Special to The Truth
The Toledo Clinic Cancer Centers (TCCC) and the Taylor Automotive family have joined forces to create the “Taylor Cancer Research Center,” a nonprofit clinical research program to benefit all cancer patients in the northwest Ohio area. The Center has been funded in large part through a donation of $1 million from the Taylor family and will help to make innovative cancer treatments available to cancer patients in the region.
The science is based on recent discoveries in the last few years related to molecular biology of cancer and the use of new therapies that target and destroy molecular pathways which drive cancer growth and development.
“This is cutting edge technology,” said family member Peter Demczuk during last week’s announcement. “We are at the brink of finding new challenges to cancer.”
“The Taylor Automotive family has a deep legacy of philanthropy in Toledo,” Steve Taylor commented earlier. “We have given to multiple charitable causes in northwest Ohio. Julie and I always believed we were greatly blessed, and we have always felt the need to share these blessings with our community. I wanted to show my appreciation to Dr. Tim Kasunic who cared for Julie, my wife and the matriarch of our family, throughout her cancer journey in a way which honors her generous spirit.”
The Taylor family was introduced to Dr. John Nemunaitis, a nationally known expert in precision oncology who has published over 500 peer review papers and book chapters, which have been cited over 30,000 times and has directed extensive interaction with the FDA and clinical trial development of Precision therapy with multiple programs in the USA.
“I’m honored to be here,” said Dr. Nemunaitis during the announcement. “This is a team effort … we can reverse that gnome effect and go in a different direction with less side effects.
The Toledo Clinic Cancer Centers (TCCC) recently built a state-of-the-art center in Maumee which will serve as the primary research treatment site, providing research opportunities for all cancer patients at all centers in the area. Speaking for the TCCC, Dr. Rex Mawat, managing partner, recently comments: “Our mission is to expand our current clinical trial research program and to now provide more cutting-edge treatment close to home so that Toledo region patients can receive nationally acclaimed therapy without having to leave the area. We welcome patients from other nearby cancer centers to benefit from ongoing trials we have available and we will be reaching out to our colleagues at other cancer centers in the region, also encouraging their participation.”
Precision therapy targets the disrupted (mutated) DNA which causes cancer growth. The Taylor Cancer Research Center will expand the testing opportunity of mutated cancer signals, followed by Precision therapy when recommended by the treating physician.
Knowledge of distinguishing cancer targets enables use of Precision therapy which impacts these cancer targets to stop the growth of cancer cells. More than 100 Precision therapies have been approved by the FDA over the last decade for routine therapeutic use in the management of cancer and even more therapies are being currently used for experimental Precision therapy through clinical trials.