FORCANCER - Moores Cancer Center

UCSD
Cancer
Center News
An NCI-Designated Cancer Center
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO
GENETIC RISK
FORCANCER
is a Family Matter
Our Clinical Cancer
Genetics Unit
provides the
counseling, testing
and ongoing support
that helps families
navigate through
troubled waters.
... STORY PAGE 4
SPRING 2001

UCSD Cancer Center Foundation
PRESIDENT OF THE FOUNDATION BOARD
Frank M. Goldberg*
VICE PRESIDENTS
William T. Comer, Ph.D.*
Howard Goldfeder*
Andre R. Horn*
Jerome S. Katzin, Esq.*
Louis H. Knierim*
Cinda K. Lucas*
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
J. Samuel Armstrong, IV
Terry Ash
Kathryn A. Bernert, Esq.
Howard C. Birndorf
Thomas A. Bologna
Deborah J. Case
Michael J. Changaris, Esq.
Lois Crandell
Jay de Groot
Charles Faith
Lee Goldberg
Charles F. Gorder, Sr., Esq.*
Donald W. Grimm
Bruce R. Hazard
Ernest Huang, Ph.D.
Peter L. Jensen
Jacqueline Johnson, Ph.D.
Peter Johnson
Maurice C. Kaplan, Esq.*
Richard Levi
George Liggins, M.P.H., Ph.D.
Art Lujan
Al Hugo-Martinez
Joany Mosher
Henry L. Nordhoff
Tina Nova, Ph.D.
Carrie M. O’Brien*
Anne S. Otterson
John W. Otterson, II
Cynthia Polak*
Kenneth D. Polin, Esq.
Peter Preuss
David E. Robinson
Lawrence B. Robinson, Esq.
Scott Cameron Smith
Mary Rand Taylor
John Walton
Robert M. Wood, D.V.M., M.P.H.
EX OFFICIO MEMBERS
Osborne L. Bethea, Jr.
Stephen E. Blank
Robert C. Dynes, Ph.D.
Edward W. Holmes, M.D.
Dolores Landa
Diana Lombrozo
George S. Peck, Jr.
ADVISORY BOARD
John R. Bonn, Esq.
Diane Clarke
Audrey Geisel
George L. Gildred
Joseph W. Hibben
Irwin Jacobs, Ph.D.
Marianne McDonald, Ph.D.
John H. Moxley, III, M.D.
C. D. Pruett
Ruth L. Schulman
Walter Zable
DIRECTOR,
UCSD CANCER CENTER
David Tarin, M.D., Ph.D.*
DEPUTY DIRECTOR,
CLINICAL OPERATIONS
David W. Easter, M.D.
DEPUTY DIRECTOR,
RESEARCH OPERATIONS
Thomas J. Kipps, M.D., Ph.D.
DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT
T. Peter Anderson
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF
DEVELOPMENT
Geoffrey C. Graham
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF
DEVELOPMENT
Cheryl D. Coate
DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANT
Maryann Lapthorn
* Officers and Members of the
Executive Committee
UCSD Cancer Center News is a quarterly publication of the
UCSD Cancer Center Foundation. Comments are welcome.
UCSD Cancer Center Foundation
9500 Gilman Drive #0658
La Jolla, CA 92093-0658
(858) 822-0022
Executive Editor: T. Peter Anderson • Editor: Nancy Stringer
Contributing Writers: T. Peter Anderson, Geoffrey C. Graham,
Nancy Stringer
Message
from the
Director
Statistics now tell us that
cancer will strike one of
every three people at some
point during their lifetime.
This disease, either through a
sporadic occurrence or because of an inherited susceptibility,
will touch nearly every family.
It is our commitment at UCSD Cancer Center to provide you
the most advanced and compassionate care should cancer
occur in your family.
In addition, our Cancer Center is dedicated to preventing
cancer whenever possible, reducing cancer risk through
education and behavior modification, and improving the
outcome of treatment through early detection. To this end,
we have developed a number of innovative and successful
programs.
