Terry Fox was diagnosed with osteogenic sarcoma (osteosarcoma), a rare and aggressive bone cancer, in 1977. At just 18 years old, his leg was amputated, and he underwent 16 months of treatment to halt the progression and spread of his cancer. Though outcomes for this disease were still poor at the time, Terry learned firsthand how recent advances in treatment – driven by research – were beginning to improve survival rates. It was an experience that solidified his unwavering belief in the power of research. Terry’s subsequent Marathon of Hope – a run across Canada to raise money for cancer research – started a marathon against cancer that has lasted more than four decades and inspired generations of Canadians to finish it.
Since Terry’s diagnosis, there has been progress in osteosarcoma research. Many patients today benefit from limb-sparing surgeries that were not available in Terry’s time. But we still have work to do, particularly in addressing the return or spread (metastasis) of the disease, which is what forced Terry to stop his run, 143 days in, after the cancer had spread to his lungs.
Investing in osteosarcoma – and all cancers
After witnessing the suffering of patients in cancer wards, Terry was determined to stop the hurting. His vision was not just to raise funds for his own disease, but to support research into all cancers. That remains our guiding principle.
Our approach to funding has always been through a highly competitive, international peer-review process whereby experts in their respective fields review and recommend, based on highly specified criteria, applications with the greatest potential for impact.
As a rare cancer, osteosarcoma receives fewer research proposals than more common cancers, but when strong, high-potential proposals in this area are submitted, we invest in them and have invested $2.9 million in “Terry’s cancer” since 2016.
The promise of precision medicine
Under our new precision medicine initiative, the Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network (MOHCCN), we are uniting researchers from across Canada to create a national strategy so every cancer patient in Canada – no matter where they live – will one day receive personalized cancer treatments tailored to the genetic makeup of their cancer. This includes an initiative focused on sarcomas – the broader group of cancers that includes those in bone (osteosarcoma) and connective tissue – in the Prairie region, which will use genomic and computational tools to identify high-risk sarcomas and guide new pathways for treatment.
Recent progress
Ongoing research continues to offer hope. For example, a team in British Columbia led by Dr. Poul Sorensen (BC Cancer and the University of British Columbia) recently discovered a drug that may prevent the spread of osteosarcoma – a significant advancement in the fight against metastatic disease. You can read more about this breakthrough, that builds on earlier work funded by the Terry Fox Research Institute, here.
In another recent study, Wajih Jawhar, an early-career researcher, and his colleagues in Montreal discovered important new insights into how osteosarcoma develops, opening a new pathway for potentially treating this disease. You can learn more about this Terry Fox-funded work here.
We’re proud to support several other researchers and osteosarcoma-related projects, including:
- PROFYLE: Through this program, qualified children and young adults with cancer (including osteosarcoma) had their tumours molecularly profiled to determine the best course of treatment for them based on the molecular makeup of their individual tumour(s). This program has been effective in saving and extending the lives of children who were without treatment options. This was a five-year program that received $5 million in Terry Fox funding. For more information, visit profyle.ca.
- Dr. Joanna Pryzbyl: With funding from a Terry Fox New Investigator Award, Dr. Przybyl is developing a novel liquid biopsy test to personalize treatment for patients with osteosarcoma.
- Dr. Livia Garzia: With funding from a Terry Fox New Investigator Award, Dr. Garzia studied how and why certain sarcomas metastasize to identify which tumours are more likely to spread and find new treatments for children and young adults with these cancers.
Terry Fox believed that research is the key to ending cancer, and his dream continues to drive the work we do today. By funding scientific excellence and innovation – and supporting researchers working to change the outcomes for all patients with this devastating disease – we are continuing Terry’s mission to one day see a world without cancer.