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January Monthly News & Updates Dear Voornaam,
Happy New Year FORCE family! We hope you had a wonderful holiday. As FORCE celebrates our 21st anniversary, and enters our third decade, we are excited about our new initiatives and our continued efforts on behalf of you and the entire hereditary cancer community. Wishing you a wonderful 2020 - full of new research discoveries, continued learning and lots of support.
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Joining FORCEs Conference Registration Open Have you made a New Year's resolution to stay "in-the- know" about everything related to hereditary cancer? If yes, then attending our Joining FORCEs Conference is just what you need. The FORCE community and world experts on hereditary cancer will gather June 18-20, 2020 in Philadelphia, PA. If you need financial assistance, learn more. Start the year off by giving yourself this important gift of knowledge.
Learn more and register
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Volunteer Spotlight: Debbie Setuain, Romane Petit Joseph, Kirstin d'Incelli and Annie Brickel
Thank you, Debbie, Romane, Kirstin and Annie, South Florida’s State Impact Leaders! We appreciate your dedication to raising awareness with healthcare providers, prov iding support to individuals and families and fundraising over $10,000 for FORCE. You have made a tremendous difference to so many people. If volunteering to help others is on your new year's resolution list, complete a VolunteerFORCE application today.
Read Their Stories
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FORCE is Advocating for You!  Visit the advocacy section of our website to learn more about critical public policy efforts, including Medicare coverage of genetic counseling and testing, FDA guidelines and recommendations for breast implants, a new advocacy tool and more.
Check It Out
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New! XRAY Now Looks Behind the Breast, Ovarian and Pancreatic Cancer Headlines  FORCE developed our XRAY-Behind the Headlines program to help people separate relevant cancer news from hype by providing honest evaluations of cancer research reported in the media. Originally developed for young breast cancer survivors, we now have XRAY portals focused on metastatic breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and pancreatic cancer. Our prostate cancer portal will be opening soon! Read Behind the Headlines in our XRAY review about using circulating tumor DNA to find recurrent cancer sooner. #helpnothype #behindtheheadlines
View Our XRAY Portals
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XRAY Looks Behind the Headlines at a Promising Metastatic Breast Cancer Treatment  Can a new drug improve survival for people with metastatic breast cancer? Read behind the headlines in our latest XRAY review about using tucatinib to treat HER2-positive, metastatic breast cancer including brain metastases. #helpnothype #behindtheheadlines
Read Our XRAY Review
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Thank You! Your Generosity was Multiplied!  Thanks to the 2019 Multiplier Fund donors who combined their gifts to create the matching gift challenge for our year-end campaign, and to everyone who helped meet that challenge by making a year-end donation. We are grateful to all the generous donors who supported FORCE throughout 2019. We sincerely thank you and we look forward to all we can do together in the year ahead.
View the List of Multiplier Matching Gift Fund Donors
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Read Our FORCE Blog for More Updates  Subscribe to our blog, Thoughts from FORCE, for personal stories and deeper insights into issues that affect our community. Recent topics include: View Our Blog
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Get Support  Do you have questions or are you looking to connect with someone just like you? Reach out to a FORCE volunteer today to obtain personalized support, to learn about local resources or to simply share concerns online. You are not alone. Over 300 volunteers are available to support you and your family.
Connect With a Local Volunteer / Receive Guide & Personalized Support / Post on Message Board / Volunteer
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Navigation Portals Connect People to Information, Research and Support Resources  FORCE has new portal pages with links to information, research, and support resources. Learn the role that genetics can play in these cancers, treatment options and opportunities to participate in clinical trials. Personalized portals are available for:
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Find HBOC Studies and Participate in Research!
Please visit our new and improved HBOC Research Search Tool and Featured Research Page to find and participate in research studies enrolling patients like you.
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Clinical Trials and Research Studies Need Participants The research studies below are enrolling people with, or at high risk for hereditary cancer.
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PALB2 Study  The PALB2 Study is an international research study looking to recruit women with PALB2 mutations who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. Research shows that PALB2 mutations increase the risk of developing breast cancer; however, it is not clear how to best treat or reduce the risk of breast cancer in women with PALB2 mutations. This research study collects information about breast cancer diagnosis and treatment using short questionnaires in order to learn more about breast cancer among women with a PALB2 mutation. This information will help to determine the best treatment for women with PALB2-associated breast cancer and determine which factors predict survival. Through a better understanding, we can personalize breast cancer treatment to increase survival and determine how to best manage at risk family members to detect cancer early or prevent it. For more information please email PALB2study@wchospital.ca.
