| PART III, LINE 1 - ORGANIZATION'S MISSION: |
The National Foundation for Cancer Research (NFCR) is a leading public charity dedicated to funding cancer research and public education relating to cancer prevention, earlier diagnosis, better treatments and, ultimately, cures for cancer. NFCR has distinguished itself in the cancer research sector by emphasizing long-term, transformative research often overlooked by other major funding sources. NFCR promotes and facilitates collaboration among scientists to accelerate the pace of discovery from bench to bedside. Since 1973, NFCR has provided more than $415 million in support of discovery-oriented cancer research focused on understanding how and why cells become cancerous, and on public education relating to cancer prevention, detection, and treatment. NFCR is committed to fighting cancer by funding high-risk, high-impact, and potentially high-reward discoveries in the labs and transforming them into life-saving treatments for cancer patients. Through global collaboration, NFCR is making unique impacts on new, accelerated paths to a cure. NFCR envisions a world without cancer! |
| PART III, LINE 4A - CANCER RESEARCH PROGRM ACCOMPLISHMENTS: |
HIGHLIGHTS OF RESEARCH ACCOMPLISHMENTS ---------------------------------------------- With support from our generous donors, NFCR-funded scientists have made numerous remarkable advances in the fight against cancer. Their research encompasses a wide variety of fields, many of which could ultimately lead to a cure for this deadly disease. CHROMOSOME LOSS & IMMUNE RESISTANCE ------------------------------------ TERESA DAVOLI, PH.D. PREVIOUSLY SHOWED LOSS OF A SPECIFIC "P" REGION OF CHROMOSOME 9P IS MORE FREQUENT IN PATIENTS NOT RESPONDING TO IMMUNOTHERAPY. TO UNDERSTAND THE MECHANISM, HER TEAM USED CRSIPR GENE-EDITING TOOL TO MODIFY HUMAN CANCER CELL LINES TO CONTAIN THE LOSS OF REGIONS ON CHROMOSOME 9P. COMPUTATIONAL ANALYSIS DECIPHERED WHICH 9P GENES ARE CRITICAL FOR IMMUNE EVASION. IN LAB MODELS, SILVIO GUTKIND, PH.D. IS DISSECTING WHY TUMORS WITH 9P LOSS RESPOND LESS TO IMMUNOTHERAPY. THIS RESEARCH IS ENLIGHTENING HOW TUMOR CELLS EVADE THE IMMUNE SYSTEMS' RECOGNITION AND ATTACK. 9P LOSS IS A COMMON FEATURE OF SOLID TUMORS, ESPECIALLY MELANOMA AND ORAL, LUNG, AND BLADDER CANCERS. THIS RESEARCH MAY POTENTIALLY HELP IDENTIFY PATIENTS WHO WILL RESPOND TO IMMUNOTHERAPY AND IMPROVE CURRENT IMMUNOTHERAPEUTIC STRATEGIES. COMBATTING BRAIN METASTASIS IN BREAST AND OTHER CANCER -------------------------------------------------------- HER2-POSITIVE BREAST TUMORS (ABNORMAL AMOUNTS OF HER2 GROWTH PROTEIN) ARE TREATED WITH TARGETED THERAPIES BUT SOME PATIENTS DO NOT RESPOND TO TREATMENT AND DEVELOP BRAIN METASTASES WITH DISMAL OUTCOMES. KORNELIA POLYAK, M.D., PH.D. AND VALERIE WEAVER, PH.D. ARE EXPLORING HOW THE BRAIN ENVIRONMENT ENABLES BREAST CANCER CELLS TO GROW AND SURVIVE. THEIR RESULTS OPEN A NEW AND SIGNIFICANT RESEARCH FIELD. THE DATA SUGGEST THAT TARGETING SUGAR MOLECULES OR GLYCOSYLATION IN CELLS AND THE SPECIFIC INTERACTIONS BETWEEN BRAIN CELLS AND CANCER CELLS COULD IMPROVE THE OUTCOMES OF BREAST CANCER PATIENTS WITH BRAIN METASTASES. MOREOVER, THESE RESULTS ARE RELEVANT TO OTHER CANCER TYPES THAT COMMONLY METASTASIZE TO THE BRAIN INCLUDING MELANOMA AND