TGen Foundation

The innovative “fragmentomics” approach could one day allow doctors to identify cancer in patients sooner than possible today using smaller blood draws LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Researchers at City of Hope, one of the largest cancer research and treatment organizations in the United States, and Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), a precision medicine research organization that is part of City of Hope, have developed and tested an innovative machine-learning approach that could one day enable the earlier detection of cancer in patients by using smaller blood draws. The study was published today in the journal Science Translational Medicine. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: Researchers at City of Hope and Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) have developed and tested an innovative machine-learning approach that could one day enable the earlier detection of cancer in patients by using smaller blood draws. The study was published in the journal Science Translational Medicine on Jan. 24, 2024. (Photo Credit: TGen) “A huge body of evidence shows that cancer caught at later stages kills people. This new technology gets us closer to a world where people will receive a blood test annually to detect cancer earlier when it is more treatable and possibly curable,” said Cristian Tomasetti, Ph.D., corresponding author of the new study and director of City of Hope’s Center for Cancer Prevention and Early Detection. Tomasetti explained that 99% of people diagnosed with Stage 1 breast cancer will be alive five years later; however, if it is found at Stage 4, when disease has spread to other organs, the five-year survival drops to 31%. The technology City of Hope, TGen and colleagues developed was able to identify half of the cancers in the 11 studied types. The test was highly accurate with a false positive in only 1 out of every 100 tested. Importantly, most of the cancer samples originated from people with early-stage disease, who had few or no metastatic lesions at diagnosis. Working in the background was an algorithm they developed called Alu Pro Using Sequencing (A-Plus). It had been applied to 7,657 samples from 5,980 people — 2,651 of whom had cancer of the breast, colon and rectum, esophagus, lung, liver, pancreas, ovary or stomach. When a cell dies, it breaks down and some of the DNA material of the cell leeches into the bloodstream. Cancer signals can be found in this cell-free DNA (cfDNA). The cfDNA of normal cells breaks down at a typical size, but cancer cfDNA fragments break down at altered spots. This alteration is hypothesized to be more present in repetitive regions of the genome. So instead of analyzing specific DNA mutations by looking for one misarranged letter out of billions of letters, researchers led by City of Hope and colleagues at John Hopkins University came up with a new way to detect the difference in fragmentation patterns in repetitive regions of cancer and normal cfDNA. As a result, fragmentomics requires about eight times less blood than required by whole genome sequencing, Tomasetti said. “Our technique is more practical for clinical applications as it requires smaller quantities of genomic material from a blood sample,” said Kamel Lahouel, Ph.D., an assistant professor in TGen’s Integrated Cancer Genomics Division and the study’s co-first author. “Continued success in this area and clinical validation opens the door for the introduction of routine tests to detect cancer in its earliest stages.” Tomasetti is poised to open a clinical trial in summer 2024 to compare this fragmentomics blood testing approach with standard-of-care in adults aged 65-75. The prospective trial will determine the effectiveness of the biomarker panel in detecting an earlier stage of cancer when it is more treatable. City of Hope’s Center for Cancer Prevention and Early Detection is focused on producing key research findings and technologies based on noninvasive blood tests and imaging to detect cancers years before conventional diagnostic methods. The Science Translational Medicine study “Machine Learning to Detect the SINEs of Cancer” was supported by Burroughs Wellcome Career Award for Medical Scientists, National Institutes of Health (R21NS113016, RA37 CA230400, U01CA230691, U01CA230691), Oncology Core CA 06973, John Templeton Foundation, The Virginia and D.K. Ludwig Fund for Cancer Research, Thomas M Hohman Memorial Cancer Research Fund, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, The Sol Goldman Sequencing Facility at Johns Hopkins, The Conrad R. Hilton Foundation, Benjamin Baker Endowment (80049589), National Institutes of Health grant Ovarian Cancer SPORE (DRP 80057309), Swim Across America, and Ian’s Friends Foundation. About City of Hope City of Hope's mission is to deliver the cures of tomorrow to the people who need them today. Founded in 1913, City of Hope has grown into one of the largest cancer research and treatment organizations