HEMATOLOGY- ONCOLOGY HEMATOLOGY-ONCOLOGY Overview The Brown University/Lifespan Hematology/ Oncology group was formed when The Miriam Hospital Hematology/Oncology Division, the Rhode Island Hospital Division of Hematology and the Rhode Island Hospital Department of Medical Oncology merged in 1999. Our mission is to achieve academic excellence in basic research, clinical research and education, and to provide the highest quality of care to our patients. The creation of a Comprehensive Cancer Center, which is a collaborative effort to provide coordi- nated and comprehensive care for cancer patients at three Lifespan hospitals (The Miriam Hospital, Rhode Island Hospital and Newport Hospital), has now become a reality. Both the patients and the staff appreciate the many benefits afforded by the new Comprehensive Cancer Center at The Miriam Hospital which opened in May 2002. Extensive renovations to the George Clinic at Rhode Island Hospital were completed as a temporary measure. The groundbreaking ceremony for the Comprehen- sive Cancer Center at Rhode Island Hospital was held on April 28, 2003 with an anticipated opening in February 2004. A recent goal has been the establishment of multi- disciplinary clinics for all the major malignancies. This conveniently allows the patient to receive the Edward Wittels, M.D., Associate Professor of expertise of the surgeon, radiation oncologist and Medicine; Interim Director of Hematology- medical oncologist at the time of their first visit. Oncology and Interim Director of medical Presently, upper GI and melanoma multidisciplinary Oncology Division at Brown Medical School clinics are up and running at Rhode Island Hospital. A thoracic multidisciplinary tumor board has been implemented at each hospital. Future multi-discipli- Our laboratory and clinical researchers distin- nary clinics are being planned for head and neck guished themselves through national appointments cancer as well as breast cancer. as well as being awarded significant research grants. In the clinical arena, three of our physicians, Drs. A Center of Biomedical Research Excellence Fred Schiffman, Anthony Mega, and Sundaresan (COBRE) award of $8.2 million has established the Sambandam were included in the “Rhode Island Center for Cancer Research Development under the Monthly” magazine’s list of “Top Docs.” Dr. Mega leadership of Dr. Douglas Hixson as Principal was also honored with the “Teacher of the Year Investigator and Dr. Nancy Thompson as Deputy 2001-2002” award by the Hematology/Oncology Director. The mission of the Center is to foster fellows. outstanding interactive, laboratory-based cancer BROWN MEDICAL SCHOOL DEPARTMENT OF MEDICINE research focused on the Molecular and Cellular National Cancer Institute Subcommittee C Pathogenesis of Cancer by mentoring promising (Program Projects). junior investigators and establishing state of the art Dr. Deborah Britt is the Principal Investigator for core facilities. two grants that were awarded – a Lifespan Dr. Douglas Hixson served as a member of the Developmental Grant entitled “Examination of National Institute of Environmental Health Services Differential Expression of a Novel Protein, LYRIC, in (NIEHS) Study Section, Review of ToxicoGenomics Normal Rat Liver and Hepatocellular Carcinoma” Consortium Member Applications, 2001 and was ”and a grant from the U.S. Army Prostate Cancer the Chair and organizer of the 12th International Research Program entitled “Examination of a Novel CEA Symposium in Providence, RI. Dr. Hixson is Protein, LYRIC, and Its Involvement in Prostate on the Editorial Board for “Hepatology,” a member Tumor Suppression Mediated by the Cell Adhesion of the Program Committee for the American Molecule CEACAM1-L.” Society for Investigational Pathology and is Vice Dr. Yow-Pin Lim was awarded a Lifespan President and co-founder of ProThera Biologics in Developmental Grant for a project entitled East Providence, RI. He received an RO1 grant “Granzyme in Sepsis,” which will examine the role of funded by the National Institutes of Health for a lymphocyte serine proteases (granzymes) in project entitled “Genesis of Liver Carcinomas with inflammation and sepsis. He also received grants Oval Cell Traits.” from The Slater Center for Biological Research and Dr. Nancy Thompson is the Principal Investigator NIH/NIGMS (SBIR Phase I). Dr. Lim is the for a National Institutes of Health (NIH) RO1 President and co-founder of ProThera Biologics, a Grant entitled “Expression and Role of TA1 start-up biotechnology company, in East Providence, Oncofetal Gene in Liver Cancer” and an American Rhode Island. Dr. Loren Fast was awarded a Rhode Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) Grant entitled Island Cancer Council Grant. “Amino Acid Regulated Gene Expression in Dr. Howard Safran is the Principal Investigator