iCureASPS is looking for active people from the ASPS community to help maintaining viable collaborations with scientists who perform research on ASPS in medical centers. If you wish to be part of an active search for Alveolar Soft Part Sarcoma Cure search please contact us.

Such a new collaboration was recently established with Dr. Dina Lev at the Department of Cancer Biology at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston Texas. The contact person from iCureASPS for this collaboration is Dr. Nancy Landfish who serves as iCureASPS Medical Affairs Director.

Recently, a member in the iCureASPS community has donated the first 5,000 dollars to support Dr. Dina Lev’s research who recently published a scientific paper: “Angiogenesis-promoting gene patterns in Alveolar Soft Part Sarcoma”. Dr. Dina Lev conducts research on the highly vascular (angiogenic) nature of ASPS because she believes that this is an important factor driving ASPS metastasis. Her laboratory evaluates gene expression of ASPS frozen samples to identify candidate genes possibly contributing to ASPS angiogenesis. Next she would like to study the importance of these genes and gene products in ASPS metastasis and their possible regulation by the ASPL-TFE3 fusion gene. Lev’s studies may potentially result in better understanding of ASPS progression, and would lead to identification of targets for the development of novel therapeutics.

The specific aims of Dr. Dina Lev are:

1) to create an annotated paraffin and frozen tissue bank for ASPS.

2) to collaborate with other scientists with an interest in ASPS research, with the aim of expanding the available bioresources.

3) to study the expression and function of potential angiogenic factors in ASPS.

4) to investigate the effect of the ASPL-TFE3 fusion gene on the expression of the studied angiogenic factors.

If you are interested to support this research of Dr. Lev, please write to Dr. Nancy Landfish at: Nancy.Landfish@HCAhealthcare.com

______________________________________________________

Yosef Landesman, Ph.D.
President & Cancer Research Director
Cure Alveolar Soft Part Sarcoma International (iCureASPS)
e-mail: landesmany@yahoo.com

In the first week of August 2007, Team ASPS participated in the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge (PMC) bike ride for the fourth time. This bike-a-thon crosses Massachusetts to raise money for cancer research and treatment at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) in Boston. Some of our riders rode 90 miles and others rode 150 miles. The money that our team raised is specifically dedicated to finding a cure for ASPS. The total sum collected by our team this year is $34,649! These donations will support ASPS research in three laboratories at the DFCI. To read more about this research at DFCI, click here.

One week prior to the PMC bike ride, iCureASPS hosted a private reception to honor Team ASPS riders and researchers from the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.

iCureASPS would like to thank the riders of Team ASPS 2007: David Eisenberg (captain of Team ASPS), Adam Eisenberg, Benji Eisenberg, Sara Eisenberg, Eugenie Gore, Ynbal Landesman, Hila Landesman, Yosef Landesman, Tim Schuettge and Katya Tsaioun. We thank our donors, good friends, family members and the ASPS community for supporting iCureASPS efforts to find a cure.

Photos below are courtesy of David Eisenberg and are copyright protected by Flickr.

Click here to see more photos from the event!

______________________________________________________

Yosef Landesman, Ph.D.
President & Cancer Research Director
Cure Alveolar Soft Part Sarcoma International (iCureASPS)
e-mail: landesmany@yahoo.com

(UPDATED July 29, 2007) A few weeks ago, iCureASPS team started its training for the PMC bike ride that will take place August 4-5 2007. The fundraiser to support the research and clinical trial at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute is open. Please take the initiative TODAY. Please make a donation NOW to support the efforts to find a cure for Alveolar Soft Part Sarcoma.

Our team ride July 15 was dedicated to the 2007 Team Sarcoma Initiative (SEE OUR TEAM PHOTO BELOW). Team Sarcoma is an internationally coordinated set of events to raise awareness of sarcoma and funds to support sarcoma research, clinical trials, and patient and family services. Our 50 mile ride was one of over 50 “Team Sarcoma Events”, which took place in 13 countries and 21 states in the USA, July 14-21 2007.

Please click the following link to see a short presentation about Sarcoma: A Forgotten Cancer.

Please click the link below to read about the various Team Sarcoma Initiative: 2007 Team Sarcoma Initiative Events.

  ______________________________________________________  

Yosef Landesman, Ph.D.
President & Cancer Research Director
Cure Alveolar Soft Part Sarcoma International (iCureASPS)
e-mail: landesmany@yahoo.com

Sunday, January 14th was the coldest day in the metropolitan Phoenix area if the past 17 years. It did not dampen the spirit of the runners assembled for the PF Chang’s Rock N Roll marathon. Temperatures at the start were approximately 27 degrees.