in the U.S. and one of the leading research centers for diabetes and other life-threatening illnesses. City of Hope research has been the basis for numerous breakthrough cancer medicines, as well as human synthetic insulin and monoclonal antibodies. With an independent, National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center at its core, City of Hope brings a uniquely integrated model to patients spanning cancer care, research and development, academics and training, and innovation initiatives. City of Hope’s growing national system includes its Los Angeles campus, a network of clinical care locations across Southern California, a new cancer center in Orange County, California, and treatment facilities in Atlanta, Chicago and Phoenix. City of Hope’s affiliated group of organizations includes Translational Genomics Research Institute and AccessHopeTM. For more information about City of Hope, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and LinkedIn. About TGen, part of City of Hope Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) is a Phoenix, Arizona-based nonprofit organization dedicated to conducting groundbreaking research with life-changing results. TGen is part of City of Hope, a world-renowned independent research and treatment center for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases. This precision medicine affiliation enables both institutes to complement each other in research and patient care, with City of Hope providing a significant clinical setting to advance scientific discoveries made by TGen. TGen is focused on helping patients with neurological disorders, cancer, diabetes and infectious diseases through cutting-edge translational research (the process of rapidly moving research toward patient benefit). TGen physicians and scientists work to unravel the genetic components of both common and complex rare diseases in adults and children. Working with collaborators in the scientific and medical communities worldwide, TGen makes a substantial contribution to help patients through efficiency and effectiveness of the translational process. Follow TGen on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter @TGen. View source version on businesswire.com: Contacts Zen Logsdon City of Hope 626-409-9367 zlogsdon@coh.org Galen Perry TGen 602-343-8423 gperry@tgen.org Source: City of Hope Smart Multimedia Gallery Photo Researchers at City of Hope and Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) have developed and tested an innovative machine-learning approach that could one day enable the earlier detection of cancer in patients by using smaller blood draws. The study was published in the journal Science Translational Medicine on Jan. 24, 2024. (Photo Credit: TGen) Logo View this news release and multimedia online at:

The role of the gut in cancer treatment, more equitable access to optimal cancer care and digitization of clinical trials are among topics that will take center stage this year LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Leaders at City of Hope, one of the largest cancer research and treatment organizations in the United States, forecast that in 2024 more people will benefit from cancer breakthroughs, including research that unlocks the biology behind cancer disparities, wider access to CAR T cell therapy and rapid whole genome sequencing. “Research-driven breakthroughs in cancer prevention and treatment are transforming cancer care as we know it and improving the lives of millions of patients each year,” said Robert Stone, CEO of City of Hope and the Helen and Morgan Chu Chief Executive Officer Distinguished Chair. “At City of Hope, we are fortunate to be surrounded by health care’s leading researchers, innovators and experts, and we are extremely optimistic about the future and expect the pace of innovation in cancer care to accelerate in 2024. That’s why I have never been more excited about the promise and hope we’re bringing to people around the globe.” Here are City of Hope’s top eight predictions for the future of cancer care: Prediction No. 1: Unlocking the biology behind cancer disparities Despite significant advancements in cancer research and treatment, racial disparities in cancer incidence and outcomes remain a pressing concern. African American men have a 111% higher risk of dying of prostate cancer than white men. Asian/Pacific Islander adults are twice as likely to die of stomach cancer than white people. “Multidisciplinary approaches to study cancer disparities will become a bigger focus in 2024 as academic medical centers, affected communities and researchers partner to identify and mitigate those factors that dictate disproportionate incidence and mortality rates between populations,” said John D. Carpten, Ph.D., director of City of Hope's National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, director of Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, chief scientific officer, the Irell & Manella Cancer Center Director’s Distinguished Chair and