We are a proud supporter of Dr. Wolchok’s work at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center where his program is known for being one of the most successful in the world at rapidly moving laboratory discoveries into the clinic. Currently, Dr. Wolchok’s work with immunotherapy techniques thought to potentially cure metastatic melanoma has gained great recognition in the medical field.

Dr. Wolchok’s laboratory has continued to develop and translate new approaches to cancer treatment and prevention that target the immune system.  Because cancer arises from one’s own tissues, and the body’s checks and balances prevent immunity against “self,” the immune system has great difficulty in rejecting cancer cells.  Investigators have discovered novel ways to overcome this resistance and stimulate the immune system to attack and destroy cancer.  Dr. Wolchok’s research pays special attention to those strategies and treatments that can be adapted to many different types of cancer. It is not possible to discuss all of the achievements and discoveries that came out of the Laboratory over the last year, but these are several highlights:

• Cancer vaccines developed in our laboratory have been used to treat more than 300 companion animals with cancer, in collaboration with the Animal Medical Center. 
• Results in companion animals with melanoma, which is usually a rapidly lethal cancer in dogs, continue to be very encouraging and have moved to large-scale national trials.
• A molecular immune stimulant called GM-CSF DNA improves survival of companion animals with melanoma who received DNA vaccines—and the same DNA immune stimulant is being tested in a clinical trial in patients with cancer at MSKCC.
• Clinical trials using 10 different vaccines are ongoing or are about to begin in people with high risk or metastatic melanoma, prostate cancer, breast cancer, kidney cancer, and lymphoma.
• Preliminary results in patients with high-risk melanoma receiving an experimental DNA vaccine reveals that T cells of the immune system against a melanoma antigen are increased and functional, and that patients who responded were much more likely to survive.
• Preliminary results of ongoing clinical studies investigating a monoclonal antibody treatment (anti-CTLA4, developed by Dr. Jim Allison, Chair of Immunology at MSKCC) that modulates the immune system—with or without vaccination—in patients with high-risk melanoma are encouraging. 
• A monoclonal antibody against a molecule on lymphocytes called GITR, which stimulates CD8+ T lymphocytes to attack cancer cells—while shutting down suppressor lymphocytes that prevent cancer immunity—was successful in treating cancer in laboratory models; the mechanism was shown to primarily involve activating T cells.
• Another novel monoclonal antibody that activates a molecule on CD4+T lymphocytes (called OX40) was effective in treating palpable tumors, leading to complete regression without recurrence in laboratory models.
• A new vaccine approach comprised of randomly generated mutations generated better cancer immunity than first-generation vaccines in laboratory models.
• A novel cancer vaccine made from a disabled alphavirus was effective in laboratory models against cancer.

This was an exceptional year for the Wolchok research team — one of the most exciting in years.  Thanks to the Live, Love, Laugh Foundation’s continued support, the Cancer Center has made new discoveries and important progress in the development of innovative treatments for melanoma and other cancers.

This summer, riders on the Hampton Jitney Bus will be provided with an educational postcard that details facts on melanoma as well as tips to protect oneself from the sun. We are excited about the prospect of reaching over 2,000 people on their way to the beach this summer and hope that some people will choose to become involved with our Foundation. We hope that all people will take advantage of this opportunity to get educated and protect themselves from cancer.

We are also excited about our partnership with Camp Vega in Fayette, Maine this summer. Through this partnership, over 1,000 girls and their grandparents will have the great opportunity to participate in a fun-filled educational day hosted by LLL. This grandparents’ day won’t be your ordinary day – but a day filled with events and games for the whole family centered on learning about the environment, how the sun affects one’s health and how to protect oneself to ensure a healthy future. We look forward to telling you all about this great day away and LLL can’t wait to go to camp this summer! Participants at Camp Vega will also have the opportunity to learn more about LLL and our initiatives through the Camp Vega newsletter and other promotions throughout the entire summer.

If you would like to learn how you can host an educational event or get more involved in LLL programs, please contact Jules Greenwald at 646.278.6740.