A Review of the Department of Defense's Program for Breast Cancer Research

According to current statistical data, one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. The five-year survival rate for breast cancer patients has improved in recent years, but the overall mortality rates have changed little. In 1993 Congress allocated $210 million for breast cancer research as part of the Department of Defense budget. An Institute of Medicine (IOM) committee was convened at that time to advise the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command on strategies for managing a breast cancer research program. This book evaluates the program's management and achievements to date. Although it is too early to evaluate the program in terms of breakthrough results and new insights produced by the funded projects or investigators, this book documents the process used to select research proposals for funding and analyzes the portfolio of funded projects in terms of their responsiveness to the recommendations and fundamental questions articulated in the 1993 IOM report. Table of Contents Front Matter Executive Summary 1 Introduction 2 Breast Cancer: Biology and Medicine 3 Non-BCRP Support for Breast Cancer Research 4 U.S. Army Breast Cancer Research Program 5 The Funded Portfolio of the 1993/1994 and 1995 BCRP Award Cycles 6 Critique 7 Conclusions and Recommendations References Appendix A: Individuals Who Provided Testimony to the Committee Appendix B: Individuals Who Provided Written Response to Committee Questions Appendix C: Dear Colleague Letter Appendix D: Responses to Dear Colleague Letter Appendix E: Tissue Bank Letter and Questionnaire Glossary and Acronyms Biographical Sketches