LUNG CANCER. IMMUNOTHERAPY FOR MERKLE CELL CANCER AND OTHER VIRUS-DRIVEN CANCERS. -------------------------------------------------------------------- WHILE 50% OF PATIENTS WITH MERKEL CELL CANCER (MCC) RESPOND WELL TO IMMUNE-BASED THERAPIES, OTHERS DO NOT. AS WITH MOST CANCERS, THE BASIS FOR DIFFERENT OUTCOMES IS UNKNOWN. MERKEL CELL POLYOMAVIRUS CAUSES 80% OF MCCS WHILE 20% IS CAUSED BY UV LIGHT-INDUCED DNA MUTATIONS. EACH MCC SUBTYPE MAY BE 'SEEN' IN DIFFERENT WAYS BY THE IMMUNE SYSTEM. DRS. SUZANNE TOPALIAN AND PAUL NGHEIM ARE STUDYING GENE EXPRESSION IN TUMOR- INFILTRATING T CELLS IN PATIENTS RECEIVING IMMUNOTHERAPY. COMPUTER MODELING REVEALED A GENE EXPRESSION PROFILE DERIVED FROM LUNG CANCER MUTATION-SPECIFIC T CELLS ALSO IDENTIFIES TUMOR- SPECIFIC T CELLS IN MCC SPECIMENS. A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF IMMUNE CELL-TYPES IN TUMORS RESPONDING OR NOT TO IMMUNOTHERAPY IS NOW POSSIBLE. THIS RESEARCH WILL ALLOW COMBINATIONS OF EXISTING AND EMERGING THERAPIES TO HELP PATIENTS OVERCOME MCC AND OTHER VIRUS-DRIVEN CANCERS. PAIRING LUNG CANCER PATIENTS WITH THE RIGHT TREATMENT ------------------------------------------------------------------------ LUNG CANCER PATIENTS WITH MUTATIONS IN THE ALK GENE (OR ALK-POSITIVE OR ALK+) EVENTUALLY BECOME RESISTANT TO THE 1ST, 2ND, AND 3RD LINE OF STANDARD THERAPIES WITH NO OTHER AVAILABLE LIFE-SUSTAINING THERAPY. AARON HATA, M.D., PH.D. AND JESSICA LIN, M.D. ARE USING A NEW BREAKTHROUGH TECHNOLOGY THAT IDENTIFIES AND QUANTIFIES THE GENES IN PRESERVED BIOPSY SAMPLES, A METHOD NOT PREVIOUSLY POSSIBLE. A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW CANCERS CHANGE WITH TARGETED THERAPIES CAN POTENTIALLY NOMINATE NEW WAYS TO TREAT RESISTANT CANCERS AND SAVE LIVES. Predicting Why Cancer Spreads in Some Patients ------------------------------------------------ DANNY WELCH, PH.D. AND ISIDORE RIGOUTSOS, PH.D. ARE FINDING VARIABILITIES IN A SHORT FORM OF RNA IN THE MITOCHONDRIA, THE CELL PART THAT PRODUCES OUR BODY'S ENERGY, POSSIBLY EXPLAINING WHY CANCER SPREADS IN SOME PATIENTS BUT NOT IN OTHERS. THE RNA MAY PARTIALLY EXPLAIN RACIAL DISPARITIES IN CANCER RATES AND SEVERITY. THEIR RESEARCH SUGGESTS THAT A SIMPLE BLOOD TEST COULD GUIDE DOCTORS TO AGGRESSIVELY TREAT PATIENTS WHOSE CANCER MAY SPREAD OR SPARE PATIENTS AT LOW RISK FROM UNDERGOING TREATMENTS WITH HARSH SIDE EFFECTS. CAR-T Cell Immunotherapy for Pancreatic Cancer ----------------------------------------------- THERE ARE NO EFFECTIVE CAR-T CELL THERAPIES (OR T CELL-BASED IMMUNOTHERAPIES) FOR PANCREATIC CANCER. AVERY POSEY, PH.D. AND COURTNEY HOUCHEN, M.D. ARE DEVELOPING CAR-T CELLS THAT TARGET TWO TUMOR-ASSOCIATED PROTEINS CONTRIBUTING TO IMMUNE SUPPRESSION. THIS APPROACH MAY ENHANCE THE ANTI-TUMOR EFFICACY OF THESE CAR-T CELLS AND PREVENT TUMOR ESCAPE. THIS WORK IS IDENTIFYING THE MOST PROMISING CANDIDATES FOR FUTURE CLINICAL STUDIES - GIVING PANCREATIC PATIENTS HOPE FOR A NEW TREATMENT. NEW FOCUS: Early Detection & Intervention ------------------------------------------- A new NFCR focuses on early cancer detection, early-stage cancer intervention, and treatment. We are supporting a group of leading-edge scientists pioneering and investigating innovative approaches to stop cancers at their early stage, such as