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ELLIE's Project  Do you have a genetic mutation increasing your risk of cancer? Help inform us how future research on lifestyle habits can better serve YOU! Take a 20-minutes survey to learn about nutrition and exercise in relationship to hereditary cancer mutations.
Take the Survey
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IMMray™ PanCan-d Test for Early Detection of Pancreatic Cancer in High-risk Groups  The Study of IMMray™ PanCan-d Test for Early Detection of Pancreatic Cancer in High-risk Groups is enrolling people who do not have pancreatic cancer, but have a higher risk of developing the disease.
Learn More
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Study of Safety and Effectiveness of Motiva® Breast Implants  The only way to continue to advance the safety and performance of breast implants is through research. The Motiva Implants® US clinical study is recruiting now for breast reconstruction (both primary and revision) participants. Visit the study link to learn more and participate.
Learn More
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Pilot Study of Denosumab in BRCA1 or BRCA2 Mutation Carriers Scheduling Risk-Reducing Salpingo-Oophorectomy  Are you a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation carrier scheduled to have your fallopian tubes and ovaries removed? Learn about an opportunity to enroll in a clinical trial looking at the effects of denosumab on the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and uterus (for women getting a hysterectomy) of women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation. Denosumab is an FDA-approved injectable medication that is used to treat osteoporosis and to prevent fractures in cancer patients with bone metastases. The eventual goal is to understand if denosumab may be used to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer in women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation
Learn More
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Patient Satisfaction Survey for Previvors, Thrivers and Survivors  Please consider participating in a patient satisfaction survey for people who have been diagnosed with cancer and for high risk people. Our goal is to learn about patient satisfaction during the entire experience - from time of being identified as high risk or diagnosed with cancer, through treatment, screening or risk-reducing measures. We are trying to understand the impact of the nurse navigator on the entire experience from time of diagnosis through treatment and/or screening and prophylactic measures. We are comparing satisfaction between patients who had and those who did not have a nurse navigator.
Take the Survey
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GENERATE Study  The GENERATE (GENetic Education Risk Assessment and Testing) Study offers genetic testing for people who have a close relative with pancreatic cancer that was caused by a mutation in a gene. Knowing about inherited risk helps families protect themselves against pancreatic and other cancers. Visit the study website to learn more and fill out the Eligibility Questionnaire.
Learn More About GENERATE
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Screening for Men at High Genetic Risk for Prostate Cancer  CALLING ALL MEN WITH A BRCA MUTATION, A LYNCH SYNDROME MUTATION or one of the other mutations listed below! The National Institutes of Health has a clinical trial for men at high genetic risk for prostate cancer. This is trial is for men without prostate cancer, ages 30 to 70, who have tested positive for Lynch syndrome (MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, PMS2, EPCAM) or BRCA1, BRCA2, HOXB13, ATM, NBN, TP53, CHEK2, PALB2, RAD51D, FANCA. The trial involves screening MRI of the prostate every two years and biopsy of the prostate if the MRI is abnormal. There is no cost for travel or study-related tests.
Learn More About the Study
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A Study in Advanced Breast Cancer Patients With BRCA 1/2 Mutations Evaluating Olaparib Alone or In Combination With Atezolizumab  This is a study for women or men who have been diagnosed with advanced breast cancer with a BRCA 1/2 mutation. The goal of this study is to look at whether giving the DNA damage repair inhibitor (PARP inhibitor) olaparib (Lynparza) in combination with the immunotherapy atezolizumab (Tecentriq) improves outcomes for patients compared to olaparib alone.
Learn More About the Study
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Olaparib Expanded Study – Metastatic Breast Cancer  The Olaparib Expanded study is enrolling people with metastatic breast cancer who do not have an inherited BRCA mutation. The study is looking at olaparib to treat metastatic breast cancer in people with non-BRCA inherited mutations, such as PALB2, ATM, CHEK2, BRIP1 and others. The study is also open to people with BRCA or other mutations within their tumor.
