Tamar Berger, M.D., MHA

研究概况

In our study we use a small brush (resembling a toothbrush) to painlessly collect cells from different normal-looking areas in the mouth. These cells are used to detect very early genetic changes in the cells’ DNA. Cells are collected from healthy individuals and from patients with a disease called Fanconi anemia (FA). Patients with FA have an increased risk of developing oral and other cancers. Most of these cancers start as lesions, so FA patients are monitored for lesions from adolescence.

Our project aims to detect pre-cancerous cells in the mouths of FA patients—before lesions appear—through the identification of genetic changes. In the first group of 17 FA patients, we found most patients had at least one genetic change in cells collected from normal-looking areas in their mouths. In over 100 samples taken, no changes were seen in any of the 18 healthy individuals without FA. We believe these changes—noted before lesions appear in FA patients—may be used for noninvasive early detection and to evaluate prevention strategies, helping improve patients’ survival.

If successful, our noninvasive genetic screening methods could be applied to other groups at increased risk for cancer, such as people who smoke heavily or patients who have had a bone marrow transplant, expanding cancer prevention efforts and saving lives. We are currently expanding our groups of participants, evaluating the dynamics of DNA changes in FA patients over time and assessing the effectiveness of identifying DNA changes in saliva. We are also planning a cancer prevention trial for FA patients.

My “Why”

My interest in cancer research comes from my clinical experience as a hematologist and a desire to improve patient care. Seeing patients struggling with cancer and feeling helpless when a diagnosis is made too late or when treatments fail, motivates me to seek better solutions. I want to make a difference by improving cancer detection, treatment and prevention, especially in high-risk populations. Ultimately, my goal is to reduce cancer incidence and improve outcomes by focusing on earlier-stage detection and prevention, ensuring a better quality of life for patients.

为什么资金如此重要

Funding [from the Prevent Cancer Foundation] will help us advance research to improve care for patients with Fanconi anemia, a rare genetic disorder that increases cancer risk due to patients’ inability to repair DNA damage. These patients are at increased risk for head and neck cancer, which is often diagnosed too late for effective treatment.

With this funding, we aim to develop tools for early detection and to evaluate preventive therapies to improve survival. If successful, our screening methods could be applied to other high-risk groups, such as people who smoke heavily or those with other genomic-instability syndromes, ultimately expanding cancer prevention efforts and saving lives.