For example, the California Smokers Helpline — a free,
telephone-based smoking cessation service — was developed
by the Cancer Center in 1990 and has since grown to become
a statewide service that has assisted more than 100,000 callers
to quit. Based upon our success, other states have established
similar programs. We also have developed cancer education
programs promoting early detection in our local African-
American, Pan-Asian and Hispanic communities, and have
adapted these educational programs for the deaf and hearingimpaired
community. As with the Smokers Helpline, these
efforts have captured the attention of health educators
throughout the nation and, in some cases, have provided the
foundation for similar programs in other states.
An important part of our commitment to cancer prevention
and early detection is genetic counseling and testing. Our
Clinical Cancer Genetics Unit is the subject of this issue’s
cover story. I hope you’ll take a moment to read about this
service, which is so important to patients dealing with the
possibility of carrying a gene that could affect loved ones in
their family.
The service, under the direction of Dr. Linda Wasserman, is
an outstanding example of the Cancer Center’s “interactive”
approach to providing quality care.
UCSD Cancer Center News
2

In this team, genetics physicians and
counselors partner with cancer prevention
and risk-reduction specialists, and
with genetics researchers who study heritable
risk factors for cancer at the molecular
level and molecular pathologists
who are teasing out the most basic steps
that cause inheritable disease. All of this
knowledge, gleaned from different disciplines
— medicine, psychology, epidemiology,
biology, pathology, and others
— is brought together for the benefit
of patients. The aim is to provide outstanding,
scientifically validated clinical
care coupled with human compassion
and understanding.
Interactivity is a
common thread
running throughout
the many and varied
programs of the
Cancer Center.
Often, we invite scientists
from other
institutions to visit
for up to a year and
share their expertise with us. In the year
2000, for example, we hosted distinguished
visiting professors from leading
academic institutions in Australia, Chile,
Greece, Italy, Japan, Korea and Spain.
”All of this knowledge,
gleaned from different
disciplines, is brought
together for the benefit
of patients.”
Our newest Distinguished Visiting
Professor is Dr. Eiichi Tahara, Professor
of Pathology, Emeritus, of Hiroshima
University. Dr. Tahara is one of Japan’s
most respected figures in cancer research
and is internationally known for his scientific
contributions to the field, particularly
in the area of gastro-intestinal
cancers. He will collaborate with many
of our senior investigators and will mentor
our younger members.
This kind of interaction provides a rich
experience for the visitor and the member,
bringing new thinking, new insights
and new methods to both sides.
This issue of UCSD Cancer Center News
is brimming with articles that I believe
you will find interesting and informative.
For example, Dr. Richard Boland has
discovered a strong link between a common
human virus and colorectal cancer,
which he believes may be responsible for
a large percentage of non-hereditary
colon cancer. And Dr. Asad Bashey is
studying a type of blood stem-cell transplant
as a treatment for kidney cancer.
This holds potential as an important
advance as there are few treatment
options available for patients with this
type of cancer. You will also want to read
about ductal lavage, a new procedure
that can detect pre-malignant and
malignant breast cells
long before they
become visible
tumors. This service is
being offered to
women at high risk
for developing breast
cancer through our
Breast Care Unit,
directed by Dr. Anne
Wallace.
In another bit of good news, I’m delighted
to report that we have recruited a
new Associate Director for
Administration. Ira Goodman joins us
May 1 from the Kaplan Comprehensive
Cancer Center of New York University
where he served as Associate Director for
Administration for 17 years. This is a
position of key importance to UCSD
Cancer Center, and Ira brings a depth
and breadth of experience that will be an
enormous benefit to our Center. We
welcome him with enthusiasm.
I hope you enjoy this issue of UCSD
Cancer Center News. I look forward to
the opportunity each quarter to bring
you good news about the Cancer Center.
David Tarin, M.D., Ph.D.
Director, UCSD Cancer Center
IN THIS ISSUE
Clinical Cancer
Genetics
4
Viral Link
to Colon Cancer
6
New Hope
for Kidney Cancer
8
Early Warning
for Breast Cancer
9
‘Haute Event’
10
Philanthropy Notebook
Back Page
3
UCSD Cancer Center News

GENETIC TESTING
Is it right for you?
Cancer Genetics Service Now Available
Cancer touches almost
every family. It’s not
unusual to know of a
parent, grandparent, aunt
or uncle who has cancer. But when
several family members are affected, it
may indicate a hereditary susceptibility
to cancer.
While only a small percentage of
cancers are associated with an inherited
genetic mutation, people with
these mutations can have a lifetime
risk of developing cancer that is
significantly higher than that of the
general population.
For example, a woman’s average lifetime
risk of developing breast cancer
is 12 percent. If she carries a mutation
in one of the currently known breast
cancer genes — BRCA1 or BRCA2 —
her lifetime risk may be as high as 85
percent. Mutations in these genes also
confer an increased risk for ovarian
cancer. Average lifetime risk for ovarian
cancer is 1.4 percent in the general
population, but may be as high as 15
to 40 percent in women with changes
in BRCA1 or 2. Alterations in the
breast cancer genes are also associated
with a somewhat increased risk for
colon and pancreatic cancer in men
and women, and an increased risk of
prostate cancer and breast cancer in
men. Not all people with changes in
these genes go on to develop cancer,
however.
Knowledge is Key
“Genetic counseling and testing may
provide important information to
people with a family history of cancer
who are concerned about
their cancer risk,” said Linda
Wasserman, M.D., Ph.D.,
director of the Cancer
Center’s Clinical Cancer
Genetics Unit. “This kind
of information affects the
whole family and so we
encourage that spouses,
siblings and adult children
be involved, if that
fits with a particular
family. Often, individuals
considering genetic
testing for themselves
will wish to discuss
the issues involved in
testing with their
family. When this is
the case, involving
everyone in the
counseling process
provides an
opportunity for
all to hear the
same information and discuss the
issues together. However, all patients
are given the option of privacy.”
Genetic privacy with regard to insurance
companies and employers are a
concern of many patients. Ways to
safeguard privacy and confidentiality
are carefully discussed with each
patient.
The Clinical Cancer Genetics Unit
provides its counseling and assessment
services at no charge. If a
patient decides to proceed with genetic
testing, the cost can vary from $500
to $2700, depending on the particular
genetic test. Many health plans now
provide coverage for such testing.
“Counseling is a critical component of
genetic testing for cancer susceptibility,”
said Eric Rosenthal, Ph.D., M.S.,
the Clinical Cancer Genetics Unit
genetic counselor. “Along with a careful
review of the individual’s personal
and family history of cancer, it is
important to discuss the potential
benefits and risks of genetic testing to
determine if this information is going
to be helpful to the individual.”
For those who are concerned about
their cancer risk, it is important to get
as much information as possible
UCSD Cancer Center News
4

about their family tree and the exact kinds of cancers that
have affected relatives.
A Cancer History
“Our assessments are most useful when we know the history
of cancer in all the blood relatives. That includes parents,
grandparents, siblings, children, grandchildren, aunts,
uncles and cousins,” said Rosenthal. “We need to know
what types of cancers family members had, and the ages at
which they were diagnosed.” The team assesses this family
history to help determine whether the history suggests a
heritable risk, whether the types of cancers in affected family
members is consistent with known syndromes for which
genetic testing might be available, and the degree of cancer
risk of unaffected family members. When genetic testing is
appropriate, the team arranges for the testing. Based upon
the test results, team members will develop an individualized
risk management plan. The plan may include recommendations
for:
■ Monitoring or screening for early detection of cancer
■ Prophylactic surgery
■ Changes in diet and exercise
■ Lifestyle modifications, such as ceasing smoking
■ Clinical trials in cancer prevention
For further information about the services of the Clinical
Cancer Genetics Unit at UCSD Cancer Center, please call
Eric Rosenthal at (858) 657-7066.
Linda Wasserman, M.D., Ph.D.
Dr. Wasserman, Assistant Professor of Clinical
Medicine, is director of the Cancer Center’s Clinical
Cancer Genetics Unit, and of the Molecular Genetics
Laboratory in the Division of Medical Genetics. She
also heads the DNA Sequencing and the Molecular
Pathology Shared Resources; these are large laboratories
that provide sophisticated technical services to
researchers throughout the Cancer Center. Her own
research focuses on the relationship between genetic
differences in estrogen metabolism and breast cancer,
and on the detection and quantification of circulating
breast cancer cells in peripheral blood. She received her
Ph.D. in psychology from UCLA and was a practicing psychologist for 15 years
before attending medical school at UCSD. She did her residency in anatomic
pathology at UCSD and a postdoctoral fellowship in molecular oncology, funded
by the American Cancer Society, at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research.
.Eric Rosenthal, Ph.D., M.S.
Rosenthal recently joined the UCSD Cancer Center as
a board certified genetic counselor in the Clinical
Cancer Genetics Unit. Before coming to UCSD he provided
genetic counseling for participants in a clinical
genetics research program at the University of Utah.
He is a graduate of a genetic counseling training
program jointly directed by Johns Hopkins University
and the National Human Genome Research Institute
of the NIH. He received his Ph.D. in Cell and
Developmental Biology from Harvard University and
worked as a research biologist for nine years before
becoming a genetic counselor. His current research
interests involve issues of how individuals and families cope with genetic
disorders and how health care providers can more effectively meet their needs.
ARE YOU
AT RISK?
Family histories with one or
more of the following features
may suggest a hereditary cancer
risk:
■ Cancers diagnosed at unusually
young ages, such as breast
cancer under age 40, or colorectal
cancer under age 55
■ Three or more affected individuals
across two generations
■ Individuals diagnosed with
more than one primary cancer
— additional cancers that are
not a recurrence or metastasis
of an earlier tumor
■ Unusual cancers, such as
breast cancer in a male
5
UCSD Cancer Center News

On the Trail
of Colorectal Cancer…
Is it possible that a common human virus could be
responsible for causing colorectal cancer, the third leading
cause of cancer deaths among both men and women?
UCSD Cancer Center
researchers asked this
question in 1994, launching
a small but intense line of investigation
that now may be paying off.
The team, led by C. Richard Boland,
M.D., Associate Director for Clinical
Research, has made recent discoveries
that point to the JC virus (JCV)
as a possible culprit in a large percentage
of cases.
Antibodies to JCV can be found in
80 to 90 percent of the population.
In healthy people it is considered a
harmless passenger.
Boland’s team has found that JCV
normally lives in the colon, but that
it is found in far greater amounts in
cancerous colon tissue than in normal
colon tissue.
“We know this JC virus character lives
in the neighborhood, and that he and
his friends are always found at the
scene of the crime, but we haven’t yet
proven that he’s the perpetrator.”
“What we have at this point is a very suspicious smoking
gun,” says Boland, a widely known and respected
Richard Boland and lab manager, Jennifer Rhees review research data.
authority in colorectal cancer. “We know this JC virus
character lives in the neighborhood, and that he and his
friends are always found at the scene of the crime, but
we haven’t yet proven that he’s the perpetrator.”
Closing In
The team is closing in, however. In the laboratory,
they have inserted the virus into normal colon cells
and watched as it perverted the orderly workings of
the cells.
“This tells us that JC virus, while widely considered
to be harmless, has the capacity in certain circumstances
to disrupt the internal mechanisms of normal
UCSD Cancer Center News
6

colonic cells,” Boland said.
Now, moving in even closer, they have discovered
that JCV in cancer tissue has a
rearranged DNA sequence not seen in JCV
in normal tissue. The rearrangement
involves the area called the promoter region,
which is the “on-off” switch for the virus.
This most recent finding may explain why
the virus is able to live in the intestinal
tract and not cause any harm most of the
time, but cause serious harm under some
circumstances.
Super Sleuths
“By doing some sophisticated manipulation,
we were able to track the transforming gene
taken from JC virus after inserting it into
colon cells,” Boland said. “When this gene
was introduced, these cells developed the
kind of chromosomal damage that is seen in
the majority of colorectal cancers.”
The transforming gene from the virus
makes a protein that can also cripple the
cell’s normal ability to limit chromosomal
instability, setting the stage for the aberrant
cell to reproduce itself without the usual
constraints. This is a hallmark of cancer.
“So as this research continues, we are gradually
building more evidence that this virus
generates chromosomal instability that, over
time, gives rise to colorectal cancer,” he said.
Boland added that if their work proves the
JC virus is important in the formation of
colorectal cancer, it might be feasible to
develop a vaccine against the virus, similar
to vaccines for hepatitis B and polio.
Boland’s work is being funded through a
grant from the National Cancer Institute
and UCSD Cancer Center.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
About
Colorectal Cancer
E
very year approximately 130,000 new cases of colorectal
cancer are diagnosed in the United States, and more
than 56,000 people die from the disease. While colorectal
cancer is one of the most common types of cancer, it is also
one of the most preventable and, if detected early, one of
the most curable.
“Screening is very important in curing this disease,” says
Barbara Parker, M.D., director of UCSD Cancer Center’s
specialized Gastrointestinal Cancers Unit. “Thousands of lives
could be saved each year if more people took advantage of
available screening procedures.”
Screening for people at average risk and without symptoms
should begin at age 50 and include an annual fecal occult
blood test, a simple procedure that checks a stool sample for
hidden blood; an annual rectal examination by a health care
provider; and every 5 to 10 years either a flexible sigmoidoscopy
or a colonoscopy, both of which enable the physician
to view the interior of the colon to look for and remove any
precancerous growths that can eventually develop into cancer.
Parker also encourages making lifestyle changes that may
reduce risk of developing colon cancer. These changes include
consuming a diet low in fat, and high in fiber, calcium, fruits
and vegetables; participating in regular physical activity; and
avoidance of cigarette smoking.
Although two large studies have not shown a decreased risk
in patients consuming a low-fat, high-fiber diet, many
questions remain unanswered, particularly relating to the role
of vegetables. Additionally, a low-fat, high-fiber diet may be
beneficial for the prevention of other chronic diseases. The
National Cancer Institute is currently studying certain drugs
(inhibitors of cyclo-oxygenase) and the nutrients folic acid
and calcium for the possibility that these agents may reduce
polyps and colon cancer.
If colorectal cancer is detected at its earliest stage, the fiveyear
survival rate is about 90 percent. Found after it has
spread to lymph nodes, the five-year rate drops to about 50
percent. If the disease has metastasized to distant sites, the
5-year survival rate falls to 5 percent.
7
UCSD Cancer Center News

New Information Service
ON OUR WEB SITE
UCSD Cancer Center is making
access to cancer information
easier than ever with a new
service on our Web site.
The Cancer Information Service (CIS) of
the National Cancer Institute provides
answers to commonly asked questions in
a monthly column called “Ask the CIS.”
Just visit the Cancer Center’s homepage
at http://cancer.ucsd.edu and click on
the “Ask the CIS” logo for new topics
each month. Here is a sampling of topics
you’ll find:
■ Non-drug Treatments for Cancer Pain
■ Inflammatory Breast Cancer
■ Clinical Trials
■ Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
■ Cell Phones and Cancer
■ Environmental Tobacco Smoke
■ Metastatic Cancer
In addition, to talk with a CIS cancer
information specialist, individuals can call
the Cancer Information Service toll-free at
1-800-4-CANCER between 9 a.m. and
4:30 p.m. These information specialists
provide callers with individualized
answers to questions about cancer prevention,
diagnosis, treatment, symptoms
and risks, and clinical trials. CIS staff
answer calls in English and Spanish, and
from deaf and hard-of-hearing callers.
New Hope
for Kidney Cancer
Physicians with
the UCSD
Blood and
Marrow Transplant
Program are evaluating
an experimental
type of stem cell
transplant for its
effectiveness against
advanced kidney
cancer, a disease
known to be highly
resistant to conventional
therapy and usually fatal.
This approach, which uses
blood stem cells donated by the
patient’s matched sibling or
matched unrelated donor, has
shown promise in a small
research study recently conducted
at the National Institutes of
Health. In that study of 19
patients, 53 percent had either
complete or partial regression
of their disease. Some patients
have remained completely free
of disease more than two years
after treatment.
Researchers attribute these
results to an immune response
that the donor cells develop
against the recipient’s cancer, a
phenomenon known as a “graft
versus tumor response.” This is
often seen in certain leukemias
and lymphomas, but kidney
Dr. Asad Bashey, M.D., Ph.D.
cancer is the first
solid tumor to
exhibit the
response.
