February 2012
- 2008 Executive Director's Report
- More front-line trials for GIST may help prevent resistance
- 2nd French national GIST conference a smashing success
- New LRG clinical trials database explained
- February 2009 US clinical trial update
- KIT signaling & new approaches for GIST therapy
- LRG holiday campaign update: Top fundraisers shine
- Congratulations Ashley Young!
- Pat George: the man, the myth, the legend
- 2nd NIH Pediatric GIST clinic proves successful
- LRG stance on placebo highlighted in Cancer World
- Benninger was 58
- It's a Girl!
- Inlander was 64
- Project FLAG Needs You
- Wife and mother passes at 61
- Calendar
February 2009
- 2008 Executive Director's Report by Norman Scherzer The year 2008 witnessed the continued evolution of GIST patients transitioning from passive recipients of treatment to informed patients and caregivers, determined to assume greater responsibility for the management of their medical care and survival. 2008 Accomplishments To help the patient community become better informed, the Life Raft Group launched a series of sophisticated initiatives.
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More front-line trials for GIST may help prevent resistance
by Jerry Call
Nearly all of the current clinical trials for GIST involve either (1) trying to prevent a recurrence using Gleevec or (2) trying to treat the disease after it has become resistant. What has been missing is an attempt to improve upon and lengthen the excellent initial response to Gleevec. This appears to be changing. Within the last 18 months, five new approaches designed to improve initial results have entered into clinical trials.
- 2nd French national GIST conference a smashing success by Estelle LeCointe Sixty-five patients and caregivers came from all over France to attend the second National GIST conference organized by Ensemble contre le GIST, the Association Française des Patients du GIST (AFPG), at the Leon Berard Center in Lyon, on November 22, 2008.
- New LRG clinical trials database explained by Jerry Call You may not have noticed, but the clinical trials section of the website has changed dramatically in the last month. This section of the website is now database-driven and has a lot more information. There are 56 trials recruiting, ongoing or completed that were specifically for GIST and GIST only. In addition, there are 23 trials that specifically allow or allowed GIST. The LRG is currently tracking 115 trials that are or might be of interest to GIST patients. With all of this information, moving to a database became a necessity.
- February 2009 US clinical trial update by Jim Hughes Imatinib + Bevacizumab Phase III: Over 210 Coalition of Cancer Cooperative Groups (CCOP) sites are now recruiting. Please use www.clinicaltrials .gov or cancertrialshelp.org for more detailed site contact information.
- KIT signaling & new approaches for GIST therapy by Peter Besmer, M.D. Salient features of GIST tumor cells are their expression of the Kit receptor tyrosine kinase and the fact that in a majority of GIST, the Kit receptor harbors an oncogenic mutation.
- LRG holiday campaign update: Top fundraisers shine by Tricia McAleer For years the LRG has counted on its members for support. And for years they have pulled through. Since the start of the Cure Campaign, Life Rafter’s have raised over 42,000 dollars for GIST Research!
- Congratulations Ashley Young! Recently, we reported that Pediatric GISTer, Ashley Young married her boyfriend of over three years, Mark Vincent, on November 8, 2008. We asked Ashley for wedding pictures and how she felt about her new husband.
- Pat George: the man, the myth, the legend by Melanie Paterson Pat George, LRG member and volunteer is well-known in the LRG email community. He can often be found cheering someone up, spurring someone on, or imparting some of his Alabama wisdom on us all. It is hard to think of Pat outside of the GIST community, but when we received a copy of this article from the North Jefferson News, we thought it would show a image of Pat outside of GIST.
- 2nd NIH Pediatric GIST clinic proves successful On January 22-23, 2009, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) held its second Pediatric and Wild-type GIST Clinic.
- LRG stance on placebo highlighted in Cancer World The Life Raft Group’s stand on placebo- use in clinical trials for cancer patients was recently highlighted in the November/December issue of European magazine, "Cancer World". Here are a few excerpts:
- Benninger was 58 Francis James Benninger of Durham died December 26, 2008, in his 58th year. Francis was the husband of Bertha (Koeslag) and father of Cara, Kait and Aaron.
- It's a Girl! Congratulations to LRG Board Member, Stan Bunn! Bunns’ third child, Reese Taylor Bunn arrived on January 14.
- Inlander was 64 Richard Paul Inlander died in San Francisco on May 9th at the age of 64. He was born in Chicago, IL, on October 4, 1943 to Newton and Gladys (Lewin) Inlander.
- Project FLAG Needs You If you have a diagnosis of GIST and are 18 years or older, Project FLAG needs you! - whether or not you have any cancer in your family.
- Wife and mother passes at 61 Jeannette K. McIntosh, 67, of Scott, Ohio, died Sunday, Jan. 18, 2009, 9:53 a.m., at Van-crest Health-care Center in Van Wert, Ohio.
- Calendar Upcoming Events