Autumn I 201 4 It Takes TEAMW ORK: Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma took Munson McLeod on a detour. A bone marrow transplant put him back on track. Director ’s Corne r As a National Cancer Institute “The great thing in this world is not so (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, Rutgers Cancer much where we stand, as in what direction Institute of New Jersey already has we are moving.” earned the respect of the global – Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. – American Writer cancer community for upholding the highest standards of conducting cancer research and delivering recipient and others leading up to our most recent 1,000th case, patient care. Reaching this level you will learn how this program – delivered in conjunction with of achievement carries with it a Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital – has evolved since its great responsibility – not simply to inception 20 years ago (page 6) . ‘maintain’ these standards but You will discover on page 20 how as a teen, Keith Pasichow’s to raise the bar to surpass them. life was changed by a diagnosis of bone cancer. Now an adult, As you’ll learn in this issue, a $ 10 this one-time theater major shifted his focus to become a pediatric million anonymous gift was made hematologist/oncologist, having been inspired by the care he to launch a Cancer Diagnostics and Therapeutics Program that will received at the Cancer Institute. be transformative for cancer research and patient care in New Jersey And while some transformations provide immediate effect, and beyond (page 12) . As a partnership between the Cancer others have a lasting impact. Such is the case with a gift from Institute of New Jersey, RUCDR Infinite Biologics ® within the Jewels of Charity that will support an innovative clinical trial initiative Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey and Rutgers Department at the Cancer Institute (page 25) – and a gift from Rutgers of Genetics, this program will use cutting-edge technology to University alums Bernice and Carl Venable will help further develop novel cancer treatments by identifying genomic abnormal - advance research opportunities (page 26) . ities in tumor tissue that can be targeted with specific drugs. Such While we continue to raise the bar in the delivery of patient care ‘personalized’ therapy is the aim of our precision medicine initiative and propelling next generation research, it is a mission we can and is expected to offer additional expertise and treatment options only accomplish as a collective. We hope you will continue to join for patients. This partnership brings research and technology di - us on this journey. rectly to patients by bridging two leading institutes within Rutgers Sincerely, University, attesting to success inherent in the integration of the Cancer Institute within Rutgers. Advancement of cancer research and its impact on patient care is illustrated through such programs as our Blood and Marrow Robert S. DiPaola, MD Transplant Program. In anecdotes from our very first transplant Director, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey David J. Foran, PhD Isaac Yi Kim, MD, PhD Roger Strair, MD, PhD Chief Informatics Officer and Chief, Urologic Oncology Chief, Hematologic Executive Director, Bioinformatics Malignancies/Hematopoietic Edmund C. Lattime, PhD Robert S. DiPaola, MD and Computational Imaging Stem Cell Transplantation Associate Director for Director Shridar Ganesan, MD, PhD Education and Training Antoinette M. Stroup, PhD David A. August, MD Associate Director for Director, New Jersey State Sharon Manne, PhD Chief, Surgical Oncology Translational Science Cancer Registry Associate Director for Joseph R. Bertino, MD Darlene Gibbon, MD Cancer Prevention, Control Linda Tanzer Chief Scientific Officer Chief, Gynecologic Oncology and Population Science Chief Administrative Officer and Associate Director for Kevin Coyle Susan Goodin, Pharm D Lorna Rodriguez, MD, PhD Administration and Planning Chief Financial Officer Executive Director, Director, Precision Medicine Statewide Affairs Deborah L. Toppmeyer, MD Richard Drachtman, MD Karen Shapiro, MBA, MPH Chief Medical Officer and Interim Chief, Pediatric Bruce G. Haffty, MD Director, Operations Chief, Solid Tumor Oncology Hematology/Oncology Chair, Radiation Oncology Eileen White, PhD Howard L. Kaufman, MD, FACS Associate Director for Associate Director for Clinical Basic Science Science and Chief Surgical Officer Autumn I 2014 6 In This Issue I Features: 6 It Takes Teamwork The Blood and Marrow Transplant Program at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey recently marked its 1,000 th procedure. We take a closer look at some of those patients – then and now. By Maryann Brinley 12 $10 Million Gift will Enhance Patient Care , R esearch and Education An anonymous $ 10 million gift is helping transform how cancer is targeted and treated. By Eve Jacobs 16 Knowledge is Power When three doctors from the Urologic Oncology Program collaborate on a case of prostate cancer, the patient can only win. By Maryann Brinley 12 20 Life Interrupted At 15, Keith Pasichow was enjoying summer camp and hanging out with friends. But unusual swelling in his thigh began a journey with cancer 16 that would later lead him to help youngsters on that same path. By Michele Fisher I Departments: 2 Forefront News from the front lines at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey. 25 Making a Difference News on how giving and service are making a difference in 20 the fight against cancer at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey. 28 Survivor’s Corner Life lessons on weathering the storm known as 'cancer.' 