The award will be presented April 2 during ceremonies at AACR's 97th Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.
Dr. Fisher 's early work on tumor metastasis paved the way for later hypotheses about the spread of this disease. He used clinical trials to confirm that patterns of tumor spread are not solely dictated by anatomical considerations, but are also influenced by intrinsic factors in the tumor cells and the organs they invade.
Dr. Fisher's systematic clinical trials changed the way physicians manage patients with breast cancer. Together with a consortium of colleagues, he evaluated the effect of radical surgical procedures for breast cancer and found that radical mastectomy was no more effective than total mastectomy. Further investigations revealed that a combination of lumpectomy and radiation therapy was equally effective as total mastectomy.
Dr. Fisher and his colleagues also were instrumental in defining the effectiveness of adjuvant chemotherapy and hormonal therapy with the synthetic estrogen tamoxifen in treating breast cancer as a systemic disease. His studies revealed that tamoxifen substantially reduces the incidence of breast cancer in high-risk women when taken as a preventative measure.
"Dr. Fisher's important work not only helped those who fight the disease, but has also helped prevent breast cancer in women who are at high risk," said Margaret Foti, Ph.D., M.D. (h.c.), chief executive officer of the AACR. "We are honored to recognize Dr. Fisher's exemplary contributions to the field of breast cancer research and improvement in the quality of life for women who struggle with this disease."
Dr. Fisher is a 194
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Contact: Russell Vanderboom, Ph.D.
vanderboom@aacr.org
215-440-9300
American Association for Cancer Research
27-Mar-2006