The Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation and Cancer Commons Partner to Help Patients Find Their Best Treatment Options

Patients Share Their Lung Cancer Experiences and Data to Get Personalized Treatment Guidance

SAN CARLOS, Calif. & PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation (ALCF) and Cancer Commons today announced the launch of a new program called MyCancerCommons, created to make sure critical lung cancer treatment information reaches the patients who need it.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with the ALCF to provide this revolutionary resource, which empowers today’s patients to improve their own outcomes. We also look forward to expanding the program to include all types of cancer by the end of 2014.”

Lung cancer is the second leading cause of death in the U.S. With a 1 in 14 lifetime risk of developing lung cancer, more than 220,000 Americans are diagnosed each year, and nearly 160,000 die of the disease.

“Lung cancer is not generic. Every patient’s disease is unique at the molecular level,” said Bonnie J. Addario, stage 3b lung cancer survivor and founder of the ALCF. “So how can a patient know what treatment is most likely to work for them? By knowing what’s worked for other patients with similar types of lung cancer.”

Cancer Commons and the ALCF are aiming to make potentially life-saving insights available to all patients. Once data is collected from thousands of lung cancer stories, Cancer Commons and the ALCF can begin to show patterns in treatment choices, side effects, quality of life, and outcomes. Through MyCancerCommons, patients will have access to expert-reviewed personalized news and resources they can use to inform their own clinical care.

MyCancerCommons also serves as an entryway into the highly personalized services provided by the ALCF. The ALCF can consult a patient’s MyCancerCommons profile while working directly with the patient to ensure he or she is on the best possible treatment path.

“Everyone who has been diagnosed with cancer has felt the fright and anguish of having to make life and death decisions without adequate information, data, or time,” said Marty Tenenbaum, PhD, Cancer Commons’ founder and chairman, and himself a stage IV melanoma survivor. “We are thrilled to collaborate with the ALCF to provide this revolutionary resource, which empowers today’s patients to improve their own outcomes. We also look forward to expanding the program to include all types of cancer by the end of 2014.”

Additionally, Marty Tenenbaum, PhD, will be the guest speaker at the ALCF’s Lung Cancer Living Room Support Group taking place tomorrow, April 22 at 5:30 p.m. (PDT). More information can be found here.

Visit MyCancerCommons at: https://my.cancercommons.org/lcf.

About the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation
The Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation is one of the largest philanthropies (patient-founded, patient-focused, and patient-driven) devoted exclusively to eradicating lung cancer through research, education, early detection, genetic testing, drug discovery and patient-focused outcomes. The Foundation works with a diverse group of physicians, organizations, industry partners, individuals, survivors, and their families to identify solutions and make timely and meaningful change. BJALCF was established on March 1, 2006 as a 501c(3) non-profit organization and has raised more than $10 million for lung cancer research. To learn more, please visit http://www.lungcancerfoundation.org. Follow the ALCF on Facebook and Twitter.

About Cancer Commons
Cancer Commons is a 501c(3) non-profit that unites patients, oncologists, and scientists to make sure critical information gets to the patients who need it. Analysis of distinct patient data from thousands of donors will reveal patterns in treatment choices, drug effectiveness, side effects, quality of life, outcomes and more. For more information, visit http://www.cancercommons.org. Follow Cancer Commons on Facebook and Twitter.

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