Press Conference: Thursday Oct 22, 4 p.m., Central Time
Chicago Hilton & Towers, Marquette Room

Chicago, Il, October 23, 1998 ... Clinical trials using a non-invasive method for breast tumor diagnosis will commence in November, pending Board approval, at the Illinois Masonic Medical Center, an affiliate of the Rush System of Health, and the University of Illinois/Chicago.

These clinical trials will use the 3TP magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method to distinguish between benign and malignant tumors developed by Prof. Hadassa Degani of the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel (Nature Medicine, July 3, 1997 ).

The 3TP method consists of injecting a contrast-enhancing dye-like material into the patient's bloodstream and using MRI to monitor the way in which this material is taken up and cleared out my the tumor tissue.

Clinical trials over the next two years at these two hospitals will involve 200 patients with breast tumors. All patients will undergo MRI examinations using Prof. Degani's protocol. Prof. Degani's team, including Dr. Edna Furman-Haran, will analyze the MRI data to provide a tumor diagnosis, which will then be compared with the biopsy-proven diagnosis.

The funding for the clinical trials in the two Chicago hospitals was provided by the Washington Square Health Foundation, Inc.

"The purpose of these clinical trials is to provide a thorough assessment of the 3TP method, which has already produced promising results," Prof. Degani said. "If these trials are successful, this MRI approach may become a valuable clinical tool for non-invasive cancer diagnosis." "While most of our work with patients has so far been done with breast cancer, in the future this method may be applied to diagnose other cancers as well," Prof. Degani added.

"Washington Squares' grant to the Weizmann Institute for clinical trials in Chicago of Professor Degani's methodology of utilizing an MRI to evaluate breast lesions, provides the Foundation an opportunity to play a facilitator role among the various organizations involved," said Dr. Angelo P. Creticos, President of the Washington Square Health Foundation, Inc. "This grant is a vehicle to bring this world class international research project to the Chicagoland area. We hope it will enhance the standing Chicago has as a major center of scientific medical research," Dr. Creticos concluded.

Robert D. Cavallino, M.D., Chairman of the Illinois Masonic Medical Center's Department of Radiology, commented: "This testing for accuracy of the Degani method and subsequent comparison with high resolution magnetic imaging could revolutionize breast tumor management and cancer diagnosis in other parts of the body as well."

"By avoiding biopsy for most breast tumors we can reduce the number of unnecessary procedures, save time, and give patients the option of a non- invasive method that may prove very useful in distinguishing between malignant and benign breast growths," Dr. Cavallino concluded. Dr. Frederick Kelcz, Associate Professor of Radiology, University of Wisconsin Medical School at the University of Wisconsin/Madison, reported that he recently completed a study which included 30 women with breast tumors using Prof. Degani's method. (This study followed up on the one involving 20 women, reported on by Prof. Degani last year in Nature Medicine.)

"Conventional mammography and breast sonography sometimes result in ambiguous findings which could indicate cancer. Too often, we believe, women are told to come back in six months to be re-checked," Dr.Kelcz said.

"We were very favorably impressed with the excellent results obtained using Prof. Degani's new method of breast imaging. This method shows promise as a consistent, reliable approach to MRI breast diagnosis, perhaps providing for the detection of smaller tumors than is currently possible. We look forward to extending her work to patients in clinical trials," Dr. Kelcz concluded.

In addition to the 200 patients to be included in the clinical trials at the two Illinois hospitals, 50 patients are currently being enrolled in a clinical trial taking place under Dr. Kelcz at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

"Imagine if you were a woman," said Dr. Noam Alperin, Assistant Research Director for the MRI Center at University of Illinois/Chicago, "and you didn't have the trauma of a biopsy...If the technique proves successful, how exciting!" he concluded.

Prof. Degani's breast cancer research at the Weizmann Institute of Science is supported by Sir David Alliance, CBE (United Kingdom); German-Israeli Foundation for Scientific Research & Development: The Lynn and William Frankel Fund for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Ovarian and Breast Cancer (U.S); Paul and Annetta Himmelfarb Foundation (U.S.); Mrs. Andrea Fallek (U.S.); and Mr. and Mrs. Lon Morton (U.S.).

The 3TP method has been patented By Yeda Research and Development Co., Weizmann's technology transfer arm.

Interested in a related graphic? A 300 ppi image is available for downloading at http://www.weizmann-usa.org/degani.htm

Press Contact:

Julie Osler
Weizmann-USA office
(212) 779-2500

10/21/98-10/23/98
(312) 922 4400
cell phone (917) 860 2962
email: [email protected]

Scott Hainzinger
University of Wisconsin Medical School
(608) 263 3223

Carmeline Esposito
Illinois Masonic Medical Center
(773) 296 5015

Carol Mattar
University of Illinois/Chicago
(312) 996 1583

Howard Nochumson
Washington Square Health Foundation, Inc.
(312) 664 6488