Susan G. Komen® Calls on Congress to Preserve Funding for the Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program

“The DOD’s Breast Cancer Research Program (BCRP) is a vital part of the federal commitment to fighting cancer, focusing on truly cutting-edge discoveries,” said Victoria Wolodzko, Komen’s SVP of Mission. “This program is unique among federal research programs in that it challenges scientists to pursue high-risk, high-reward research and explore new paradigms that are the hallmark of innovation.”

The BCRP has invested in research to better understand how and why breast cancer begins to grow, factors that increase risk and more advanced ways to detect and treat the disease, including innovative treatments that are both more effective and less toxic for the patient. Last Fiscal Year, this program was only able to fund 10 percent of the proposals submitted.

Susan G. Komen supported the creation of this program and continues to regularly collaborate with the program by providing trained patient advocates to participate in the peer-review of grant proposals. Earlier this month, several Komen patient advocates participated in the program’s peer review process. By including the patient voice in the review process, we are able to help ensure that the impact on patients is always considered and that grants approved for funding will make the biggest impact on extending life and improving the quality of life.

“For 25 years the DOD Breast Cancer Research Program has focused on new emerging ideas for treatment and early detection of breast cancer, providing faster access to vital funds than other government research programs,” said Peggy Johnson, a Susan G. Komen patient Advocate in Science who recently participated in the program’s peer review process. “This program is unique in its use of consumer (patient) reviewers, those directly affect by the diseases. The program’s continued use of breast cancer survivors as consumer reviewers with equal say in which applications move forward makes this program especially vital.”

Research proposals for the program currently must address important challenges, such as how to distinguish between deadly and non-deadly breast cancers, what drives breast cancer growth and how to stop it, why some cancers become metastatic (meaning the spread to other parts of the body and become deadly), and how to prevent deadly recurrence, among other topics.

About Susan G. Komen®

Susan G. Komen is the world’s largest breast cancer organization, funding more breast cancer research than any other nonprofit outside of the federal government while providing real-time help to those facing the disease. Komen has set a Bold Goal to reduce the current number of breast cancer deaths by 50 percent in the U.S. by 2026. Since its founding in 1982, Komen has funded more than $988 million in breakthrough research and provided more than $2.2 billion in funding to screening, education, treatment and psychosocial support programs serving millions of people in more than 60 countries worldwide. Komen was founded by Nancy G. Brinker, who promised her sister, Susan G. Komen, that she would end the disease that claimed Suzy’s life. That promise has become Komen’s promise to all people facing breast cancer. Visit komen.org or call 1-877 GO KOMEN. Connect with us on social at ww5.komen.org/social.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190702005463/en/