Reporting on Scientific Journal Articles Jeremy Moore, M.A. Senior Manager, Science Communications American Association for Cancer Research jeremy.moore@aacr.org Why is Cancer Newsworthy? Why is Cancer Newsworthy? • Number 1 cause of death, surpassing heart disease in 2010 Why is Cancer Newsworthy? • Number 1 cause of death, surpassing heart disease in 2010 • In the United States, it affects one in three women and one in two men Why is Cancer Newsworthy? • Number 1 cause of death, surpassing heart disease in 2010 • In the United States, it affects one in three women and one in two men • Consequences both biological and psychological Why is Cancer Newsworthy? • Money Why is Cancer Newsworthy? • Money • Government Money – NCI Budget, 2009: $4.96 billion – NCI Budget, 2010: $5.1 billion Why is Cancer Newsworthy? • Money • Government Money – NCI Budget, 2009: $4.96 billion – NCI Budget, 2010: $5.1 billion Budget Request for 2011 $5.26 Billion Why is Cancer Newsworthy? • Money • Private Money Why is Cancer Newsworthy? • Money • Private Money • Corporate and Philanthropic Scientific Inquiry “In fact I have not failed 1,000 times. I have successfully discovered 1,000 ways not to make a light bulb.” --Thomas Edison Scientific Inquiry • Cancer Scientific Inquiry • Cancer • Out of control cell growth Scientific Inquiry • Cancer • Out of control cell growth • More than 200 diseases Cancer CURE? Cancer CURE vs. CONTROL Cancer: The Scientific Questions • Diagnosis Diagnosis • Bladder Cancer • Pancreatic Cancer • Ovarian Cancer • Breast Cancer • Colon Cancer • Skin Cancer Cancer: The Scientific Questions • Diagnosis • Screening Screening • Questions surrounding PSA, Mammography, Colonoscopy Sensitivity vs. Specificity Sensitivity • Correctly Identifying Who Is Sick Specificity • Correctly Identifying Who Is Not Sick MicroRNA “The discovery of MicroRNA can be equated with the idea that we’ve known for years that cars existed and only recently discovered they have a transmission. It’s that fundamental.” Philip Sharp, Ph.D., Nobel Laureate from M.I.T. MicroRNA News from Annual Meeting 2010 • miR-21 and miR-106a are associated with an overall poor prognosis and that overexpressions of miR-181b and miR-203 are associated with poor outcomes in blacks for colorectal cancer • MicroRNA-31 (miR-31) repressed specific tumor suppressors and, therefore, may be a novel pharmacologic target for lung cancer therapy and chemoprevention. MicroRNA News from Annual Meeting 2010 • High levels of miR-21 were significantly correlated with poor response to Herceptin. DNA Methylation Levels Cancer: The Scientific Questions • Diagnosis • Screening • Personalized Medicine Personalized Medicine Cancer: The Scientific Questions • • • • Diagnosis Screening Personalized Medicine Prevention Prevention “At least half of all cancer deaths are preventable by what we already know about healthy eating, exercise, maintaining appropriate weight, avoiding smoking and going for regular screenings.” Ernest T. Hawk, M.D., M.P.H. Vice President of the Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. Prevention • Healthy Living Prevention • Healthy Living • Chemoprevention Prevention Scientific Inquiry 75 Clinical Trials & 11 Systematic Reviews Are Being Published Every Single Day Bastian H, Glaszio P, Chalmers I, et al. (2010). Seventy-Five Trials and Eleven Systematic Reviews a Day: How Will We Ever Keep Up? PLOS Med 7 (9): e1000326. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1000326. Journals to Watch • New England Journal of Medicine Journals to Watch • New England Journal of Medicine • Journal of the American Medical Association Journals to Watch • New England Journal of Medicine • Journal of the American Medical Association • Cancer Journals to Watch • • • • New England Journal of Medicine Journal of the American Medical Association Cancer Journal of Clinical Oncology Journals to Watch • Cancer Research Journals to Watch • Cancer Research • Clinical Cancer Research Journals to Watch • Cancer Research • Clinical Cancer Research • Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention Journals to Watch • • • • Cancer Research Clinical Cancer Research Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention Cancer Prevention Research Journals to Watch • • • • • • Cancer Research Clinical Cancer Research Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention Cancer Prevention Research Molecular Cancer Research Molecular Cancer Therapeutics NEWS FLASH • CANCER DISCOVERY NEWS FLASH • CANCER DISCOVERY – Officially announcing next week NEWS FLASH • CANCER DISCOVERY – Officially announcing next week – Editors in Chief, Jose Baselga, M.D, Ph.D. and Lewis Cantley, Ph.D. NEWS FLASH • CANCER DISCOVERY – Officially announcing next week – Editors in Chief, Jose Baselga, M.D., Ph.D., and Lewis Cantley, Ph.D. – Will be the premier venue for the publication and broad dissemination of high impact research in all areas of cancer research NEWS FLASH • CANCER DISCOVERY – Officially announcing next week – Editors in Chief, Jose Baselga, M.D., Ph.D., and Lewis Cantley, Ph.D. – Will be the premier venue for the publication and broad dissemination of high-impact research in all areas of cancer research. – First papers will be published online April 2011 NEWS FLASH • CANCER DISCOVERY – Officially announcing next week – Editors in Chief, Jose Baselga, M.D., Ph.D., and Lewis Cantley, Ph.D. – Will be the premier venue for the publication and broad dissemination of high-impact research in all areas of cancer research – First papers will be published online April 2011 – In Print July 2011 THE ANATOMY OF AN ABSTRACT • Conclusions, not titles THE ANATOMY OF AN ABSTRACT • Conclusions, not titles • Goals THE ANATOMY OF AN ABSTRACT • Conclusions, not titles • Goals • Population Samples THE ANATOMY OF AN ABSTRACT • Statistics – P Values, anything less than .05 is significant THE ANATOMY OF AN ABSTRACT • Statistics – P Values, anything less than .05 is significant – Hazard Ratios – HR=1.23, 95% CI, 1.05-1.10 THE ANATOMY OF AN ABSTRACT FOLLOW THE NEWS • Subscribe to Newswise • Check Eurekalert FOLLOW THE NEWS • Subscribe to Newswise • Check Eurekalert • Find a PR Person you trust KEEP IN TOUCH Jeremy Moore Senior Manager, Science Communications Office: 267-646-0557 Cell: 609-519-0212 jeremy.moore@aacr.org THANK YOU