2023

The following researchers will receive a $50,000, two-year research grant funded and administered by the ACPMP Research Foundation through our Research Grant Program:

Kjersti Flatmark, MD, Ph.D.: Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway

Project Title: Pseudovax vaccine – New treatment for pseudomyxoma peritonei

Non-confidential summary: Patients with recurrent or unresectable PMP have few treatment options. This Pseudovax phase I trial will, for the first time, offer a cancer vaccine against mutated GNAS to PMP patients in combination with an immune checkpoint inhibitor. The vaccine is intended to increase the number of immune cells against PMP and the immune checkpoint inhibitor is given to remove the inhibition of the immune cells. The hope is that this innovation can be developed to provide a cure for GNAS-mutated PMP.

Michael Foote, MD: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA

Project Title: Integrated multiomic biospecimen analysis to define molecular predictors of appendiceal adenocarcinoma evolution and treatment response

Non-confidential summary: Existing diagnostic tools fail to enable doctors to proactively anticipate peritoneal metastatic disease behavior. This translational study will use the largest existing repository of longitudinal appendix cancer samples to advance our understanding of how genomic characteristics enable peritoneal metastasis and treatment resistance. The study will also design clinically-relevant strategies to optimize surgical and systemic treatments for patients suffering from peritoneal metastatic disease.

The following researcher received a $25,000 Young Investigator Award funded by The Appendix Cancer PMP Research Foundation and administered by the Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO):

2023 Awardee: Thinzar Lwin, MD, City of Hope, for her research proposal, “Photoimmunotherapy of Appendiceal Cancers.”

Additionally, ACPMP funded 10 $1,000 travel awards for recipients to attend the SSO ACT Conference and present their research, covering diverse areas of inquiry to drive new approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of appendix cancer.