Join the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation for the inaugural half marathon and 5K race, and a weekend filled with other activities supporting gynecologic cancer awareness.

The weekend begins with a State of the Science course for physicians and continues on Saturday with survivors courses for women, their families and friends.

For the first time, three concurrent survivors courses will be held for survivors of cervical, endometrial and ovarian cancer. The courses are free, but registration is required. For more information about registering for one of these courses, visit the Women's Cancer Network.

Full race details, including a training guide, and registration are available at www.gcfrace.com.

The Gynecologic Cancer Foundation is pleased to offer a new brochure that extends its efforts to reach all women in America, not just those diagnosed with a gynecologic cancer. Understanding Your Risks of Ovarian Cancer: A Woman's Guide outlines the symptoms of ovarian cancer, a woman's individual level of risk and the appropriate risk-reducing measures for each level of risk.

While the risk of ovarian cancer increases with age, especially around the time of menopause, all women are at risk for ovarian cancer. Some may have a personal or family history that may further substantially increase that risk from up to one in 70 in the general population to up to 1 in 2 at the highest risk level.

Funded by Project Hope for Ovarian Cancer Research and Education, the brochure is available under Educational Materials on GCF's Women's Cancer Network (www.wcn.org).

Twice in the last three months research funded by GCF has made news because of the importance of the findings.

"Genetic Variants in TAP Are Associated with High-Grade Cervical Neoplasia," published in the February edition of Clinical Cancer Research, links genetics with the risk of developing cervical cancer. Dr. Mark Einstein and Dr. Robert D. Burke, Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, led a study that found that women with certain gene variations appear to be protected against cervical cancer.

This research was funded by a GCF research grant given to Dr. Einstein in 2005.

"Dicer, Drosha, and Outcome in Patients with Ovarian Cancer," published in the December 18, 2008 edition of the New England Journal of Medicine, authored by a research team from The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, discusses the impact of the levels of two proteins, Dicer and Drosha, that are key to a cell's gene-silencing machinery, on median survival for ovarian cancer patients. Multiple GCF research awards contributed to these research findings.

GCF annual research grants and prizes, and the annual Public Service Award were presented on February 5, 2009 at the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists 40th Annual Meeting on Women's Cancer in San Antonio, TX.

GCF congratulates the 10 researchers who were selected for this year's research grants and prizes, and Mike Burg, the 2008 Public Service Award recipient.

GCF is hosting a record number of survivors courses this year. These courses are offered FREE to all cancer survivors, friends, family members and others who are interested in hearing from the leading U.S. experts in cervical, endometrial and ovarian cancer research and patient care. For the course that is right for you, visit the Women's Cancer Network where you can learn more and register.

GCF is pleased to announce that Dr. David M. Gershenson has been named the new foundation chairman. He replaces Dr. Karl C. Podratz, who completed his six-year term as chairman. He is Professor and Chairman of the Department of Gynecologic Oncology and J. Taylor Wharton, MD Distinguished Chair in Gynecologic Oncology at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

New members of the GCF Board of Directors also were elected at GCF's Annual in February.