Two runners participated in the half marathon in support of Team ASPS and in loving memory of Matthew Scott Pinson. Danna Quinn, Matt’s mom, and Andreia Griego, a coworker and supporter, each completed the race. Andreia managed to finish in less than 2 hours, an excellent accomplishment. The race was an inspiration for not only the runners, running for many different causes and charities, but for the spectators as well, braving the cold to cheer on their family and friends.

It is a testament to Matt’s life that so many felt moved to contribute. I want to send my thanks to everyone. I am most appreciative of everyone’s support. Your generous donations helped to raise over $5,400. Thanks to those that supported Andreia and myself, to those that raised money in their own work places, from business partners, even at the race track. It is truly amazing what we can accomplish together.

Watch for details for next year’s event. Get out those running shoes and start training!

With hope that we find a cure,
Danna Quinn, mother of Matt

Join us in our fight against Alveolar Soft Part Sarcoma (ASPS) by sponsoring runner Danna Quinn in the “P.F. Chang’s Rock’n Roll” Marathon & Half Marathon on January 14th, 2006 in Phoenix, AZ.
Contributions are tax deductible.

Danna Quinn, mother of Matt will be running the half marathon in memory of her beloved son and will be raising money for the current ASPS cancer vaccine clinical trial at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. All money raised will go directly to support ASPS research and trials. Danna is hoping that everyone in the ASPS community can sponsor her for a dollar or two a mile (13 miles is how far she will be running). This is the First Memorial event for Matt, and Danna hopes everyone understands how important is it to continue to fight this terrible disease in Matt’s memory.

About Matt:

Matthew was a senior in high school and a varsity football player in September of 2003 when he noticed a lump on his hip. Doctors’ visits, tests, and biopsies followed and in early October, at the age of 18, he was diagnosed with a very rare cancer called Alveolar Soft Part Sarcoma (ASPS). Given his excellent physical condition, we believed that he would fight and win his battle, but ASPS is a formidable opponent. It is a chemo resistant cancer and there is currently no known cure. At the age of 19, only 10 months after his diagnoses and just 2 months after his high school graduation, he was called home. He fought the brave fight, amazing all with his courage and his continued love, care and concern for others in the face of his own struggles. Matt was truly an angel on earth, and we know he continues to watch over us. He touched not only his entire family, but the countless friends, teachers, coaches and even the acquaintances that crossed his path. His spirit lives on in each of us that were fortunate enough to have known and loved him.

How to make a donation:

Please make checks payable to “Team ASPS”. Dollars go directly to Dana Farber Cancer Institute through The Pan Massachusetts Challenge (PMC). PMC is a non profit organization under section 501c3. There are no administrative costs, so all dollars raised go directly to the clinical trials and are designated specifically for ASPS.
For the address to send checks and more information please contact Danna Quinn.

I am very pleased to inform you that “Cure Alveolar Soft Part Sarcoma International” has transferred 37,429 dollars to support the research and clinical trial which are currently held at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. “Team ASPS” rode in the August 2006 PMC bike ride and collected those funds. Since 2004, our team raised 111,841 dollars. All of those funds were transferred to the Dana Farber and are used exclusively for ASPS research programs.

I am also proud to inform you that “Cure Alveolar Soft Part Sarcoma International” has transferred 5,000 dollars to support pre-clinical studies that are aimed to find out if a new drug under development has benefits for Alveolar Soft Part Sarcoma patients. This research is currently held at the Volcani Institute near Tel-Aviv in Israel. More details about this new project will be given at a later time.

I would like to thank “Team ASPS” members, to our donors and to all of you in the ASPS community for your generosity, commitment and dedication. It is through hard work and perseverance that we will find the cure for our loved ones.

__________________________

Yosef Landesman, Ph.D.
President & Cancer Research Director
Cure Alveolar Soft Part Sarcoma International (iCureASPS)
e-mail: landesmany@yahoo.com

In August 2006 our team of bike riders participated for the third time in the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge (PMC) bike ride. This bike-a-thon crosses Massachusetts to raise money for cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. Some of our riders rode 90 miles and others rode 150 miles. The money that our team raises is specifically dedicated to the efforts of find cure for ASPS. Our team had a milestone this year of collecting more then 100,000 dollars altogether in 3 years of participation in the PMC bike-a-thon!

Click here for more information, and see more photos from the event!