August 22, 1996

BREAST AND CERVICAL CANCER RESEARCH GRANTS ANNOUNCED

SPRINGFIELD, IL -- The Illinois Department of Public Health has awarded seven grants totaling $353,246 for breast and cervical cancer research, Dr. John R. Lumpkin, state public health director, today announced.

"These grants support critical research into the causes, prevention and treatment of breast and cervical cancer," Dr. Lumpkin said.

Invasive breast cancer is diagnosed in approximately 7,300 Illinois women annually and claims the lives of 2,200 each year. Nearly 710 women in Illinois learn they have invasive cervical cancer each year and about 220 women die annually from the disease.

"Being screened for breast and cervical cancer is a frightening thought for many women, but it is vital to realize that early detection and treatment could save many lives each year," Dr. Lumpkin said. "These research funds contribute greatly to advancing this effort."

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 returns. Since 1993, more than $800,000 has been awarded to 21 research projects, $345,099 of which has been contributed through the tax fund.

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 --

• Mary Hunzicker-Dunn, Northwestern University, "Role of PKC-(differential variation) in the growth of human breast cancer cells," $50,000.

• Anne Ritke McCall, M.D., Loyola University of Chicago, Stritch School of Medicine, "An evaluation of sexual function before and after surgery and/or radiotherapy for cervical cancer," $20,000.
• Rajendra G. Mehta, University of Illinois at Chicago, "Cancer prevention by vitamin D analog," $71,877.
• Martin Mueller, Ph.D., Loyola University of Chicago, Stritch School of Medicine, "Characterization of chimeric papillomavirus particles," $50,000.
• Robert Mark Nishikawa, The University of Chicago, "Computer-aided diagnosis of breast lesions missed on mammography," $51,369.
• Miriam B. Rodin, Northwestern University, "A randomized comparison of peer education for local community-based breast cancer screening," $40,000.
• Bayar Thimmapaya, Northwestern University, "Gene therapy for breast cancer," $70,000.

Illinois' voluntary income tax funds must raise a minimum of $100,000 each year to remain on the IL-1040 form. By the end of July, the Breast and Cervical Cancer Research Fund had received nearly $120,000 in taxpayer contributions from the 1995 tax year and will appear on the 1996 tax forms for the fourth consecutive year.

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