for Tumorigenesis.” an RTOG-sponsored adjuvant pancreatic cancer Dr. Alan Rosmarin chairs the American Cancer trial, which is the largest adjuvant pancreatic trial Society’s Leukemia, Immunology and Blood Cell ever performed in the United States. He also directs Development Study Section and is a member of the a Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) trial Alan Rosmarin, Associate Professor of Hematology- Oncology; Interim Director of Hematology Division at Brown Medical School and Director of Brown University Oncology Group (BrUOG) HEMATOLOGY- ONCOLOGY for advanced pancreatic cancer. Dr. William Sikov the local Chair for the National Cancer Survivors served as a Principal Investigator for a national study Day planning group. Ms. Grossi is an Oncology in advanced breast cancer, which he presented at the Nurse Clinician at The Miriam Hospital and serves American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) on the Board of Directors of The Leukemia and meeting in May 2002. He also serves as a member of Lymphoma Society. Ms. Higginbotham, who is an the Board of Directors of Cancer and Leukemia Oncology Clinical Social Worker at The Miriam Group B (CALGB) and as the Principal Investigator Hospital, also volunteers for The Leukemia and representing Rhode Island. Dr. Anita Kestin is the Lymphoma Society. Both Ms. Grossi and Ms. Principal Investigator for the Prevention of Higginbotham coordinate and participate in Recurrent Venous Thromboembolism (PREVENT) numerous activities such as National Cancer study. The PREVENT trial evaluates the efficacy of Survivors Day as well as various support and prolonged treatment with low-dose warfarin in the educational programs, some of which are held in secondary prevention of venous thromboembolism. conjunction with the American Cancer Society. They Dr. Gary Strauss was recently recruited to fill a also have been invited to address PTA meetings fulltime faculty position in Hematology/Oncology at about speaking to children about cancer and they Rhode Island Hospital. Dr. Strauss received his M.D. have conducted tours of the treatment area for young from Yale University and M.P.H. from Harvard children of cancer patients. Recently Pat Grossi has School of Public Health. While he is an experienced taken a job at another institution and we are in the clinician in all aspects of Medical Oncology, he is process of hiring an equally accomplished and particularly interested in breast and lung cancers. He experienced oncology nurse to fill her position. is a nationally recognized researcher in lung cancer and has been in the forefront of the controversy regarding the efficacy of lung cancer screening. Dr. Strauss’s clinical expertise and research accomplish- Faculty Members ments make him an invaluable addition to the Division of Hematology/Oncology. FULL-TIME FACULTY (Hospital and Foundation Based) We are proud to report that five of our fellows were Edward Wittels, M.D., Director, Hematology/ authors of abstracts at the American Society of Oncology, Associate Professor, Miriam Hospital, Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting in May 2002. University Medicine Foundation One of the fellows, Dr. Vanessa Johnson, received Deborah Britt, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Oncology, both a Merit Award and the Pain Merit Award, which Rhode Island Hospital was presented to the author who submitted the best James Butera, M.D., Clinical Assistant Professor, abstract paper on the subject of pain management. Hematology, Rhode Island Hospital, University Dr. Johnson was honored during the Opening Medicine Foundation Ceremony and was also featured in the ASCO daily James Crowley, M.D., Professor, Hematology, newsletter. Memorial Hospital The Cancer Program at Rhode Island Hospital as Loren Fast, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Hematology, well as the Cancer Program at The Miriam Hospital Rhode Island Hospital were surveyed by the Commission on Cancer of the Mary Anne Fenton, M.D., Clinical Instructor, American College of Surgeons and both were Hematology, Rhode Island Hospital, University awarded the maximum accreditation of three years. Medicine Foundation Michelle Haskell, Ph.D., Assistant Professor (Res.) Three members of The Miriam Hospital Cancer Rhode Island Hospital Control Committee who are actively involved in Douglas Hixson, Ph.D., Professor, Oncology, Rhode community activities are Marsha Weiss, RN, MS, Island Hospital Patricia Grossi, RN, BSN, OCN, and Kathleen Vanessa Johnson, M.D., Instructor (Research) Miriam Higginbotham, LICSW. Ms. Weiss is the Director of Hospital Lifespan Community Health Services, which Anita Kestin, M.D., Clinical Assistant Professor, coordinates community health education, screen- Hematology, Rhode Island Hospital, University ings, outreach programs