A New Hope for Preventing Cervical Cancer Relapse
The CRS offers more cancer-specific funding opportunities for researchers. It has played, and will continue to play, a vital role in funding research on all types of cancer across Canada.
As a teenager, Dr. Kathy Han was personally affected by the disease when her grandmother was diagnosed with lung cancer. This experience inspired her to pursue a career in medicine and research.
Thanks to a grant from the Cancer Research Society, she was able to lead a research project at the University of Toronto aimed at improving care for patients with cervical cancer. Her team validated an innovative method: detecting fragments of human papillomavirus (HPV) in the blood, the virus responsible for most cervical cancer cases, in order to predict the risk of recurrence earlier.
“My research demonstrated that detecting the virus ’DNA in the blood can be used to measure treatment effectiveness and support a more personalized approach to cervical cancer care. This could help identify patients at high risk of relapse, as well as those who might benefit from additional treatment alongside chemoradiotherapy.”
The Importance of Prevention Research: Staying Ahead of Cancer
Since 1945, the generosity of thousands of donors and various partners across Canada has enabled the CRS to support numerous research projects aimed at anticipating and identifying the early warning signs of cancer or its recurrence. Prevention remains a key focus for the CRS, helping leading researchers make major advancements in this area.
In this context, Dr. Han emphasizes the importance of receiving funds for her research project. This support enabled her to conduct a multi-institutional study aimed at improving the management, follow-up, and treatment of patients.
“The CRS offers more cancer-specific funding opportunities for researchers. It has played, and will continue to play, a vital role in funding research on all types of cancer across Canada.”