the Morgan & Helen Chu Director’s Chair of the Beckman Research Institute. City of Hope is leveraging its geography as a national cancer research and treatment system and its diverse patient population to study a number of cancer disparities, including triple-negative breast cancer in African American women, lung cancer in the Asian population and colorectal cancer in the Hispanic population. “By uncovering genetic variations and the socioeconomic risk factors behind every person’s cancer, we can offer new strategies in education, early detection and intervention,” said Carpten. Prediction No. 2: Gut reactions help shape treatment We all have bacteria, fungi and viruses living in our digestive tracts. In fact, we have as many of these microbes in our guts as we have cells in our bodies. Why is this important for cancer treatment? “The microorganisms in the gut modulate the immune system. There is a direct correlation between a healthy gut and the effectiveness of immune therapies, such as CAR T,” said Marcel van den Brink, M.D., Ph.D., president of City of Hope Los Angeles and City of Hope National Medical Center, chief physician executive and the Deana and Steve Campbell Chief Physician Executive Distinguished Chair. Expect to see an acceleration of the research and focus on the gut microbiome in 2024, said Van den Brink, who has been studying it for many years. City of Hope plans to enhance its program that spans from basic to clinical research in this area. “City of Hope has one of the largest and most successful transplantation programs in the country, with nearly 19,000 bone marrow transplant procedures performed to date. We are continuing to study the role the gut microbiome plays in protecting transplant patients from complications in their recovery,” added Van den Brink. Prediction No. 3: Reading every letter of a patient’s genome for targeted therapies For cancer patients, speed is crucial in determining the most effective and appropriate treatment. Equally important is a patient’s complete genetic information, which provides insight into the best treatment for each patient’s unique cancer. This combination of speed and the complete genomic data set is particularly important for people with blood cancers who have to go through multiple rounds of genetic testing. Some patients wait for days, weeks or even months to get results of all the genetic testing that is pivotal to guiding treatment. City of Hope, along with the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), is one of only two centers in the world that can return equivalent results of all of this testing in two days rather than two or more weeks. “Rapid whole genome sequencing will ultimately replace the current standard testing, providing physicians with rapid insight to support both diagnosis and individualized treatment options for our patients,” said Jeffrey M. Trent, Ph.D., president and research director of (TGen), part of City of Hope. City of Hope is leveraging TGen’s ability to provide information to treating physicians for patients when time is a critical factor. Prediction No. 4: Cancer prevention as the first line of treatment According to the American Association for Cancer Research, the number of cancer cases in the U.S. will increase to 2.3 million by 2030. We know that only about 35% of cancers are caused by environmental and hereditary factors. The majority are caused by an accumulation of mutations in the DNA of cells over time. The most advanced cancer institutions are focusing on the promise of “precision prevention,” which combines molecular knowledge and risk stratification to develop an accurate understanding of an individual's actual cancer risk. Other advances point to blood tests that screen for a multitude of cancer types in their earliest stages. “City of Hope will soon launch a comprehensive research study validating a blood test developed by researchers at City of Hope and TGen to detect cancers early. Early detection is the key to curing cancer for many,” said Annette Walker, president of City of Hope Orange County. Prediction No. 5: Digitization and decentralization of clinical trials Clinical trials offer patients access to promising new therapies long before they become the standard of care, but 19 out of 20 people with cancer cannot enroll in a trial because of rigid and outdated eligibility criteria, which often discriminate against older and sicker patients, people of diverse ethnicities and genders, and people with limited transportation. Digitization and decentralization — where all or some of the trial-related activities occur outside of traditional trial sites — is part of the solution, according to Edward S. Kim, M.D., M.B.A, physician-in-chief, City of Hope Orange County, vice physician-in-chief, City of Hope National Medical Center, and the Construction Industries Alliance City of Hope Orange County Physician-in-Chief Chair. “Digital innovation can enhance every stage of clinical trials,” said Kim. “This year, we’ll see more organizations