30 Network Spotlight News from our Network hospitals around the state. 32 Homefront A close up look at the lives of faculty and staff members at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey. Autumn 2 014 I Cancer Connection I 1 Forefront News from the front lines at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey Training the Next Generation N I Breast Surgery Fellowship C K The R O Program at Rutgers Cancer Institute of M A N e New Jersey and Rutgers Robert Wood N K O Johnson Medical School received a $75,000 training grant from the Breast Cancer Alliance to support a surgical fellow Even though melanoma “Because melanoma for academic year 2014-2015. It is the patients are at an increased risk of can be detected third consecutive year that the non-profit disease recurrence and the develop - on the skin, a visual, entity has given this award to the program. ment of a second, unrelated mela- web-based approach The one-year fellowship provides sur - noma, research from Rutgers Cancer geons who have completed their general Institute of New Jersey shows that to educating melanoma surgery residency with advanced training many patients do not perform a regu - survivors about and experience lar, thorough self-exam of their skin or disease surveillance that pre pares sufficiently engage in sun protection strategies is ideal.” them to provide behaviors. To address these concerns, — Elliot J. Coups, PhD comprehensive Cancer Institute of New Jersey behav - care specifically ioral scientist Elliot J. Coups, PhD for patients with (above) , will develop and test a web- feature information on how to do breast disease. based behavioral intervention for this regular skin self-exams as well as re - Through the pro - group. minders about sun-safe behaviors. gram, they learn “Because melanoma can be detect- Interactive tasks and quizzes will also how to apply a ed on the skin, a visual, web-based be included. multidisciplinary approach to educating melanoma More than 400 melanoma survivors approach to the survivors about disease surveillance will test the 12-month intervention. prevention, diagnosis and treatment of strategies is ideal,” notes Dr. Coups, The information gained will help refine breast cancer and rehabilitation of breast who is also an associate professor of the tool for a larger-scale evaluation cancer patients. medicine at Rutgers Robert Wood trial. A $2.5 million grant (R01CA Fellows also participate in clinical and/or Johnson Medical School. 171666) from the National Cancer laboratory research at the Cancer Institute The intervention will be designed to Institute will support the work. I with opportunities to design and imple - have the look and feel of an “app” that ment clinical trials. They also train in might be used on a tablet or smart - the basic methodology for conducting phone and will be tailored towards the those trials. I individual needs of each patient. It will 2 I Cancer Connection I Autumn 2 014 Control-Alt-Delete What’s the Frequency? Accordin gto the National Can - As electronic ce r Institute, more than a third of all human cancers, cigarettes (e-cigarettes) including a high percentage of pancreas, lung and become more popular, colon cancers, are driven by mutations in a family of research shows more de - that include better genes known as Ras. Ras has long been considered to fined survey measurements identification of be a target that does not respond to cancer treating are needed to better identify es - sustained e-ciga - drugs, but recent research suggests new possibilities. tablished users. The classification rette users are Activation of oncogenic Ras promotes tumor growth of ‘current use’ for instance, is con - needed. but also activates the cel lular self-cannibalization sidered as any use of the product in In related re- process of autophagy that recycles intracellular com - the past 30 days. “This definition in - search, Michael ponents to help sustain that growth. Eileen White, cludes those who experiment with the Steinberg, MD, MPH, FACP , direc - PhD (below) , associate director for basic science at device just one time and decide not to tor of the Tobacco Dependence Pro - Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, and col - do so again. They are being counted gram (supported by the Cancer Insti- leagues tested the consequence of removing the au - with those who may use e-cigarettes tute of New Jersey, School of Public tophagy gene ATG7 from laboratory models with several times a week or even daily,” Health and Rutgers Robert Wood non-small-cell says Cristine Delnevo, PhD, MPH , Johnson Medical School) and col - lung cancer.