"From bedside to lab bench and back, this biorepository represents the culmination of translational research, directly connecting patients, clinicians, and basic research scientists in the fight against cancer," said Elisa Ledet, PhD, research instructor and director of Tulane Cancer Center's Prostate Cancer Biorepository.

Primarily composed of approximately 9,000 blood and tissue samples from 854 prostate cancer patients seen at Tulane Medical Center, this biorepository was launched in 2014 by Dr. Oliver Sartor – previous head of Tulane Cancer Center's Prostate Cancer Research Program – in collaboration with fellow clinicians and basic science researchers across many disciplines at Tulane.

Dr. Sartor continues to collaborate with Dr. Ledet on the growth and development of the biorepository. And since its launch, the facility has evolved, becoming a unique and robust research resource for a number of prostate cancer clinicians and investigators not only at Tulane but at other institutions around the world. "These efforts have provided a breadth of experience and expertise which have resulted in a thriving translational prostate cancer research program here," said Ledet.

In addition to prostate cancer samples – which span the full spectrum of prostate cancer diagnoses, from early and indolent disease to advanced metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer – the facility also houses the clinical data associated with each sample collected, including patient demographics, family history, initial diagnosis and staging, histopathology, diagnostic imaging results, lab values, genetic testing results, and treatment history.

Recently, the facility expanded to include tissue samples and associated clinical data for other genitourinary malignancies as well, including renal and bladder cancer. And efforts are underway to incorporate gynecologic, neurologic and hematologic malignancies and lung cancer.

"The biorepository is actively engaged with a number of Tulane Cancer Center clinicians and basic research scientists to specifically address their research interests and provide the tissue specimens and associated clinical data needed for their investigations," said Ledet. "This active engagement fosters collaborative relationships, which makes truly translational research flourish and grow at Tulane Cancer Center."

In addition to biological samples, the biorepository has developed and maintained a robust clinical data repository for over 2,500 prostate cancer patients treated at Tulane Medical Center. Derived from clinicians in both the Department of Urology and the Tulane Cancer Center, detailed patient data has been collected and utilized for a myriad of clinical studies. Most importantly, as a component of clinical care, detailed cancer family history data has been recorded, in conjunction with an expansion of genetic testing in prostate cancer patients. This family history data is an invaluable resource for ongoing studies of hereditary prostate cancer.

While Southeastern Louisiana is dubiously known as “cancer alley” and Tulane’s catchment area encompasses racially diverse, medically underserved, and rural populations, there have been significant barriers to conducting translational research in these groups. The goal of Tulane Cancer Center's Biorepository is to overcome these barriers and forge partnerships between patients, clinicians and basic scientists by identifying opportunities for collaboration and serving as a foundational resource for unique and truly impactful translational research at Tulane.

Clinicians or basic research scientists interested in utilizing the translational research resources of Tulane Cancer Center's Prostate Cancer Biorepository can contact Dr. Ledet at eledet@tulane.edu.

Two Tulane Cancer Center researchers – Zhen Lin, MD, PhD, (bottom row far right) and William C. Wimley, PhD (bottom row far left) – were each recently awarded $35,000 Ladies Leukemia League (LLL) grants to help support their leukemia and lymphoma research projects.

Tulane's current grant recipients were recognized and awarded with the first half of their grants at the organization's annual grant recipient luncheon, which took place in April. The balance of their awards will be distributed at the halfway point in the grant period, during the organization's annual Fête de Noël Luncheon.

This luncheon / fashion show is LLL’s major annual fundraiser and a premiere benefit of the Holiday Season in New Orleans. It is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, November 28, 2023 at the Hilton Riverside Hotel. For more information, please click here.

A tool created to help identify those risk factor is The Defender, a free, online cancer risk assessment tool developed by the ACS in partnership with the NFL. Participants answer a few questions, and in minutes, an action plan is provided with personalized MVP Tips — the ‘Most Valuable Prevention’ Tips.

Give The Defender a few minutes of your time and it will show you how to reduce your cancer risk. Start here.

At the May Board Meeting of the Cancer Crusaders, Kathy Pastorek, immediate past president, and Kim Hasney and Jackie Hughes, 2023 co-presidents, presented LSU's Augusto Ochoa, MD, and Erik Flemington, PhD, Zimmerman Endowed Professor of Cancer Research at Tulane Cancer Center, with a check for an incredible $214,871.72 – funds raised by the organization through their various fundraising events in 2022.

For more information on Cancer Crusaders events – including their Celebration of Life Luncheon scheduled for September 15 – visit https://cancercrusadersla.com/.

Be a part of the fight against breast cancer while enjoying a feast for the senses. Join Krewe de Pink for their Fourth Annual Death by Chocolate…NOT Breast Cancer fundraiser, benefiting Tulane Cancer Center's Breast Cancer Research Fund.

Krewe de Pink, in partnership with Delgado Community College’s Culinary and Pastry Arts Program and Jacob Schoen & Son, has created a chocolate and champagne tasting event like no other. Twelve tasty chocolate bites – both sweet and savory – will be created by the Delgado culinary and pastry arts students and alumni with chocolate donated by Callebaut Chocolate, home of the finest Belgian chocolate.

To learn more about their stories, please click here.

VIP tickets are $100 and are advanced sale only. General admission is $60 in advance and $75 at the door (provided the event is not sold out). To purchase yours, please click here.

Rain didn't dampen the spirits of those who came decked out in their finest bedazzled bras for Krewe de Pink's (KDP) recent Pink Bra Run & Bike Ride, benefiting Tulane Cancer Center's Breast Cancer Research Program.

Walkers, runners, partiers, and – for the first time this year – bike riders gathered to complete their routes atop the Mississippi River levee, with the unmistakable New Orleans city skyline as a backdrop.

Storms may have cut the after-race party a little short, but not before participants got to enjoy tasty food, cold beverages, lively music, and the highly anticipated and entertaining "Best Decorated Bra" contest. Winner David Libiez – who also won the race – is pictured above (center).

"We came to New Orleans for a family birthday crawfish boil, and since I'm a runner, I looked for a race to participate in while we were here. I found the Pink Bra 5K online, and after seeing the Krewe de Pink website, I knew I had to go all in, bra and all," said Libiez. "Decorating the bra became a family project. I'm not sure which was more satisfying, winning the race or winning the bra contest! I'm just glad I was able to support Krewe de Pink's fundraising efforts and appreciate what they do."

Members of Krewe de Pink work tirelessly to plan unique, New Orleans-style fundraisers that are not only incredibly fun but incredibly important as well. "Funds raised through the Pink Bra Run and other KDP events are put to work in the laboratories of our breast cancer researchers, providing them with the flexibility of highly valued unrestricted resources for rapid pursuit of theories not necessarily supported by other funding," said Tulane Cancer Center Director Prescott Deininger, PhD. "This level of flexibility is vital to our research progress and only possible through the support of our friends in KDP. We can't thank them enough."

To learn more about Krewe de Pink's annual events, visit their website at www.KrewedePink.org.