September 2, 2014 – The Liddy Shriver Sarcoma Initiative is pleased to award a $100,000 grant to David Thomas and Mandy Ballinger, two researchers working on the International Sarcoma Kindred Study (ISKS). This grant will allow the investigators to study eight especially rare forms of sarcoma within the established framework of the ISKS. These sarcoma subtypes include: angiosarcoma, chordoma, clear cell sarcoma, desmoplastic small round cell tumor, endometrial stromal sarcoma, epithelioid sarcoma, mixed mullerian mesenchymal tumor and perivascular epithelioid cell tumor (PEComa).
While the International Sarcoma Kindred Study was initially designed to study all sarcomas, the investigators involved know that research on the rarest sarcomas is critically important. Obtaining enough data and tissue samples to study these diseases is a major obstacle, and international collaboration is needed to move forward. The investigators explain: “Only by utilising a global resource will it be possible to subject rare cancers to meaningful analysis.” The researchers hope to identify genes that shed light on why the rarest sarcomas form and how they develop.
The Initiative gratefully acknowledges the following generous support: donations made to angiosarcoma research in memory of Harvey Levitt and Nellie Vecchio, donations to chordoma research in memory of Alison Norcross and from the Michael Torrey family, donations to clear cell sarcoma research in memory of Steve Byrne and Nate Schull, donations to DSRCT research in memory of Jonathan Swartz, donations to endometrial stromal sarcoma research in memory of Karen Bloom, donations to epithelioid sarcoma research in honor of Andrew Moore and from the James & Lisa Curry Family, donations to MMMT research in memory of Bonnie Botwright, Sharon LaVelle, Joan Morse and Lilia Sousa, and donations to PEComa research in memory of Bill Sigler.