6 0 UPMC Cancer Centers and University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute 0 2 l l a f EXPORTING STATE-OF-THE-ART CARE I R L CONTENTS IRELAND UPMC Cancer Centers and Exporting state-of-the-art care University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute 2 TARGETING BETTER TREATMENT 4 New technologies enhancing radiation therapy outcomes COMBATING THE KILLER TAN Nearly 1 million Americans will be diagnosed with skin cancer this year 6 “WHY ME?” 10 New program gaining insight into the causes of cancer Editor ....................................... Betsy Martinelli VOLUNTEERS Contributors ................................. Clare Collins Improving quality of life for patients and their families ............................................. Carey Anne Zucca 14 Graphic Design ............................ Larry Hruska THE POWER OF PARTNERSHIP ................................................. Chris Konopack 18 NEWS BRIEFS 26 cDISa COnVERYc&eCAr RE Cancer Discovery & Care is a publication of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI) and UPMC Cancer Centers and is produced by UPMC Corporate Communications. All rights reserved. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced without written permission. Send suggestions, comments, or address changes to Betsy Martinelli at UPCI/ UPMC Cancer Centers, Office of Communications, UPMC Cancer Pavilion, 5150 Centre Ave., Room 457c, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, or via e-mail at [email protected]. UPMC CANCER CENTERS EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH CANCER INSTITUTE EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP Ronald B. Herberman, MD – Director Ronald B. Herberman, MD – Director MAKING PREVENTION A PRIORITY Stanley M. Marks, MD – Director of Clinical Hillman Professor of Oncology Services and Chief Medical Officer Associate Vice Chancellor, Cancer Research With the skyrocketing costs related to the treatment of cancer, it is logical that sig - Jeffrey E. Shogan, MD – Director of Business Andrew S. Baum, PhD – Director of Behavioral nificant emphasis should be placed on research and development efforts to prevent Services and Chief Business Officer Sciences and Cancer Control this devastating disease. Indeed, strategic prevention initiatives have the potential for the greatest impact on the societal and economic burden of cancer. Fortunately, Charles E. Bogosta, MBA – Executive Vice President, Michael J. Becich, MD, PhD – Associate Director for Cancer Informatics Cancer Services there has been a rapid increase in our understanding of the interactions at the Charles E. Bogosta, MBA – Associate Director for Finance molecular level between genetic factors and the environment that lead to the development and progression of David L. Bartlett, MD – Co-Director of Surgical Oncology cancer, and these insights are providing important opportunities for targeted interventions to prevent cancer. But Services and Chief, Division of Surgical Oncology Preet M. Chaudhary, MD – Director of Translational Research how do we identify and prioritize these potential initiatives, and more importantly, how can we successfully imple - and Co-Leader, Hematologic Malignancies Program ment them? Brian Clark, MD – Director of Cancer Genetic Services Clare Collins, MA, MEd – Assistant Director for Media Relations Strategic prevention initiatives These important questions were the focus of a national summit on cancer prevention Dwight E. Heron, MD – Director of Radiation Oncology Services research that I had the honor to organize and chair, on behalf of C-Change. C-Change is Maryann Donovan, PhD, MPH – Associate Director have the potential for the a national coalition of leaders from the government, business, and nonprofit sectors dedi - Holly Lorenz, RN, MSN – Vice President and for Research Services and Advancement cated to eliminating cancer as a major public health problem. Under the leadership of greatest impact on the societal Chief Operating Officer for Clinical Services former President George H. W. Bush, former First Lady Barbara Bush, and Senator Diane Kenneth A. Foon, MD – Director of Clinical Investigations Feinstein, C-Change members have a shared vision of a future “where cancer is prevented, James D. Luketich, MD – Co-Director of Surgical Oncology Services and economic burden of cancer. and Director and Chief, Heart, Lung, and Esophageal Surgical Institute Vijaya C. Gandhi, PhD, MBA – Associate Director for detected early, and cured or managed successfully as a chronic illness.” Administration and Strategic Planning The national C-Change Summit has led to a plan for developing specific, feasible actions to: Colleen McCabe Mantini, MPA – Director of Government Relations Michael T. Lotze, MD – Associate Director for Strategic Partnerships • substantially increase investment by the federal government and the pharmaceutical, biotech, and food indus - Betsy S. Martinelli – Manager of Communications tries in discovery and development of cancer preventatives, both protective drugs and vaccines Colleen McCabe Mantini, MPA – Director of Governmental Relations Jennifer M. Raetz – Development Director • change policies, procedures, and laws to encourage investment by industry Shivendra V. Singh, PhD – Director of Basic Research Beth Wild Shiring, MBA – Vice President and • modify the regulatory burden on the Food and Drug Administration for balanced consideration of the bene - Chief Operating Officer for Business Services Emanuela Taioli, MD, PhD – Director of Cancer Prevention fits as well as risks of preventive agents and Population Sciences • modify policies of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and private payers for coverage for effec - Jennifer M. Raetz – Development Director tive cancer preventive agents • educate the public and health care providers on important benefits of cancer prevention At UPMC Cancer Centers and the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI), we are setting a national Sy Holzer, Chair Kent G. George UPCI COUNCIL Jeffrey Lipton Cynthia Roth example in the implementation of strategies that begin to address many of these goals. We are educating state and Elsie H. Hillman, Vice Chair Edwin H. Gott Jr. David Malone Susan C. Santa-Cruz federal officials about the need for more resources, through tours of our community cancer centers as well as the Curtis Aiken Thomas B. Grealish Kevin McClatchy Frederic B. Sargent Hillman Cancer Center. We are implementing research programs to track lifestyle patterns and study the impact Thomas Balestrieri Roy W. Haley Leslie McCombs Steve Schwarzwaelder of those patterns on the prevention of cancer. And we are developing the prevention tools, in the form of cancer G. Nicholas Beckwith III Robert W. Hannan Martin G. McGuinn Dan Shapira vaccines and natural chemicals in foods, coupled with very promising laboratory tests of blood for early detection James Broadhurst I. N. Rendall Harper Jr. Katie McSorley Robert Slagle of cancer, that one day will lead to a future without cancer. Harriet Crawford The Honorable Melissa A. Hart Bob Meyer Lorene Steffes Barbara Crown Mark Hart Thomas H. Nimick Jr. Arthur H. Stroyd Joseph W. DeNardo Sakiko Ishii Eugene J. O’Sullivan Janet B. Taber (honorary member) Robert C. Denove Bill Isler Arnold Palmer Thomas VanKirk Douglas P. Dick William Kassling Brian Patten The Honorable Jack Wagner George A. Fechter Mario Lemieux The Honorable John E. Peterson William Watts Lee B. Foster Sally Levin The Honorable John R. Pippy The Honorable John Weinstein Chip Ganassi Edward J. Lewis Jane Roesch Ronald B. Herberman, MD IN MEMORIAM Hillman Professor of Oncology Director, UPMC Cancer Centers and the WILLIAM M. COOPER, MD, JD, MACP: On Sept. 12, 2006, UPMC Cancer Centers and the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute lost a good University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute friend and advocate. Dr. Cooper, an oncologist, UPCI Council member, and former chair of the UPMC Shadyside Department of Medicine , made a life - long commitment to raising the standards for compassionate patient care as well as educating physicians about this most important component of medicine. University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute 1 I R L EXPORTING STATE-OF-THE-ART CARE by Betsy Martinelli Travelers driving into the City of Waterford follow a beautiful coastal road – Waterford, located in the Southeast region of Ireland, is “The dire need for radiotherapy in Waterford has been well-documented,” more than 100 miles from the nearest radiation oncology explains Charles E. Bogosta, executive vice president for Strategic Port Lairge on one side and a towering green hillside on the other. In the distance centers in Dublin and Cork. Patients Business Initiatives and Cancer Services, UPMC. undergoing radiation therapy travel up to “It presented a perfect opportunity to export the “a perfect opportunity is a billowing white banner. six hours round-trip daily to receive treat - cancer technology, expertise, and treatment “WE NEED RADIOTHERAPY NOW.” ment. To address this burden, patients and to export the cancer delivery that we’ve successfully developed, refined, health advocates are desperately seeking technology, expertise, and implemented here in western Pennsylvania to It’s a striking message against this otherwise serene vista. new alternatives for treatment more con - and treatment delivery an international site.” venient to Waterford. that we’ve successfully UPMC Whitfield Cancer Centre is a joint pro - ENTER UPMC CANCER CENTERS. developed, refined, and gram with Euro Care International, an Irish health Following the successful hub-and-satellite model implemented” care infrastructure