Andrew Dannenberg, MD

2008-2009 BCRF Project:
Co-Investigator: Clifford Hudis, MD, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, NY

Drs. Dannenberg and Hudis are exploring the relationship between the COX enzymes (Cox-1 is present in normal tissue whereas COX-2 is increased in response to injury and abnormal growth) and cancer. They have shown that the prostaglandin products of COX enzymes increase formation of proteins including aromatase (the enzyme that makes estrogen). This female hormone can drive breast cancer formation and growth. Because widely available anti-inflammatory drugs inhibit COX enzymes and therefore may lower estrogen level, this work can explain the potential reduction in breast cancer among regular aspirin uses and expand on the use of this kind of cancer prevention approach.

COX enzymes generate prostaglandin products through a series of steps that can be blocked with medications. The researchers' ongoing work is aimed at better identifying the targetable components of this system for which there are (or could be) specific drugs that may both prevent and treat breast cancer. In the past year, they have further described the impact of prostaglandin signaling on the BRCA1 gene and, in turn, its impact on aromatase activity and therefore estrogen production. This increased understanding of the roles prostaglandins and BRCA1 should help to identify better and safer methods of treating and preventing breast cancer.

Bio:
Andrew J. Dannenberg, MD, is Director of Cancer Prevention at New York Presbyterian Hospital-Cornell. He is also the Henry R. Erle, M.D.-Roberts Family Professor of Medicine at Weill Medical College of Cornell University. Dr. Dannenberg received his medical degree from Washington University in St. Louis and served as a medical resident and fellow at The New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center. He is a member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation, the American Association for Cancer Research, American Gastroenterological Association, American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, and the International Society of Cancer Chemoprevention.

Among the honors and awards received by Dr. Dannenberg are the Upjohn Achievement Award for scientific research, the American Liver Foundation Scholar Award and the International Life Sciences Research Foundation Award. He is a member of Alpha Omega Alpha and Phi Beta Kappa. Dr. Dannenberg has authored more than 100 scientific articles, as well as edited several books and journals, including COX-2: A New Target for Cancer Prevention and Treatment.