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Our Impact

National Brain Tumor Society has funded more than $38 million in brain tumor research grants and awards to hundreds of researchers at various leading institutes in the U.S. and globally in order to find better treatments and, ultimately, a cure.

Your support has also enabled nonpartisan advocacy efforts that improved public policies to benefit patients with a brain tumor and increase research budgets.

Thank you for your generous past donations. You’ve had a tangible impact on the research needed to find treatments for brain tumors while giving the brain tumor community a voice in our nation’s capital.

Your Dollars in Action

  • Discovered how glioblastoma tumors depend on vast amounts of cholesterol, and how shutting down this supply may halt tumor growth. Importantly, the team has identified a treatment of interest to test.
  • Discovered that specialized, circular bunches of DNA can be found in high levels in glioblastoma tumor cells. These pieces of “extrachromosomal DNA” are believed to be major contributors to tumor growth and treatment resistance. This discovery has the potential to significantly change the way we treat glioblastoma, based on where cancer-fueling genes are located.
  • Discovery of the EGFR mutations, which are the most common mutations found in glioblastoma and represent a key focus for how new research and treatments can be constructed.
  • Discovery of the 1p/19q co-deletion, which is the key characteristic for identifying and diagnosing low-grade gliomas, including oligodendrogliomas.

  • Funded the early research that enabled the development of the poliovirus treatment currently being evaluated in clinical trials by Duke University highlighted on “60 Minutes.”
  • Funded the early research that allowed MD Anderson Cancer Institute scientists to develop an approach that uses a modified version of the common cold virus to attack glioblastoma cells. This research strategy is now being evaluated in clinical trials.
  • Seven new brain tumor treatments have the potential to move to phase 3 clinical trials soon and could represent new treatment pathways.
  •  Defeat GBM-funded work paves way for non-invasive diagnosis, treatment monitoring, and research such as liquid biopsies and new biomarkers.

  • National Brain Tumor Society advocates led a coalition of pediatric cancer organizations to help pass the Childhood Cancer STAR act into law in 2018. This new law (NBTS actually wrote much of the law language) channels increased levels of budget money directly into childhood cancer research initiatives while outlining new processes for tissue collection and analysis that could lead to treatments.
  • 21st Century Cures approved and STAR Act for Childhood Cancer – focused on pediatric cancer research and new tissue acquisition/research/analysis.
  • NBTS advocates were integral in educating lawmakers in the challenges of patients with a brain tumor while helping to influence a $3 billion increase in NIH and NCI research spending for budget year 2019.
  • NBTS also led efforts to drive an increase in Department of Defense dollars for pediatric research from $60 million to $80 million.
  • NBTS planned and held its first-ever Brain Tumor Congressional Briefing on Capitol Hill, hosted by Senior Senator Lindsay Graham, to educate Congress on the challenges of brain tumors. The briefing was created for a bi-partisan gathering of U.S. Senators, U.S. House Representatives, national media, and key staffers.
  • National Brain Tumor Society Chief Executive Officer David Arons was selected for and served on the Blue Ribbon Advisory panel for vice president Joseph Biden’s National Cancer Moonshot. This panel of only 28 cancer experts and advocates from around the country, recommended a set of 10 requirements to the National Cancer Moonshot to greatly accelerate research toward cancer treatments.

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