The second of our three core missions is to:
ENCOURAGE EARLY DETECTION
Esophageal cancer (adenocarcinoma) is considered the fastest growing cancer in the United States, according to the National Cancer Institute. Esophageal cancer is also one of the deadliest of cancers in the United States. There has been over a 733% increase in diagnosis of esophageal cancer in the past four decades.
Many are unaware of the dangerous link between chronic heartburn and the increased risk of esophageal cancer.
o Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (chronic heartburn),
o Obesity
o Poor nutrition
o Tobacco use
o Excessive alcohol use
o Barrett’s esophagus
Esophageal cancer has more treatment options when it is caught at its earlier stages. Unfortunately, esophageal cancer is often diagnosed at advanced stages.
Symptoms, such as difficulty swallowing (dysphagia), often occur once the cancer has spread and reached an advanced stage and survival rates of esophageal cancer are extremely low.
Other symptoms include chronic heartburn or indigestion, choking while eating, chest pain, pressure or burning, unexplained weight loss, chronic cough or hoarseness. Learn more about esophageal cancer signs and symptoms.
Despite this, there are NO standard or routine screenings to detect esophageal cancer in its earliest stages.
Patients diagnosed with esophageal cancer often have few options available to fight the disease.
Stage IV has a survival rate of less than 5% and the overall 5 year survival rate is less than 20%.
Your support will help educate the public regarding esophageal cancer risk factors and how early detection can save lives! In order to reduce the amount of esophageal cancer diagnoses and deaths, we encourage patients to learn the facts regarding esophageal cancer and speak with their doctors to learn their risk of developing esophageal cancer.
For those patients with a higher risk of developing esophageal cancer, we wish to empower them to insist on early screening tests which WILL help save lives.
The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation is an advocate for standard and routine screening tests to diagnose esophageal cancer in its earliest stages.
Better detection tests and techniques are critical to identifying which patients are at risk of developing esophageal cancer and detecting the tumors in their earliest stages.
The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation also supports research projects which aim to improve and find new treatment options for esophageal cancer. Currently, treatments for advanced esophageal cancer are typically not towards curing the cancer, but for treating symptoms caused by the cancer in an attempt to improve quality of life.
There is a crucial need to fund research which will treat the cancer in hopes of a cure. This research funding will offer hope to patients diagnosed with advanced esophageal cancer.
Esophageal cancer research is extremely underfunded!
The National Cancer Institute decreased its funding of esophageal cancer research by 15% in 2012. Esophageal cancer research only received a mere $28.0 million out of NCI’s total $5.07 billion budget.
The latest figures show that the National Cancer Institute in 2013, again decreased funding for esophageal cancer research. The National Cancer Institute invested only $26.5 million for esophageal cancer research out of their total $4.79 billion budget.
However, $1.6 billion dollars was estimated to be spent on esophageal cancer treatment alone during 2014 in the U.S.
As of March 1, 2016, The American Cancer Society reports that they fund a total of 782 cancer research grants. Unfortunately, only 8 of these are for esophageal cancer research.
UPDATE: The American Cancer Society reports that they fund a total of 746 cancer research grants. Unfortunately, only 10 of these are for esophageal cancer research. (As of August 1, 2018)
While rates have dropped for other cancer types, esophageal cancer rates are skyrocketing!
The only way to improve and discover new screening tests and treatments is to fund research projects that are specifically dedicated to esophageal cancer research!
The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation Funds Esophageal Cancer Research
The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation awarded its first grant for esophageal cancer research in July 2015. The charity awarded program director, Dr. Carlos Minacapelli and Rutgers Robert Wood Johnston Medical School grant funding.
Then in November, 2018, The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation awarded principal investigator, Dr. Donald Low and Virginia Mason Medical Center, grant funding. Dr. George Hanna of St Mary’s Hospital (Imperial College London) is co-investigator.
In order for our charity to continue to fund worthy esophageal cancer research projects, we rely 100% on your support! Make a tax-deductible contribution today by clicking here!
The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation 