The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) Foundation has established the AstraZeneca Research Endowment Fund for gastrointestinal endoscopic research supported by AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP, Wilmington, DE.

The endowment, which will be funded over the next three years, provides a permanent resource for funding of GI endoscopic research designed to answer important questions and improve the quality and effectiveness of clinical endoscopic services.

ASGE - A Leader in GI Endoscopy Research ASGE and the ASGE foundation promote ongoing research in gastrointestinal endoscopy and its applications to disease management and prevention to ultimately improve the quality of endoscopy delivered to the public.

ASGE Foundation-funded research has driven substantial improvements in clinical practice and technology resulting in positive impacts on patients' lives. These studies have played key roles in the development, implementation, and testing of a variety of gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopic procedures and techniques that have greatly benefited patients who suffer from digestive diseases and disorders.

It is Highly focused and practical-investigations are usually completed in a relatively short time and the results are quickly translated into significant improvements in clinical practice.

The AstraZeneca Research Endowment Fund will enhance ASGE's ability to fund additional studies and expand future endoscopic research opportunities and needs such as: Colorectal Cancer - Better defining risk factors for colorectal cancer and polyps and improving the safety, comfort and accuracy of colonoscopy. Widespread use of high-quality colonoscopy is largely credited for the recent decline in colorectal cancer incidence and mortality in the US.

GI bleeding - Improve endoscopic diagnosis and treatment of life-threatening gastrointestinal bleeding. Increasingly, potentially fatal haemorrhage from ulcers, varices, vascular lesions, and other mucosal disorders are quickly definitively controlled using a single endoscopic exam coupled with the use of newly developed methods to control bleeding, obviating the need to do surgery on many high-risk patients.

EUS - Further refinement of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) - ultrasound delivered through an endoscope placed in different parts of the alimentary tract providing accurate diagnosis and staging of both GI cancers (esophagus, stomach, pancreas, colon and rectum) and non-GI cancers located in the thorax and abdomen. These procedures help insure the proper use and timing of surgery for patients with these common malignancies.