introducing scalable electronic platforms to remove barriers to trials and standardize access to them. Artificial intelligence will be increasingly leveraged, as AI-powered data sets, protocol designs and monitoring systems will create efficiencies.” Prediction No. 6: Policy changes and partnerships expand access to optimal cancer care There will be an even greater focus on policy discussions about value and access in cancer care, building on recent momentum in this area. Collaborative partnerships and policy reforms will begin to catalyze equitable access to the latest innovations, including clinical trials, precision medicine and genomic technologies. The result will be more lives saved and a better quality of life for patients, according to Harlan Levine, M.D., president of health innovation and policy for City of Hope. “Cancer care is different from other chronic illnesses. The speed of discovery, drug development and evolving practices increasingly requires more specialized expertise. Unfortunately, 60% of Medicare Advantage plans do not include access to treatment at a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, contributing to significant disparities in cancer care outcomes. I expect to see increased momentum around making sure insurance networks include appropriate access to the latest treatments. We’ll also see tighter partnerships between community oncologists and academic medical centers, so patients can seamlessly receive the care they require in the right place at the right time.” Prediction No. 7: CAR T reaches more people One promising area of cancer research and treatment is immunotherapy, which harnesses the patient's own immune system to combat cancer. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy is a powerful form of immunotherapy in which immune cells are reprogrammed to recognize and attack a specific protein found in cancer cells. CAR T technology will likely have wider application for more cancer types. However, access to CAR T cell therapy faces formidable challenges — manufacturing complexities, high costs and inadequate reimbursement. Additionally, cancer centers lacking essential infrastructure are ill-equipped to handle potential CAR T cell-related adverse events. “While we are optimistic about CAR T cell therapy, we are acutely aware that we must address health care disparities, enhance physician expertise and establish more specialized centers in more communities,” said Leslie Popplewell, M.D., hematology and blood and marrow transplant medical director, City of Hope Atlanta. “This is a primary reason City of Hope expanded its National Cancer Institute-designated expertise to Chicago, Phoenix and Atlanta. We believe that the future of cancer care is in widening access to breakthrough cancer therapies like CAR T.” Prediction No. 8: Generational shifts in philanthropic giving Millennials have surpassed baby boomers as the biggest generational group in the United States, with an estimated population of 72.24 million. These generational shifts also impact philanthropic giving as more younger people understand the importance of supporting organizations that are making significant changes in health. More than 100,000 donors and volunteers advance City of Hope’s mission to eradicate cancer and diabetes and nearly 90 million Americans now live within driving distance of a City of Hope location. “Our diverse philanthropic community is helping City of Hope move more quickly and extend care to more people. Every gift — big and small — means more lives improved and saved,” said Kristin J. Bertell, chief philanthropy officer of City of Hope. This year, you’ll see City of Hope grow its philanthropic community and impact in numerous ways, including expanding its Walk for Hope fundraiser to new locations across the United States. About City of Hope City of Hope's mission is to deliver the cures of tomorrow to the people who need them today. Founded in 1913, City of Hope has grown into one of the largest cancer research and treatment organizations in the U.S. and one of the leading research centers for diabetes and other life-threatening illnesses. City of Hope research has been the basis for numerous breakthrough cancer medicines, as well as human synthetic insulin and monoclonal antibodies. With an independent, National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center at its core, City of Hope brings a uniquely integrated model to patients spanning cancer care, research and development, academics and training, and innovation initiatives. City of Hope’s growing national system includes its Los Angeles campus, a network of clinical care locations across Southern California, a new cancer center in Orange County, California, and treatment facilities in Atlanta, Chicago and Phoenix. City of Hope’s affiliated group of organizations includes Translational Genomics Research Institute and AccessHopeTM. For more information about City of Hope, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and LinkedIn.

PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- City of Hope, one of the largest cancer research and treatment organizations in the United States, today announced the appointment of Alan H. Bryce, M.D., as the chief clinical officer at City of Hope Cancer Center Phoenix and professor of molecular medicine at Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), part of City of Hope. He joins City of Hope from Mayo Clinic, where he served as chair of the Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology in the Department of Internal Medicine at Mayo Clinic in Arizona and director of Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center in Arizona. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: City of Hope appoints Alan H. Bryce, M.D., as chief clinical officer at City of Hope Cancer Center Phoenix and professor of molecular medicine at TGen. (Photo: City of Hope) “We are excited to welcome Dr. Bryce to City of Hope Cancer Center Phoenix and look forward to his leadership in delivering advanced cancer care to Arizona patients,” said Kevin Tulipana, D.O., M.S., president of City of Hope Cancer Center Phoenix. “He is an accomplished researcher and clinician who, in addition to his leadership role at City of Hope, will swiftly advance the integration of research and clinical efforts that place the patient first.” Bryce will serve as the region’s senior clinical leader, guiding care across all City of Hope locations in the Phoenix market, including the cancer center in Goodyear and outpatient care centers in Gilbert, North Phoenix and Tatum Ridge. He is a world-renowned expert in prostate cancer and has demonstrated how genomics can lead to customized treatment plans that are unique to each individual. He is known for his commitment to patient-centered cancer care, with a focus on reducing health inequities, enhancing patients’ access to top-quality care and protecting patients’ quality of life while continuing research with the goal of curing cancer. Board certified in internal medicine and medical oncology, his clinical focus is prostate cancer, with a special emphasis on individualized medicine, while devoting his research to developing new therapies and genomic-based approaches to prostate cancer. “This move is motivated by my desire to build a top-quality, coordinated cancer center for the state of Arizona that includes both community and academic practices and enhances access to cancer breakthroughs,” said Bryce. “This is no small task and one where others have tried before, but I am confident that we can succeed. More importantly, this is work that our community needs, and I am excited to meet the challenge.” At TGen, Bryce will continue his cancer research, new therapeutic development and immunotherapeutic approaches in prostate cancer, with City of Hope Cancer Center Phoenix providing a significant clinical setting to advance scientific discoveries made by TGen. His research focuses primarily on clinical trials, genomics and early therapeutics. Over his career, he has built a robust clinical trials portfolio in genitourinary cancers and melanoma, having launched and led numerous early phase clinical trials to move innovative treatment protocols into the clinic. His interest in genomics lies in the use of tumor sequencing for prognostic and predictive information in advanced cancers. He has also received clinical trial research funding from the National Cancer Institute continuously since 2013. “I am delighted to welcome Dr. Bryce to City of Hope and TGen,” said Jeffrey M. Trent, Ph.D., TGen president and research director. “I have had the privilege to work closely with him for over a decade, in efforts to use genomics to better individualize a patient’s cancer treatment. His leadership role in national clinical trials for prostate cancer, and the broad range of cancer types for which he has clinical experience (including melanoma and early phase clinical trials), makes him an outstanding addition to City of Hope’s advanced cancer care in Arizona and nationally.” About City of Hope City of Hope's mission is to deliver the cures of tomorrow to the people who need them today. Founded in 1913, City of Hope has grown into one of the largest cancer research and treatment organizations in the U.S. and one of the leading research centers for diabetes and other life-threatening illnesses. City of Hope research has been the basis for numerous breakthrough cancer medicines, as well as human synthetic insulin and monoclonal antibodies. With an independent, National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center at its core, City of Hope brings a uniquely integrated model to patients spanning cancer care, research and development, academics and training, and innovation initiatives. City of Hope’s growing national system includes its Los Angeles campus, a network of clinical care locations across Southern California, a new cancer center in Orange County, California, and treatment facilities in Atlanta, Chicago and Phoenix. City of Hope’s affiliated group of organizations includes Translational Genomics Research Institute and AccessHopeTM. For more information about City of Hope, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and LinkedIn. About TGen, part of City of Hope Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) is a Phoenix, Arizona-based nonprofit organization dedicated to conducting groundbreaking research with life-changing results. TGen is part of City of Hope, a world-renowned independent research and treatment center for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases. This precision medicine affiliation enables both institutes to complement each other in research and patient care, with City of Hope providing a significant clinical setting to advance scientific discoveries made by TGen. TGen is focused on helping patients with neurological disorders, cancer, diabetes and infectious diseases through cutting-edge translational research (the process of rapidly moving research toward patient benefit). TGen physicians and scientists work to unravel the genetic components of both common and complex rare diseases in adults and children. Working with collaborators in the scientific and medical communities worldwide, TGen makes a substantial contribution to help patients through efficiency and effectiveness of the translational process. Follow TGen on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. View source version on businesswire.com: Contacts Noah Flack 602-883-1300 noah.flack@coh.org Galen Perry 602-343-8423 gperry@tgen.org Source: City of Hope Smart Multimedia Gallery Photo City of Hope appoints Alan H. Bryce, M.D., as chief clinical officer at City of Hope Cancer Center Phoenix and professor of molecular medicine at TGen. (Photo: City of Hope) Logo View this news release and multimedia online at: