August 18, 1995

BREAST AND CERVICAL CANCER RESEARCH GRANTS ANNOUNCED

SPRINGFIELD, IL -- The Illinois Department of Public Health has awarded seven grants totaling $280,668 for breast and cervical cancer research, Dr. John R. Lumpkin, state public health director, today announced.

"These grants will make possible research into the causes, prevention and treatment of breast and cervical cancer," Dr. Lumpkin said.

Breast cancer is diagnosed in approximately 8,700 Illinois women annually and claims the lives of 2,200 women each year. Nearly 700 women in Illinois learn they have cervical cancer each year and about 450 women die annually from the disease.

"For many women, a visit to the doctor to be screened for breast and cervical cancer can mean the possibility of having to face these terrible diseases," said Dr. Lumpkin. "But it is vital to realize that early detection and treatment could save many lives each year."

The grant monies are from state appropriations and the Breast and Cervical Cancer Research Fund, a special fund to which taxpayers can contribute through their IL-1040 income tax return. The fund, which appeared for the first time on the 1993 IL-1040 income tax return, received nearly $108,000 in taxpayer contributions during the 1993 tax year.

Grant requests were reviewed by the Department in consultation with the Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Research Fund Advisory and Peer Review Committees. Members of the advisory committee include representatives of the Illinois Chapter of the American Cancer Society, Y-Me, the State Board of Health and the Department.

The seven grant recipients are --

• Lutz Gissman, Ph.D., Loyola University Medical Center, "Regulation of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Type 18 in Vivo: Effects of Estrogen and Progesterone on Transgenic Mice," $55,000.
• Rajendra G. Mehta, Ph.D., University of Illinois at Chicago, "Cancer Prevention by Vitamin D Analog," $55,000.
• William J. Gradishar, M.D., Northwestern University Medical School, "Suramin: Inhibition of Angiogenesis in Breast Cancer," $27,489.
• Miriam Rodin, M.D., Northwestern University Medical Center, "A Model Training and Outreach Program in Breast Cancer Screening: Changing Health Behavior from Symptomatic Care to Health Promotion Among Southeast Asian Immigrant and Refugee Women in Chicago," $40,000.
• Cynthia M. Waickus, M.D., Ph.D., Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, "Guanidinobenzoatese as a Probe for Malignancy in Routine Cervical Smears," $23,179.

• Nancy Dolan, M.D., Northwestern University Medical School, "Increasing Adherence to Physician's Recommendation for Screening Mammography: A Randomized, Controlled Trial," $40,000.
• Robert M. Nishikawa, Ph.D., University of Chicago, "Computer-aided Detection of Breast Lesions Missed on Mammography," $40,000.

Illinois' voluntary income tax funds must raise a minimum of $100,000 each year to remain on the IL-1040 form. The Breast and Cervical Cancer fund has already received more than $100,000 in taxpayer contributions from the 1994 tax year and will appear on the 1995 tax forms for the third consecutive year.

Taxpayers may donate $1 or more to special tax funds on the IL-1040 income tax return by filling in the amount of the contribution on line 15. The amount pledged will either decrease the amount of a refund or increase the balance due.

Illinois Department of Public Health 535 West Jefferson Street Springfield, Illinois 62761 Phone 217-782-4977 Fax 217-782-3987 TTY 800-547-0466 Questions or Comments