stage zero, and to detect them before new cancer happens. Dr. Azra Raza, a distinguished trailblazer, particularly in hematology and oncology, seeks to identify elusive biomarkers that serve as harbingers of cancer, allowing for timely intervention when the disease is most amenable to treatment. Her work has shed light on the role of abnormally large cells in cancer development and progression. It has opened new avenues for therapeutic interventions and diagnostic strategies in the battle against cancer. Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee's research focuses on the microenvironment in the bone marrow where bone-stem cells signal and regulate the development of blood stem cells. By unraveling these key signals, he aims to identify changes that might signal dangerous blood cancers like myelodysplastic syndrome and leukemia at an earlier stage. By developing and improving screening tests to find and diagnose cancer at its earliest, most treatable stages, scientists are working to reduce overall cancer risk and prevent the disease from developing. We will kill cancers before they kill people. Our goal is to reduce cancer incidences and increase cancer survivors. New Research Program: Expanding Powerful Detection Technology for Many Cancers ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ADVANCED AND METASTATIC CANCER TAKES THE LIVES OF MORE THAN 90% OF PATIENTS. EARLY DETECTION OF CANCER AND ITS PROGRESSION IS A DIRE UNMET NEED FOR PATIENTS, FAMILIES, AND THE CANCER RESEARCH COMMUNITY. NFCR'S NEW INITIATIVE FOCUSES ON CANCER CELL DIAGNOSTIC TECHNOLOGY TO PROVIDE AN INCREASED UNDERSTANDING OF LIVE CANCER CELLS OR CIRCULATING TUMOR CELLS (CTCS) IN REAL-TIME AND AN INCLUSIVE UNDERSTANDING OF THE TUMOR MICROENVIRONMENT AT THE CELLULAR, GENOMIC, TRANSCRIPTOMIC, AND PROTEOMIC LEVELS. TEN LEADING RESEARCHERS FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE HAVE BEGUN TO GENERATE THE KNOWLEDGE NEEDED TO ACCELERATE THIS MOST CRITICAL CANCER PROBLEM FOR CANCER PATIENTS OF EARLY DETECTION AND MONITORING OF ADVANCED CANCER. Botanical Drug Treating Patients in Clinical Trials ----------------------------------------------------- Over two decades of funding from NFCR supporters helped Yung-Chi Cheng, Ph.D. and his team develop YIV-906, a botanical drug with holistic and multiple system anti-cancer properties that enhance immunotherapy and chemotherapy. NFCR's AIM-HI Translational Research Initiative support facilitated the translation of YIV-906 to reach the clinical stages. Now, a phase I/ii global clinical trial is treating liver cancer patients with YIV-906 combined with a frontline drug. Since YIV-906 also protects the gastrointestinal tract from harsh side effects of many therapies, the botanical should alleviate adverse effects of the frontline drug that has caused many patients to discontinue its use. Preliminary trends of phase i/ii trial results look promising for extending progression free survival, overall survival, quality of life and tolerability. With success in final phase clinical trials, YIV-906 could become the first U.S.-approved botanical cancer drug - a remarkable achievement. Unique Clinical Trial Gives Hope to Brain Cancer Patients ---------------------------------------------------------- A revolutionary clinical trial model, GBM AGILE, is now available to treat patients with the deadliest brain cancer, glioblastoma (GBM). Patients who have not had a new effective treatment in decades, now have hope for survival. GBM AGILE's unique design surpasses standard trials to efficiently evaluate multiple new drugs and drug combinations simultaneously. Benefits include lower cost, reduced time, and fewer patients required to |
