Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma has a strong tendency to metastasize. Unfortunately, ESCC is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage, when it has an overall survival rate of only about 20 percent.
For the past decade, Dr. Andrea Califano has led a team of more than 50 scientists seeking to uncover the mechanisms that drive cells to mutate and become cancerous.
Dr. Aaron Viny, MD MS, has been awarded the R37 MERIT grant by the National Cancer Institute for his research on mutations in the gene Stag2, frequently found in various types of cancers.