NEW YORK CITY-The industry turned out in droves to supportUniting Against Lung Cancer in its annual fundraising event, heldNov. 17 at Gotham Hall. Roxanne Donovan, a member of the UnitingAgainst Lung Cancer board, tells GlobeSt.com that this year’sJoan’s Legacy: Uniting Against Lung Cancer Strolling Supper withBlues & News fundraiser has brought in north of $1 million, upfrom last year’s $900,000. More than 700 guests, with a heavyrepresentation from commercial real estate, attended the galaevent, emceed by ABC News anchor Bill Ritter.

“I really believe we’re on the verge of a new ear in lungcancer,” said Dr. Avi Spira of Boston University School ofMedicine, recipient of this year’s Caine Halter Hope Now Award onWednesday evening. Spira, whose work focuses on earlier detectionand treatments to improve quality of life for patients, saidresearchers could accomplish “amazing things” with the help oforganizations like Uniting Against Lung Cancer.

Spira noted that federal research grant programs providerelatively little funding for research into lung cancer, whichclaimed 160,000 American lives in 2009—a higher toll than those ofcolon, breast, prostate and pancreatic cancers combined. Thefunding for high-risk projects is especially meager, added Spira.He was in such a position a decade ago, but today an earlydiagnostic test for lung cancer is making its way through the Foodand Drug Administration’s approvals process.