FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PANCAN, ASCO HONOR PANCREATIC CANCER RESEARCHERS WITH MORE THAN $200,000 IN GRANTS TO ADVANCE EFFORTS TO FIND A CURE

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. U.S.A. (May 21, 2003) - The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN), a national patient advocacy organization for the pancreatic cancer community, announced the recipients of their inaugural Career Development and Samuel Stroum Young Investigator Awards to encourage researchers into the field of pancreatic cancer. These groundbreaking awards advance research efforts for pancreatic cancer. The recipient of the Career Development Award receives a three-year grant that will provide $56,700 per year---totaling $170,100---to establish an independent clinical cancer program competitive for national funding. The Samuel Stroum Young Investigator Award is a $35,000 grant for one year.

The first recipients of the PanCAN-ASCO Awards are Andrew H. Ko, MD, University of California, San Francisco, Career Development Award; and Christopher R. Cogle, MD, University of Florida, Samuel Stroum Young Investigator Award. Both recipients will be honored at ASCO's 39th Annual Meeting, May 31-June 3, 2003, at Chicago's McCormick Place convention center. The theme of the Annual Meeting is "Commitment. Care. Compassion. Honoring People With Cancer."
“ While good progress is being made in early detection, research, and treatment programs for some cancers, this is clearly not the case for pancreatic cancer,” said Paula Kim, PanCAN President and Founder. “Establishing grants like the PanCAN-ASCO awards for advanced research will be critical in the fight for a cure. By attracting early and experienced investigators to the field of pancreatic cancer, we can build a critical mass of scientists focused on this disease.”

Despite the especially lethal nature of pancreatic cancer, research spending per pancreatic cancer patient is only $1092. This is the least amount of money spent per patient of any leading cancer. In 2002, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) spent 33.1 million dollars—less than 1 percent of its cancer research budget--on pancreatic cancer research. Due to limited funding, little research is underway. There are no effective early-detection methods and treatment options remain minimal.

About PanCAN
PanCAN is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1999 by surviving family members of individuals who died of pancreatic cancer. Chartered as a grassroots organization of advocacy for pancreatic cancer patients and their families, PanCAN currently has volunteers and members throughout the United States and around the world. PanCAN is the first, national public-benefit advocacy organization for the pancreatic cancer community. The organization works to focus national attention on the need to find a cure for pancreatic cancer, and provides public and professional education embracing the urgent need for more research, effective treatments, prevention programs and early detection methods. Visit www.pancan.org to obtain more information, e-mail info@pancan.org, or call 1-877-272-6226.

About ASCO
ASCO is the world's leading professional society of multidisciplinary medical professionals who treat people with cancer. ASCO's more than 20,000 members from the U.S. and abroad set the standard for patient care worldwide and lead the fight for more effective cancer treatments, increased funding for clinical and translational research, and, ultimately, cures for the many different cancers that strike 1.3 million Americans every year. ASCO publishes the semi-monthly Journal of Clinical Oncology (JCO), the foremost, peer-reviewed journal focusing on clinical cancer research, and produces the award-winning website People Living With Cancer (www.plwc.org), which provides oncologist-vetted cancer information to help patients and families make informed healthcare decisions.

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Media Contacts:

Aaron Kiel
Public Relations Consultant for PanCAN
Phone: 562-983-8113
Email: akiel@akprgroup.com

Company Contacts:

Julie Fleshman
Executive Director, PanCAN
Phone: 310-725-0025
Email: jfleshman@pancan.org