(Ventura, Calif. March 6, 2012) The Lymphatic Research Foundation (LRF) today presented the 2012 Lymphatic Research Leadership Award to Professor Kari Alitalo, MD, from the Hartman Institute at the University of Helsinki.
The award is presented in recognition of Dr. Alitalo's outstanding dedication and contributions to the field of lymphatic research.
"Dr. Alitalo research continues to have significant impact on advancing lymphatic science and of helping to put the lymphatic system 'on the map' of biomedical research worldwide," said Wendy Chaite, Founder, Lymphatic Research Foundation. "We are enormously proud to include Dr. Alitalo in our distinguished list of award winners and hope to incentivize more groundbreaking research in to this field for which we currently understand far too little."
The LRF-Lymphatic Research Leadership Award recognizes individuals who have made a significant contribution toward promoting and supporting the growing field of lymphatic research and/or to find improved treatments and a cure for lymphatic disease, lymphedema and related disorders. Past recipients have included Stephen Goldman, PhD and Henry Chang, MD (2002); Stanley Rockson, MD (2004), Waldemar Olszewski, MD (2006); Guillermo Oliver, PhD (2008); and David Zawieja, PhD (2010).
The award was presented on Lymphedema Awareness Day during a special meeting of the LRF held near the Gordon Research Conference on Molecular Mechanisms in Lymphatic Function & Disease, Ventura, California.
About Dr. Alitalo
Dr. Alitalo is Director, Academy of Finland Center of Excellence in Cancer Biology, University of Helsinki and Academy Professor, Research Council for Health, Academy of Finland.
Dr. Alitalo's work is widely cited; and he is credited with being the first to isolate and characterize lymphangiogenic growth factor (VEGF-C), its receptor (VEGFR-3) and isolate lymphatic endothelial cells for molecular analysis. He has devised molecular therapies that hold promise for new treatments of lymphedema and lymphatic metastasis.
Professor Alitalo made the discovery that the growth factor VEGF-C regulates the growth and development of the lymphatic system in humans and other mammals.
Together with his colleagues Dr. Tuomas Tammela and Dr. Anne Saaristo, they identified that if VEGF-C is injected into tissues in mice and subsequently in pigs, growth of new lymphatic vessels and the restoration of the lymphatic architecture is catalyzed. Previous studies have shown that transferring lymph nodes from the inguinal region to the axillary region in patients with secondary lymphedema following their treatment for breast cancer was found to offer a slight improvement in their condition.
Removal of old scar tissue from the axilla is considered an important step of this procedure.
Professor Alitalo and his team then showed that by combining VEGF-C injections with lymph node transfer in animal models using mice and then pigs, the response seen was even better than lymph node transfer alone. The results in mice indicated that lymphedema treated with lymph node transfer alone resulted in about 20% improvement. However, when combined with the administration of VEGF-C, the overall response was increased to around 80%.
About Disorders of the Lymphatic System, Lymphatic Disease, Lymphedema and Related Disorders
The most prevalent lymphatic disorder is lymphatic insufficiency, or lymphedema. This is an accumulation of lymphatic fluid in the interstitial tissue causing swelling, most often in the arm(s) and/or leg(s), and occasionally in other parts of the body. The severity of this disease varies from very mild complications to a disfiguring, painful and disabling condition. In addition, patients are often susceptible to serious life-threatening cellulite infections (deep skin), and if untreated, can spread systemically or require surgical intervention. It remains a lifelong functional problem requiring daily treatment for maintenance. Eventually the skin becomes fibrotic (thickening of the skin and subcutaneous tissues) with loss of normal architecture, function and mobility.
Primary Lymphedema is an inherited condition in approximately 0.6% of live births. The lymphatic vessels are either missing or impaired and can affect from one to as many as four limbs and/or other parts of the body, including internal organs. It can be present at birth, develop at the onset of puberty or present in adulthood, with no apparent causes. Other lymphatic diseases include lipedema, cystic hygromas, lymphangiomas, lymphangiectasias, lymphangiomatosis and other mixed vascular/lymphatic malformation syndromes and conditions, such as Turner-Weber and Klippel Trenauney Syndrome.
Secondary Lymphedema (acquired regional lymphatic insufficiency) is a common problem among adults and children in the United States. It can occur following any trauma, infection or surgery that disrupts the lymphatic channels or results in the loss of lymph nodes. Among the more than 3 million breast cancer survivors alone, acquired or secondary lymphedema is believed to be present in approximately 30% of these individuals, predisposing them to the same long-term problems as described above. Lymphedema also results from prostate, uterine, cervical, abdominal, orthopedic cosmetic (liposuction) and other surgeries, malignant melanoma, and treatments used for both Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Radiation, sports injuries, tattooing, and any physical insult to the lymphatic pathways can also cause lymphedema. Even though lymphatic insufficiency may not immediately present at the time any of the events occur, these individuals are at life-long risk for the onset of lymphedema.
About Lymphatic Research Foundation
LRF is a 501(c)(3) not-for profit organization whose mission is to advance research of the lymphatic system and to find the cause of and cure for lymphatic diseases, lymphedema, and related disorders.
The lymphatic system is vital to the health of every individual. Scientific investigation of the lymphatic system will provide preventive and therapeutic benefits for a broad array of diseases. As an integral part of the immune system, it is both critical to the body's surveillance against cancer, and it can provide pathways for cancer to metastasize.
Unraveling the mysteries of the lymphatic system is vital to understanding many other disease processes. It plays a role in inflammatory and auto-immune disorders such as arthritis and systemic lupus, and is key to understanding the spread of AIDS and many infections. The Lymphatic Research Foundation fosters and supports research to discover the links between lymphatic function, diseases, and levels of wellness.
LRF's immediate goals are to increase public and private funding for lymphatic research and to increase public awareness. More information is available at www.lymphaticresearch.org.