A GLIMMER OF HOPE INC
The symbol of the cure
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Circulating Blood Biopsy
The use of solid tumor biopsies — a surgical procedure when tissue is removed from a tumor and examined — to measure patient responses to treatment is mainstay in current breast cancer research. MWRI has found that breast cancers evolve and adapt as a result of therapy treatments and changes in hormones. Better understanding the process of breast cancer evolution is key to combating drug resistance and mortality, but solid tumor biopsies hinder research progress due to the cost and potential clinical complications involved.
MWRI also will analyze liquid biopsies, or blood samples, to better understand how to combat metastatic breast cancer. DNA fragments from tumors are shed into the blood and can be separated from the plasma for genetic sequencing. This may allow real-time monitoring of the size and severity of breast cancer tumors and its response to therapy. Additionally, liquid biopsies are less invasive so they may be taken more frequently than standard solid tumor biopsies.
“We are grateful to A Glimmer of Hope Foundation for supporting our research efforts,” said Steffi Oesterreich, Ph.D., director, Women’s Cancer Research Center at MWRI and UPMC Hillman Cancer Center. “This funding will help us to measure patient response to treatment and identify changes that may have emerged during tumor evolution.”
Tomosynthesis Mammography equipment
GE’s SenoClaire* breast tomosynthesis is a three-dimensional imaging technology that uses a low-dose short X-ray sweep around the compressed breast with only nine exposures. This imaging technique is designed to separate the tissues and to reduce the overlapping of structures, which represents a limiting factor in standard 2D mammography.
Pre-menopausal/Breast Specialty Care Clinic at Magee Womens Hospital
Funding has helped support the launch of a premenopausal breast cancer clinic at Magee, which allows women with complex breast cancers to see all the clinicians they need to see in a single day, instead of returning several times over the course of a week or a month for appointments.
Magee’s Specialty Care Clinic
Within the Magee Breast Cancer program, we look after approximately 200 women per year who are under the age of 45 and affected by breast cancer.
Young women are a growing population in the US. With more young women at risk, the absolute number of young women with breast cancer will also increase and it will be a growing health problem.
This group of breast cancer patients have unique needs because of the age at which they were diagnosed. They tend to have different, sometime more aggressive cancers, that may be found at a higher stage. There is a higher risk that they have a genetic problem that predisposed them to this and possibly other types of cancer. In addition, there are other concerns that dominate at this stage of life, like being a wife, caring for a young family and building a career, that need to also be addressed as they are going through treatment.
With the support from the Glimmer of Hope Foundation and the input from clinical experts and patient advocates, Magee created the Breast Cancer Specialty Care Clinic in 2014. A team of experts work together to coordinate services that address the difficult issues of the breast cancer treatment, genetic susceptibility to breast cancer, fertility preservation, reconstruction options and survivorship.
As with most complex medical problems, the typical path a patient takes for their care may include multiple doctor’s office visits and coordination between a team before treatment starts. We have conceptualized and built the Breast Cancer Specialty Care Clinic as a “one-stop shop” where our patients meet their cancer specialty team in one day. The team may be composed of several doctors including a surgeon, medical oncologist, radiation oncologist, genetic counselor, reproductive endocrinologist, plastic surgeon and a patient navigator.
The benefit of this set up is that care can be expedited and they receive their first treatment even sooner.
General talking points about breast cancer and screening:
The best way to determine if you are at average or high risk for breast cancer is to talk with your health care provider about your family history and your personal medical history.
In general, women at high risk for breast cancer include women with a family history of breast cancer in a first degree relative (mother, sister, or daughter), women with an inherited gene mutation, and women with a personal history of breast cancer.
The vast majority of women will be cured of breast cancer today. While there are some cancers we cannot cure, we have come a long way and now women have a message of hope and optimism.
Don’t avoid bringing any concern to the attention of your doctor. The sooner that happens, the best chance you have for a cure. Don’t be afraid to talk to your doctor about any symptoms you may be experiencing.
ABUS Screening for Dense Breast at Allegheny Health Network
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - Automated breast ultrasound (ABUS), the only breast cancer screening technology specifically developed and FDA-approved for women with dense breast tissue, is now available to patients at Allegheny Health Network (AHN).
Dense breast tissue makes it more difficult to detect small breast cancers on a mammogram and the estimated 40 percent of women who have dense breasts are at a slightly higher risk for breast cancer. For these women, new and improved screening tools are critical.
Clinical trials have found that the Invenia Automated Breast Ultrasound System (ABUS) improves cancer detection by as much as 60 percent when used in conjunction with mammography.
AHN’s investment in the ABUS technology was made possible by Glimmer of Hope, a Wexford-based breast cancer foundation dedicated to fighting breast cancer, particularly in younger women. In addition to the ABUS, Glimmer of Hope has also funded an integrative medicine program for young breast cancer patients at AHN, and a tomosynthesis system that provides clearer images of breast tissue while using less radiation.
“The 3-D images provided by ABUS help us better detect small cancers in dense breasts so that we can treat these cancers early and give women the best shot at a cure,” said William Poller, MD, Director, Division of Breast Imaging, AHN. “We thank Glimmer of Hope for making it possible for us to offer this state-of-the-art technology to women of the Pittsburgh region.”
The ABUS is comfortable and quick procedure, taking about 15 minutes. It is appropriate for women with dense breasts who have symptoms or a history of breast cancer, or as a follow-up test to mammogram findings, whether normal or benign.
Metastatic breast cancer research
A Glimmer of Hope has partnered with Metavivor for localized immunotherapy for breast cancer research at Hillman Cancer Center
Where we work
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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A GLIMMER OF HOPE INC
Board of directorsas of 12/02/2019
Diana Napper
William Brucker
Vera Donnenberg
UPMC
Judy Herstine
Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC
William Poller
Allegheny Health Network