Lung Cancer Research Foundation and MET Crusaders Announce Partnership

NEW YORK, Feb. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Lung Cancer Research Foundation (LCRF) and MET Crusaders are pleased to announce a partnership aimed at funding much needed MET cancer research. Together they pledge to fund two projects in 2022 that focus on this specific oncogene.

The MET gene is in chromosome 7 in the cells of the human body. Within the MET gene are the instructions to produce the MET protein, which is broken into segments called Exons. When all the Exons are properly executed in sequence, the normal MET protein is produced.  In the case of cancer driven by MET, there is an alteration in the MET gene causing an error in the production of the MET protein. This production error prevents its degradation or causes excessive tyrosine kinase activity, resulting in cancer cells growing unchecked. There are four major categories of MET protein alterations: mutation, amplification, overexpression, and fusion. MET alterations tend to appear most in adenocarcinoma non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but they can also be seen in squamous NSCLC. About 5% of lung cancer patients have MET exon 14 skipping. A lower percentage of patients have MET amplification.¹

MET Crusaders are a community of lung cancer patients, care givers, advocates, researchers, and physicians dedicated to helping patients with the MET alteration live normal lives. "Furthering research to help patients with a MET alteration is a huge task and takes an army of like-minded individuals," said John Hallick, president of the MET Crusaders. "Partnering with LCRF allows us to leverage their expertise in funding innovative research to fulfill the MET Crusader's mission of helping people with MET mutations live longer and better lives."

"We are delighted to partner with MET Crusaders," said Dennis Chillemi, LCRF Executive Director. "This collaboration will give us a better understanding of this particular mutation, uncovering more treatment options for these patients by accelerating research discovery."

About the Lung Cancer Research Foundation (LCRF) 
The Lung Cancer Research Foundation® (LCRF) is the leading nonprofit organization focused on funding innovative, high-reward research with the potential to extend survival and improve quality of life for people with lung cancer. LCRF's mission is to improve lung cancer outcomes by funding research for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and cure of lung cancer. To date, LCRF has funded 394 research grants, totaling nearly $39 million, the highest amount provided by a nonprofit organization dedicated to funding lung cancer research. For more information, visit lcrf.org.

About MET Crusaders
MET Crusaders is a patient advocacy group focused on MET driven cancer.  The MET Crusaders mission is to help all MET patients, regardless of location, race, or socio-economic class, live a normal life.  This mission is accomplished through community, education, research, and advocacy.  MET Crusaders is a trade name of the MET Cancer Foundation, a 501c3 charitable foundation.

Contact:
LUNG CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION
Sheila Sullivan
Sr. Director, Marketing & Communications
[email protected]

MET CRUSADERS
John Hallick
President
[email protected]

1. https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/lung-cancer/symptoms-diagnosis/biomarker-testing/met

SOURCE Lung Cancer Research Foundation