For Gary Hammer, M.D., Ph.D., an ACS-funded researcher at the University of Michigan, the fight against cancer is both a personal and a professional passion. At age 15, he was introduced to cancer when his uncle was diagnosed with a rare leukemia, and this experience influenced his decision to enter the medical field.

Dr. Hammer now serves as the director of the Endocrine Oncology Program at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center. He is also an associate professor for the departments of Internal Medicine and Molecular and Integrative Physiology at the University, and the Millie Schembechler professor of adrenal cancer. Through these roles, Dr. Hammer sees patients, teaches, and does adrenal cancer research.

“Adrenal cancer is an incredibly rare disease and the treatments we have are simply ineffective,” said Dr. Hammer. “We are focusing on adrenal stem cells in the hopes that we find novel genetic mutations that can ultimately lead to targeted therapies.”

Dr. Hammer’s research includes looking at the role of the Wnt signaling pathway. When mutations occur in the Wnt pathway, they are known to cause cancer in many systems. Dr. Hammer has replicated these mutations in a mouse in order to compare them with mutations that happen in patients with adrenal cancer. By understanding the genetics behind adrenal cancer, targeted therapies can then be developed. Because the adrenal has the same embryologic origin as the testes and ovaries, Dr. Hammer’s research could also lead to a better understanding of testicular and ovarian cancers.

“Over the last eight or nine years, the multidisciplinary Adrenal Program at Michigan has increasingly been asked to direct the international effort in terms of trial coordination together with multidisciplinary and collaborative research around the world,” said Dr. Hammer. “For such a rare disease, it is essential that researchers collaborate.”

Research on another pathway, the lGF signaling pathway, by Dr. Hammer and other University of Michigan investigators has led to support from drug companies for the first ever multi-center, phase 2 targeted therapy trial on adrenal cancer, which will enroll more than 100 patients.

“This is an important step, not just for the adrenal cancer community, but for rare cancers in general as an example of how work done at a university in the pre-clinical arena on a rare disease, funded often times by the American Cancer Society or the [National Institutes of Health], can lead to substantive discussion with drug companies and ultimately to a rational targeted trial for cancer.”

Dr. Hammer continues his fight against cancer outside of the lab by sharing his message at Relay For Life events.

“I wanted to share both my personal experience with cancer in terms of my family and my professional experience with cancer as a clinician to give the participants an intimate account of what type of research is required to really make a difference,” said Dr. Hammer.

“And of course part of my being at these events reflects my deep appreciation to the American Cancer Society and the participants in the Relay. Funding for our work is truly coming from the very people running and walking to make a difference. To me, this is a most powerful experience.”

To learn more about the Society’s research program and funding, visit www.cancer.org/research.

Published: 06/2008