24 hours a day
(800) 588-5800 (Patients and others) 8:00 am to 8:00 pm US Central Time
Tulane University Hospital & Clinic (http://www.tulanehospital.com)

Tulane Cancer Center
http://www.som.tulane.edu/cancer or http://www.canceriscurable.com
Box SL-68, 1430 Tulane Ave., New Orleans, Louisiana 70122-2699
(504) 988-6060, fax (504) 988-6077
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