The Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation Joins Forces with Patient Advocate Group to Advance Care for People with EGFR-Positive Lung Cancer

SAN CARLOS, Calif., /PRNewswire/ -- The Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation (ALCF) and the EGFR Resisters, a patient-driven community of people living with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) positive lung cancer and their loved ones, are working together to raise funds and increase awareness of projects that benefit the EGFR community.

“ALCF was founded to bring lung cancer patients into the conversation,” said Bonnie J. Addario, 14-year lung cancer survivor and ALCF founder. “We exist to support patient collaboration, and our partnership with the EGFR Resisters is a perfect example of that principle in action.”

EGFR gene mutations are commonly found in patients with non-small cell lung cancer, making up to 15 percent of patients in the United States and 35 percent of patients in Asia. While lung cancers with the EGFR mutation often respond well to specifically targeted therapies, patients commonly acquire resistance as additional genetic mutations develop that block the therapy’s benefits. The frequency of this cycle of therapy response followed by resistance is propelling researchers to look for new treatments that overcome therapy resistance.

“We’re excited about the possibilities this collaboration offers,” said Ivy Elkins, one of the EGFR Resisters founders and an advocate for lung cancer patients. “My hope is that patients around the globe will join forces with the EGFR Resisters to create a strong collective voice in support of research. Working with ALCF strengthens our voice and extends our reach into important corridors of medical research and funding.”

Combining the efforts of ALCF and its research arm, Addario Lung Cancer Medical Institute (ALCMI), with the patient advocacy of several hundred people around the globe who have come together to form the EGFR Resisters will enable greater outreach to obtain research funding. The initiative also raises awareness about the patients who have donated information and tissue samples. It provides researchers with a channel to recruit volunteers to participate in clinical trials for new therapies.

“Patients who are EGFR positive are a unique subset of lung cancer patients,” said Pasi A. Jänne, M.D., PhD., EGFR Resisters medical advisor, director of the Lower Center for Thoracic Oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. “Many patients with EGFR enjoy a dramatic response to targeted therapy, followed by a profound letdown when the therapy stops working. Through this partnership, we can help to replace that disappointment with hope.”

About the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation
The Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation (ALCF) is one of the largest international philanthropies (patient-founded, patient-focused and patient-driven) devoted exclusively to eradicating lung cancer through research, early detection, education and treatment. The foundation’s goal is to work with a diverse group of physicians, organizations, industry partners, individuals, patients, survivors and their families to identify solutions and make timely and meaningful change and turn lung cancer into a chronically managed disease. ALCF has raised more than $30 million for lung cancer research and related programs. The foundation has received four stars from Charity Navigator and has earned the platinum GuideStar nonprofit seal of transparency. For more information about ALCF please visit www.lungcancerfoundation.org or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

About the Addario Lung Cancer Medical Institute
The Addario Lung Cancer Medical Institute (ALCMI, voiced as “Alchemy”), founded in 2008 as a 501c(3) nonprofit organization by lung cancer survivor Bonnie J Addario, is a patient-centric, international research consortium driving research otherwise not possible. Working in tandem with its “partner” foundation, the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation (ALCF), ALCMI powers collaborative initiatives in genetic (molecular) testing, therapeutic discoveries, targeted treatments and early detection. ALCMI overcomes barriers to collaboration via a world-class team of investigators from 26 member institutions in the USA, UK, and Europe. ALCMI combines scientific expertise found at leading academic institutions with patient access through its network of community cancer centers to accelerate research. Learn more at alcmi.net.

About EGFR Resisters
EGFR Resisters is a grassroots, patient-driven community dedicated exclusively to changing EGFR-positive lung cancer into a manageable chronic disease. Our community of survivors and caregivers is made up of hundreds of members from 24 countries who benefit from sharing knowledge and connecting with others who are experiencing similar journeys. The group’s aim is to use the power of collaboration to drive important research questions and fund novel research and clinical trials. Learn more at egfrcancer.org and by following us on Facebook and Twitter.

View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-bonnie-j-addario-lung-cancer-foundation-joins-forces-with-patient-advocate-group-to-advance-care-for-people-with-egfr-positive-lung-cancer-300704301.html

SOURCE Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation