About The lustgarten foundation
The Lustgarten Foundation: Leading the Fight Against Pancreatic Cancer
Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest forms of cancer, with a five-year survival rate of just 10%. It is estimated that over 56,000 people will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the United States this year alone. Despite these alarming statistics, pancreatic cancer research receives only a fraction of the funding that other types of cancer receive.
That's where The Lustgarten Foundation comes in. Founded in 1998 by Cablevision executive Marc Lustgarten after he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, The Lustgarten Foundation is now the largest private funder of pancreatic cancer research in the world. Its mission is to advance scientific and medical research related to pancreatic cancer and improve patient outcomes.
Over the past two decades, The Lustgarten Foundation has raised over $200 million for pancreatic cancer research and funded some of the most promising researchers in the field. Its grants have supported groundbreaking studies on early detection methods, new treatments, and potential cures for this devastating disease.
One key area of focus for The Lustgarten Foundation is immunotherapy – an innovative approach to treating cancers by harnessing the power of a patient's own immune system. In recent years, immunotherapy has shown great promise as a treatment for certain types of cancers but has yet to be fully explored as an option for pancreatic cancer patients.
To address this gap in knowledge and funding, The Lustgarten Foundation launched its Immunotherapy Initiative in 2017. This initiative aims to accelerate progress towards developing effective immunotherapies for pancreatic cancer by supporting cutting-edge research projects across multiple institutions.
Another important aspect of The Lustgarten Foundation's work is its commitment to collaboration among researchers and institutions. By bringing together experts from different fields and backgrounds, The foundation hopes to foster new ideas and approaches that can lead to breakthroughs in understanding and treating pancreatic cancer.
In addition to funding research projects directly, The Lustgarten Foundation also supports clinical trials through its Clinical Trial Consortium (CTC). This consortium brings together leading medical centers across North America that are conducting clinical trials focused on improving outcomes for patients with advanced-stage or metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).
Through all these efforts – from basic science research to clinical trials –The Lustgarten Foundation remains steadfastly committed to advancing our understanding of this complex disease while working towards better treatments and ultimately a cure.
If you're interested in supporting their mission or learning more about their work visit their website at www.lustgarden.org