On May 1, 2009 an MRI uncovered the source of Ashley's ongoing allergy problems...a tumor. Within a week, that tumor was found to be cancer, later diagnosed as SNUC, or SinoNasal Undifferentiated Carcinioma. To date, little is known about this rare and aggressive cancer. While research on cancer is ongoing, research on SNUC is virtually nonexistent. The treatment protocol for SNUC is drawn from su
ccessful treatments of other malignancies. Because it is so rare, it does not get studied in great depth. Ashley lost her battle with SNUC on Dec. 1, 2009, three days shy of her 23rd birthday after a short, but valiant, 7 month fight. We have chosen to work with Cayman BioMedical Research Institue, aka CaBRI, to perform the research for us. In 2004, an IT employee at Cayman Chemical was diagnosed with SNUC. Volunteers from Cayman rushed to form CaBRI in an effort to help their peer. Andrei, like Ashley, lost his battle to this aggressive cancer. To date, with funding from Ashley's Foundation and other private donations, CaBRI has completed genome sequencing. Tumor whole genome sequencing will allow researchers to read the entire “instruction manual” of SNUC cells. Using Andrei's cranial biopsy specimen as a DNA source, and in collaboration with the University of Michigan groups headed by Dr. Larry Marentette and Dr. Arul Chinnaiyan, sequencing of the SNUC genome began in 2011 and is now completed. Results will be reported in an upcoming research publication. To continue research we need your support!
