Pioneering research and care requires teamwork … including generous donors

Baylor College of Medicine is leading the way to the next breakthrough in cancer treatment

No one wants to hear those terrible words, “You have cancer.” Not for ourselves, and not for those we love.

Here at Baylor College of Medicine, some of the world’s top physician-scientists are helping bring closer the day when cancer doesn’t have to be scary anymore. Baylor College of Medicine is one of three National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers in Texas — recognized for scientific and clinical excellence, as well as an exceptional source of discovery and development of more effective approaches to cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

The generous and visionary support of our friends is key to making this progress possible. The power of that support is demonstrated in one key breakthrough after another.

For example, Baylor researchers recently took part in a multi-institutional collaboration that could point the way to more effective, personalized treatments for meningioma patients.

Meningiomas are the most common type of tumor originating in the brain. Currently, surgery and radiotherapy represent the most effective treatments, although it has been difficult to foresee how each patient will respond to these treatments.

Now, a landmark study published in Nature Medicine is poised to change that. Researchers have discovered a genetic biomarker with the potential to predict a meningioma patient’s response to radiation before treatment even begins.

Groundbreaking research could mark the dawn of a new day in the prognosis and treatment of common brain tumors.

The team performed tests of this biomarker on 1,856 independent meningiomas from 12 institutions across three continents, including 103 meningiomas from a prospective clinical trial.

“We are thankful to the patients and their families who participated in this research,” said study author Akash Patel, M.D., a neurosurgeon and Associate Professor of neurosurgery at Baylor. Today’s research could translate to lives saved tomorrow.

“This study will help clinicians predict how patients with each meningioma subtype respond to treatments with great accuracy,” said Tiemo Klisch, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of molecular and human genetics at Baylor.

At Baylor College of Medicine, our work is supported by patients, families, donors and community members who are investing in the future of health. Tax-deductible gifts from people just like you are improving health today, and saving lives tomorrow. We’d welcome your generous support.