Learn More About the Study
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CheckMate-9KD
 CheckMate-9KD is a clinical research study for men with metastatic prostate cancer (which means cancer that has spread) that no longer responds to treatments that lower testosterone. Visit the link below to learn more about the study.
Learn More About CheckMate-9K
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Metastatic Prostate Cancer Project  The Metastatic Prostate Cancer Project is a nationwide genomic research study for men with advanced and/or metastatic prostate cancer. Patients can join online and participate by sharing their medical information and samples. The goal of the project is to generate a comprehensive database that will be shared with the entire research community to accelerate discoveries in prostate cancer.
Learn More about the Study
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Ovarian Cancer Treatment Preferences Survey  If you have ever been diagnosed with Ovarian, Fallopian Tube, or Primary Peritoneal cancer and have undergone chemotherapy, please consider participating in this Patient Preferences Study. Our goal is to learn about what is most important to patients when choosing cancer treatment. Specifically, we'd like to know how patients feel about taking a break from treatment versus taking an additional medication.
Click Here to Begin the Survey
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Menopause and Cognitive Difficulty Study  Did you know undergoing surgically or chemically induced menopause could put you at risk for cognitive difficulties? Our study seeks to determine the effectiveness of a stimulant drug called Vyvanse on the cognitive functioning of women who experience executive functioning difficulties following surgically induced menopause. For more information, please contact our team.
Learn More About IMPRES
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GENTleMEN Study: Genetic Testing for Men with Metastatic Prostate Cancer  The goal of this research study is to determine if online genetic education and testing with online telephone genetic counseling is an acceptable method of delivering genetic testing to men with metastatic prostate cancer.
This study involves undergoing genetic counseling and genetic testing for inherited cancer risk.
Learn More About the Study
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Athena- Rucaparib and Novolumab for Maintenance in Ovarian Cancer  ATHENA is a study for women who are newly diagnosed with ovarian cancer. ATHENA is looking at whether maintenance therapy with a PARP inhibitor and/or immunotherapy improves outcomes for women who have completed front-line ovarian cancer treatment.
Learn More About ATHENA
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Genetic Education for Men (GEM) Study  The Genetic Education for Men (GEM) study, is a clinical trial evaluating educational tools for men from families in which a BRCA1/2 gene mutation has been identified. In order to identify untested men from BRCA1/2 families, we are seeking women who have received positive BRCA1/2 test results and have at least one untested male relative.
Learn More About the GEM Study
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ARIEL4- Ovarian Cancer  ARIEL4 is a treatment study for women with relapsed, high-grade epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer who have a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation. ARIEL4 is designed to evaluate rucaparib against standard of care chemotherapy in women who have had at least two prior chemotherapy regimens. Visit the ARIEL4 Study page for more information.
More Information on ARIEL4
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TRITON3- Prostate Cancer  The purpose of TRITON3 is to determine how patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, and an inherited BRCA1, BRCA2 or ATM gene mutation or tumor genetic deficiency respond to treatment with the PARP inhibitor rucaparib (Rubraca) compared to treatment with physician's choice of abiraterone acetate, enzalutamide, or docetaxel.
More Information on TRITON3
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BRCA Founder Outreach Study (BFOR)  BFOR is a research project led by experts in cancer genetics to study a new way to make genetic testing accessible. It offers BRCA testing at no cost to individuals age 25 or older, with at least one Ashkenazi Jewish grandparent, and who live in the Boston, New York, Los Angeles or Philadelphia metropolitan areas.
Learn More About BFOR
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Metastatic Breast Cancer Project  The Metastatic Breast Cancer Project is a patient-partnered initiative that directly engages patients across the US & Canada to transform our understanding of metastatic breast cancer. Patients participate by sharing their medical information, tumor samples, and their voices. There is no cost to participate. A small effort can have a major impact.
Learn More About the Study
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WISP - Women Choosing Surgical Prevention  This study is open to pre-menopausal women between 30-50 with a mutation in BRCA1, BRCA2, BRIP1, PALB2, RAD51C, RAD51D, BARD1, MSH2, MSH6, MLH1, PMS2 or EPCAM. Women choose to either have their fallopian tubes removed now and their ovaries later or to have their tubes and ovaries removed at the same time. Outcomes are sexual function and quality of life between the women grouped by surgical procedure.
Learn More About WISP
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