Research Report 2006

In 2006 CIKA was funding two research projects. One is the dendritic cells programme and the second is the rhabdoid tumours study. The committed funding for these two programs for the year ended 30 June 2007 was $148,482.

CIKA vice president, Ellen Webb, reported as follows in the Spring 2006 Newsletter.

The dendritic cells study is leveraging results found in earlier vaccine studies with the aim of identifying why cancer patients become immunodeficient. Improving patients’ immune systems will enable them to complete their prescribed course of treatment with fewer delays, thus giving them a better chance of arresting the cancer growth and achieving remission from solid tumours. This study has been ongoing since 1997 and is the follow up to the Phase I clinical trials previously funded by CIKA.

The second study is the rhabdoid tumour study. These solid tumours are rare and at present have a very high mortality rate. CIKA is funding research into this study which is being conducted in collaboration with other hospitals here and abroad. The early stage funding by CIKA enables this important work to continue to the point where further funding can be obtained from other sources once sufficient data has been obtained to prove hypothesis.

We have continued to increase our committed funding, as well as the number of studies, and we have targeted to fund as many different types of tumours as possible, which we hope will ultimately help to find a cure. Our ability to fund further studies is limited by our fundraising abilities and we are working to increase funds raised to $200,000 per annum.