| PART III, LINE 4B - CANCER PREVENTION EDUCATION TO THE PUBLIC: |
NFCR provides the public with free materials containing valuable information on the most up-to-date cancer preventive measures, treatment options, and diagnostic tools. Our powerful message has been mailed annually to households, reaching over 235,000 email subscribers and tens of thousands of individuals through our social media channels (Twitter and Facebook) and through our website and blogs, helps to assure that fewer of today's healthy individuals will get cancer and more of today's cancer patients will become tomorrow's cancer survivors. Our public education materials include early cancer detection guide, cancer prevention kits, recipes for healthy living, electronic and printed newsletters, the latest cancer headlines, and in-depth online cancer information. |
| PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 11B - REVIEW PROCESS OF FORM 990: |
THE NATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR CANCER RESEARCH'S PROCESS FOR REVIEWING THE FORM 990. ======================================================================== 1. FORM 990 WILL BE PREPARED AFTER ANNUAL AUDIT IS DONE. 2. THE FIRST DRAFT WILL BE REVIEWED BY THE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER AND THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER. 3. AFTER RESOLVING ANY QUESTIONS OR UPDATES, THE REVISED DRAFT WILL BE SENT TO BOARD MEMBERS, PREFERABLY ELECTRONICALLY FOR THEIR REVIEW AND COMMENTS. 4. THE BOARD MEMBER'S COMMENTS, IF ANY, WILL BE INCORPORATED IN THE FINAL RETURN. 5. THE RETURN WILL BE FILED WITH THE IRS PRIOR TO THE DESIGNATED DUE DATE OR EXTENDED DUE DATE. 6. THE STATE VERSION WILL BE PROVIDED TO STATES FOR REGISTRATION RENEWALS AND THE PUBLIC PORTIONS OF THE RETURN WILL BE POSTED ON THE FOUNDATION'S WEBSITE. 7. IN THE OCCASION THAT THERE IS INSUFFIENT TIME PRIOR TO FILING FORM 990 TO SHARE IT WITH THE BOARD, OR THERE IS ABSENCE OF AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ANY MEANINGFUL REVIEW OF FORM 990 BY THE BOARD PRIOR TO THE FILINGS DEADLINE, AN ELECTRONIC VERSION OF THE FILED RETURN WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR BOARD MEMBERS' REVIEW AND COMMENTS AFTER SUBMISSION OF RETURN TO IRS. AN AMENDED RETURN, IF NECESSARY, WILL BE FILED. |
| PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 12C - CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY COMPLIANCE: |
EACH DIRECTOR, PRIOR TO TAKING HIS/HER POSITION ON THE BOARD, AND ALL PRESENT DIRECTORS SHALL SUBMIT IN WRITING TO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD A LIST OF ALL BUSINESSES OR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS OF WHICH HE/SHE IS AN OFFICER, DIRECTOR, TRUSTEE, MEMBER, OWNER SHAREHOLDER, EMPLOYEE OR AGENT, WITH WHICH THE FOUNDATION HAS, OR MIGHT REASONABLE IN THE FUTURE ENTER INTO, A RELATIONSHIP OR A TRANSACTION IN WHICH THE DIRECTOR WOULD HAVE CONFLICTING INTEREST ANNUALLY. |
| PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 15A/15B - OFFICERS COMPENSATION: |
ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, THE BOARD WILL PERFORM A THOROUGH REVIEW TO DETERMINE SUITABLE COMPENSATION. THIS PROCESS INCLUDES ALL OF THE FOLLOWING THREE ELEMENTS. ======================================================================= 1. REVIEW AND APPROVAL BY BOARD OF DIRECTORS: THE COMPENSATION OF EACH OFFICER IS REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, PROVIDED THAT PERSONS WITH CONFLICTS OF INTEREST WITH RESPECT TO THE COMPENSATION ARRANGEMENT AT ISSUE ARE NOT INVOLVED IN THIS REVIEW AND APPROVAL. EACH OFFICER'S PERFORMANCE IS EVALUATED BASED ON HIS OR HER JOB RESPONSIBILITIES, AND INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL GOALS SET IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR. 2. REVIEW OF "COMPARABLE COMPENSATION" DATA: THE COMPENSATION OF EACH OFFICER IS REVIEWED AND APPROVED USING DATA AS TO COMPARABLE COMPENSATION FOR SIMILARLY QUALIFIED PERSONS IN FUNCTIONALLY COMPARABLE POSITIONS AT SIMILARLY SITUATED ORGANIZATIONS. COMPARABLE DATA ARE COMPILED BY THE FOUNDATION'S CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER AND/OR BY OUTSIDE COMPENSATION CONSULTANTS. COMPARABILITY DATA CAN INCLUDE COMPENSATION DATA FROM IRS FORM 990'S OF SIMILAR ORGANIZATIONS, PUBLISHED COMPENSATION SURVEYS, STUDIES AND GUIDES, AND OTHER SOURCES DEEMED APPROPRIATE AT THE TIME. 3. DOCUMENTATION AND RECORDKEEEPING: THERE IS CONTEMPORANEOUS DOCUMENTATION AND RECORDKEEPING WITH RESPECT TO THE DELIBERATIONS AND DECISIONS REGARDING THE COMPENSATION AGREEMENT. THE RECORD IS KEPT BY THE SECRETARY OF THE FOUNDATION. |
| PART VI, SECTION C, LINE 19-AVAILABILTY OF DOCUMENTS, POLICIES, AND F/S: |
THE FOUNDATION MAKES ITS GOVERNING DOCUMENTS, CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY, AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC UPON REQUEST. THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE ON THE FOUNDATION'S WEBSITE. |
| PART IX, LINE 26, JOINT COSTS ALLOCATION: |
NFCR IS COMMITTED TO EFFICIENCY AND TRANSPARENCY. FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS, NFCR HAS BEEN COMMUNICATING WITH SUPPORTERS, DONORS, AND PROSPECTIVE DONORS BY POSTAL MAIL, EMAIL, PHONE, WEBSITE AND OTHER MEANS, BOTH TO REQUEST CONTRIBUTIONS AND TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC, THEREBY UPHOLDING NFCR'S MISSION STATEMENT ABOUT CANCER AND UPHOLD ITS MISSION, AND AT THE SAME TIME TO PROVIDE FUNDRAISING OPPORTUNITIES. THE COSTS RELATED TO THESE JOINT ACTIVITIES ARE ALLOCATED, THEREBY UPHOLDING NFCR'S MISSION STATEMENT (TO SUPPORT CANCER RESEARCH AND PUBLIC EDUCATION RELATING TO THE PREVENTION, EARLY DIAGNOSIS, BETTER TREATMENTS AND ULTIMATELY, A CURE FOR CANCER). THESE FREE PUBLICATIONS ARE SENT TO TENS OF MILLIONS OF FAMILIES AND INCLUDE MATERIALS SUCH AS EARLY DETECTION GUIDES, CHILDHOOD CANCER CHARTS, CANCER PREVENTION KITS AND RECIPES FOR HEALTHY LIVING. AS A RESULT, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING STANDARDS BOARD (FASB) GUIDELINES SOP 98-2 (ASC 958-720), WE ALLOCATE A PORTION OF OUR DIRECT MAIL COST TO PROGRAM SERVICES AND TO FUNDRAISING. |