Due to the current and forecast challenging economic climate, the Trustees have suspended the AMEND Research Award programme for the foreseeable future to concentrate on developing sustainability in our funding streams.
However, we are delighted that the Elliot Dallen Trust has committed to a 3-year grant for research projects into adrenocortical cancer, and has entrusted AMEND to oversee the £10,000 p.a. award.
We congratulate our ACC Research Award winner for 2024:
- Dr Cristina Ronchi (University of Birmingham)
Below is the lay summary of Dr Ronchi’s research proposal and we look forward to hearing how the research project progresses in 12 months’ time when they submit their final reports.
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Dr Cristina Ronchi
Recipient of the Elliot Dallen Award for ACC Research (£10,000)
Lay Summary
Circulating cell-free DNA-based biomarkers for longitudinal monitoring of patients with adrenocortical carcinoma
Close disease surveillance is crucial for patients with adrenocortical cancer (ACC) since about half of patients will see the disease return within 2 years. Currently, disease surveillance relies on frequent radiological imaging that is expensive, associated with increased exposure to radiation and cannot always answer diagnostic questions.
In my research, I aim to improve the clinical outcome of patients with ACC by establishing a non-invasive management programme tailored to individual patients. Over the last 4 years, I developed a method for the detection and quantification of small fragments of genetic information (=DNA) released from tumour cells into the blood. This approach allowed me to investigate samples from patients with ACC and obtain encouraging results, which have been recently published in a reputable European scientific journal.
Now, I intend to study a new cohort of patients over a long-term follow-up period (up to 12 months) using additional and improved methods of analysis, to further validate and extend the clinical utility of my initial findings. Specifically, I will collect blood samples from new ACC patients before and during surveillance after primary surgery. Levels of tumour DNA fragments within their blood will be correlated with clinical data and standard radiological imaging reports and, eventually, used to detect specific alterations for monitoring disease. In this new phase of the study, I intend to extend the types of DNA fragment analyses- to further increase the likelihood of detecting different molecular alterations that can underly the disease – and also investigate the hormonal profile in 24h urine collections from the same patients (using methods established in my Institute). These results will be analysed to identify markers that could recognize early disease relapses and/or progression better and earlier than using radiological imaging alone.
This method represents a modern tool with potential to radically improve the strategy for longitudinal monitoring of patients with ACC. I have access to one of largest series of well-characterized cohort of patients in the UK and to cutting-edge molecular technologies, alongside longstanding expertise in genetic studies of adrenal tumours. This makes me ideally suited to perform these analyses.
This study will also serve to underpin further recruitment of patients to a following, larger study and future major funding applications.