Approximately 25% of all cancers diagnosed each year are rare cancers. Despite this, the five-year survival rate for rare cancer patients is much lower than for those with non-rare cancers. This is why the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center (Case CCC) is kickstarting CURE (Conducting Unprecedented Research and Exploration): The Rare Cancer Initiative. Led by Case CCC Director Gary Schwartz, MD, the initiative builds on Case CCC’s collaborative nature, creating a national network among U.S. cancer centers and catalyzing innovative bench-to-bedside approaches to identify, treat, and, ultimately, defeat rare cancers.
CURE is funded by the Jed Ian Taxel Foundation for Rare Cancer Research (JEDI)—an organization founded by Mark and Linda Taxel in memory of their son Jed, who died from a rare cancer just six months after his diagnosis. JEDI invests in cutting-edge research that translates into lifesaving treatments that help end rare cancer.
Together, we have the power to transform rare cancer research and save lives around the world.