“The NIH study was
small, but the results
were so dramatic we
believe they represent
a tremendous
advance against this
disease,” said Asad
Bashey, M.D., Ph.D.,
a member of UCSD Cancer
Center and assistant professor
of medicine at UCSD School of
Medicine. “These early results
are particularly exciting when
you consider that we’ve had
precious little to offer patients
who were not helped by conventional
therapy.”
The UCSD clinical trial is open
to patients with a sibling who
can donate stem cells for the
transplant. For patients lacking a
suitable sibling donor, an alternative
trial is designed to use
matched unrelated donors
obtained through the large
volunteer donor database from
the National Marrow Donor
Program. For further information
about this study call the
UCSD Blood and Marrow
Transplant Program,
(858) 657-6840.
Correction: In the Winter 2001 issue of UCSD Cancer Center
News we mistakenly identified Thomas J. Kipps, M.D., Ph.D., as
leader of the Center’s Translational Oncology Program. That post is
now held by Edward D. Ball, M.D. We regret the error.
…Editorial Staff
UCSD Cancer Center News
8

Magnifying the Search
for Breast Cancer
Researchers have known for decades that most breast
cancer starts in the cells lining the milk ducts. Until
recently, though, there was no way to see how these
cells were behaving until they formed a lump that could be
felt or seen on a mammogram.
A new method called ductal lavage allows doctors to collect
milk duct cells and look for possible early warning signs of
breast cancer. UCSD Cancer Center is among the first in
the nation to offer ductal lavage to women at high-risk for
breast cancer.
In a recent clinical study, ductal lavage detected abnormal
cells in 24 percent of the high-risk women who enrolled in
the study. All of the women had non-suspicious mammograms
and physical exams within the 12 months prior to
their participation.
“Ductal lavage gives us the ability to look for the very
beginnings of abnormal changes,” said Anne Wallace, M.D.,
director of UCSD Cancer Center’s Breast Care Unit.
“It can offer high-risk women unique, early information
when used in conjunction with mammography and breast
examination.”
During ductal lavage, a tiny microcatheter is inserted into
the duct through its natural opening on the nipple. (The
use of topical anesthetic prevents discomfort for most
women.) A teaspoon of saline is flushed through the
microcatheter to “rinse” the duct to collect cells. The fluid
is sent to a laboratory for analysis.
For more information about ductal lavage, call the Cancer
Center’s toll-free information line: 1-866-558-7933.
A Treatment Against Metastasis?
UCSD Cancer Center
researchers have obtained
evidence that the common
anticoagulant drug heparin diminishes
metastasis of certain cancers in
mice by interfering with interactions
between platelets (a type of normal
blood cell) and specific molecules on
tumor cell surfaces.
The researchers, reporting in the
March 13 issue of the Proceedings of
the National Academy of Sciences, say
these findings make a compelling
argument for initiating clinical trials
of heparin in patients with newly
diagnosed cancer.
“The notion of using anticoagulants
to inhibit metastasis is not new,” said
the study’s senior author Ajit Varki,
M.D. “However, our new findings suggest
that heparin therapy to prevent
the spread of cancer in humans
should be revisited.”
Animal studies in the ‘60s and ‘70s
showed that heparin — which is
delivered by injection or intravenously
— inhibits metastasis. Follow-up
human studies focused instead on the
use of oral anticoagulants, which are
easier to manage than heparin. Those
attempts failed, however, and research
in this area stalled.
The new research, led by Lubor
Borsig, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow
working in Varki’s laboratory, details
heparin’s precise mechanism and
explains why earlier clinical trials
using oral anticoagulants failed.
“Our findings show that the antimetastatic
effect of heparin is not due
to its ability to prevent blood clotting,
as was previously thought, but rather
its blockage of early tumor-platelet
interactions in the bloodstream,” said
Borsig. “Oral anticoagulants work by a
completely different mechanism and
do not block these interactions.”
When cancer cells break away from the
original tumor and enter the bloodstream
they attract platelets, which
bind to sugarcoated molecules on the
cancer cell surface, forming a cloak.
This platelet cloak appears to protect
the tumor cells from the body’s natural
defense system, enabling them to
establish new tumors in other parts of
the body. Heparin interferes with formation
of the platelet cloak, apparently
leaving tumor cells exposed to
attack by white blood cells.
This work involved an active collaboration
with UCSD Cancer Center laboratories
for Histology (directed by
Nissi Varki, Ph.D.) and Digital
Imaging (directed by James
Feramisco, Ph.D.), and with the San
Diego Supercomputer Center (David
Nadeau). It was supported by a grant
from the National Cancer Institute.
9
UCSD Cancer Center News

Sizzles for
UCSD Cancer Center
Richard Levi and his daughter
Lonnie Levi Israel
Lee and Frank Goldberg
Dolores Landa and
Diana Lombrozo
Chef Jeffrey Strauss and
assistant, Pamplemousse
Grille, Solana Beach
Black tie and ball gowns were the order
of the evening March 3 as 650 friends of
cancer research gathered at the Sheraton
San Diego Harbor Island Hotel and Marina to
savor the gourmet magic of the 20th Annual
Celebrities Cook for the UCSD Cancer Center.
In keeping with this year’s theme of “Hot Haute
Cuisine,” 10 noted chefs representing restaurants
from Honolulu to Washington, D.C., offered up
some of their most creative appetizers during a
two-hour reception that preceded a formal sitdown
dinner and dancing in the Sheraton’s
Grande Ballroom.
Event Co-chairs Dolores Landa and Diana
Lombrozo led the volunteer efforts of the UCSD
Cancer Center Associates in staging another
successful gala, which will net approximately
$300,000 for the Cancer Center’s research and
community outreach programs. The dedication of
the evening to the memory of Harriet Levi, a
longtime Associates volunteer and benefactor of
the Cancer Center, inspired an outpouring of
generosity in support of the event.
Honorary chairs were Rebecca and John Moores.
Honorary co-chairs were Lee and Frank Goldberg,
along with Audra and Howard Birndorf.
Miriam and Jerry Katzin
Executive Chef David Abella,
Roy’s, La Jolla
Left to Right: Tom Franklin, Michael Bartell, Rusti Bartell-Weiss (front),
Melissa Bartell, Ina Bartell (front), Richard and Liz Bartell,
Suzy and Steve Weiss
Virginia Monday, Audrey Geisel, Alex Butterfield
and Ruth Grobstein
UCSD Cancer Center News
10

Gorder Walk Offers
Family Fun to Fight Melanoma
V
olunteers in the fight against
melanoma will take new strides
toward a cure when the 8th Annual
Bruce Brunner Gorder Memorial
Melanoma Walk-a-thon returns to
UCSD’s La Jolla campus in June. The
event provides a festive morning of
fun to raise funds for research into this
increasingly common form of cancer.
Cancer Center Foundation Board
member Chuck Gorder will once again
chair the walk, slated for Saturday,
June 23, in memory of his son Bruce.
The Gorder Walk-a-thon is a familyfriendly
event that attracts participants
of all ages and fitness levels.
There will be
prizes for the team
with the largest number
of participants and for the
team that raises the largest amount in
contributions.
As in previous years, proceeds will
benefit melanoma cancer research at
UCSD Cancer Center. The significance
of this philanthropy was highlighted
during the past year with the
announcement that the memorial
fund had helped to support development
of a new drug-combination
therapy that has proven superior to
existing treatments in extending
patient lives.
Contributions
to the Gorder
Walk-a-thon
are welcome in
all amounts, with
sponsors at a level of $500 or above
receiving recognition in the event program.
The Walk has raised over
$500,000 since its inception. This year,
Gorder has set a goal to raise $100,000,
the first $25,000 of which he has
pledged to match.
To register or to find out about other
ways to help, please contact Cheryl
Coate in the Cancer Center
Foundation office, 858-822-1390 or
e-mail ccoate@ucsd.edu.
Foundation Appoints
Two New Board Members
T
he UCSD Cancer Center
Foundation is pleased to
announce the recent addition to its
Board of Directors of two leaders in
the San Diego community, Deborah
J. Case of Jamul, and Robert M.
Wood, D.V.M., of Escondido.
Case has extensive experience in
retail merchandising management
with Saks Fifth Avenue. She is
presently the San Diego Area
Manager for Saks and the General
Manager for the Fashion Valley store,
after having held prior positions
with Saks in Beverly Hills, Woodland
Hills and San Francisco, and in Boca
Raton, Florida. For the past two
years, she has played an instrumental
role in the success of Saks Fifth
Avenue’s local “Fashion Targets
Breast Cancer” promotion to raise
funds for breast cancer research at
UCSD Cancer Center.
Wood brings to his role over 30 years
of experience in business consulting,
program development and project
management for public agencies and
private corporations. He earned a
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
degree from the University of
Minnesota. His varied professional
background includes leadership in
higher education administration and
significant expertise in scientific
research, market development, and
new product management. Wood’s
family has a history of philanthropy
to cancer research at other nationally
prominent institutions besides the
UCSD Cancer Center.
Cancer Center Director David Tarin
expressed his enthusiasm for the
new Board appointments: “Debbie
and Bob bring a level of enthusiasm
to their involvement with the
Cancer Center that inspires all of us
who are joined in the crusade at
UCSD to defeat cancer. We are most
fortunate to be the beneficiaries of
their volunteer service.”
Special Events
CALENDAR
JUNE 23, 2001:
8th Annual Bruce Brunner Gorder
Memorial Melanoma Walk-a-thon
UCSD Campus (behind the School of
Medicine) 8:30 - 10:30 a.m.
No entry fee; donations encouraged!
Call (858) 822-1390
AUGUST 26, 2001:
8th Annual Luau & Longboard
Invitational
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla
7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Contact Steve Blank, (858) 822-2293
OCTOBER 18-20, 2001
14th Annual Pete Lopiccola
Memorial Marlin Tournament
Cabo San Lucas, Baja California, Mexico
Call (858) 822-1390 or the For Pete's Sake
hotline at (619) 475-4636
OCTOBER 18-23, 2001
3rd Annual Saks Fifth Avenue
“Fashion Targets Breast Cancer”
Saks Fifth Avenue stores in Fashion Valley
Mall and downtown La Jolla
Contact (858) 822-1390
11
UCSD Cancer Center News

PHILANTHROPY NOTEBOOK
As part of our ongoing commitment to help you
make the most of your philanthropic support of
the Cancer Center and other non-profit organizations,
we are pleased to provide you with the
following information on a unique way to use
charitable remainder trusts.
Charitable Trusts to
Fund Educational Expenses
Every spring marks a special turning point in the lives of
thousands of teenagers: high school graduation. And each
year many young people go on to begin their college studies.
College can be a very special rite of passage, but as most
parents and grandparents know, it
can also be an expensive one.
A growing number of charitably
inclined individuals have discovered
the value of a charitable remainder
trust to fund the educational
expenses of their children or
grandchildren, and to maintain
their philanthropic goals.
Take for example Mr. and Mrs.
Appleton, who promised to help
pay for their granddaughter’s college
expenses many years ago. To do
this, the Appletons considered a
variety of options, including selling
their highly appreciated securities;
however, this option would have
Donors
Mr. & Mrs. Appleton
Charitable
Remainder
Trust
Cash, marketable securities
or other appreciated assets
Income to child
or grandchild
for educational
expenses
Charitable
Remainder Gift
after 4 years
generated a significant capital gains tax on the profit from
the sale.
Ultimately, the Appletons chose to fund a charitable
remainder trust with their appreciated assets. A charitable
remainder trust can be established for a specific period of
time up to 20 years.
In the Appletons’ case, they created a charitable remainder
trust to provide four annual payments to their granddaughter
during her college career. After the four-year
period, the remaining assets in the trust were distributed to
the Appletons’ favorite charity.
Additionally, the Appletons benefited
because they received a charitable
income tax deduction during the
year the trust was established, and
the securities were sold free of capital
gains tax by the charitable remainder
trust.
For further information about charitable
remainder trusts and how they
can fulfill your financial goals, contact
Geoff Graham, Associate
Director of Development, at (858)
822-0024 or gcgraham@ucsd.edu.
This article is not intended to offer
legal or tax advice. Specific circumstances
may vary and services of an
attorney and/or professional advisor
should be obtained.
UCSD Cancer Center
9500 Gilman Drive #0658
La Jolla, CA 92093-0658
(858) 822-0022
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
San Diego, CA
Permit #1909