This intensive program will provide participants with an enhanced ability to interpret and apply best treatment options into their individual cancer practices.
AACI Update | October 2019
Headlines
Birrer Named Director at UAMS Cancer Institute
AACI to Honor Representatives Castor, Upton With Public Service Awards at Annual Meeting
AACI Welcomes New Steering Committee Members
This fall, AACI will welcome six new members to its Clinical Research Innovation (CRI) and Government Relations (GR) Forum steering committees. The new members will formally assume their duties during the 2019 AACI/CCAF Annual Meeting, October 20-22, in Washington, DC, alongside new steering committee leadership.
News from the Centers
Slamon Wins Lasker Award
UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center
Physician-scientist Dennis Slamon, MD, PhD, has received the 2019 Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award for the development of Herceptin (trastuzumab), a life-saving therapy for women with HER2-positive breast cancer. He shares the award with American cancer researcher H. Michael Shepard, PhD, and German cancer researcher Axel Ullrich, PhD.Patierno Receives Cancer Health Disparities Award
Duke Cancer Institute
Steven R. Patierno, PhD, deputy director of Duke Cancer Institute, is the recipient of the 2019 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Distinguished Lectureship on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities. Dr. Patierno presented his lecture at the 12th AACR Conference on The Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved.Connolly Wins Rollman Award for Ovarian Cancer Research
Fox Chase Cancer Center, Temple Health
Fox Chase Cancer Center has announced that Denise Connolly, PhD, has won the Sandy Rollman Ovarian Cancer Foundation’s Teal Trailblazer Award. Dr. Connolly is currently researching a subtype of ovarian cancer, high-grade serous carcinoma, in mouse models to understand why not all ovarian cancer arises in the ovary.Researcher Honored for Contributions to Preventing Lung Cancer
UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center
Denise Aberle, MD, was honored with the Joseph W. Cullen Prevention/Early Detection Award by the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer for her contributions in the prevention of lung and other thoracic cancers. The award is given annually to scientists in honor of their lifetime achievement in the prevention of thoracic malignancies.Weissman, Vogelstein to Share Albany Medical Center Prize
Stanford Cancer Institute
Irving Weissman, MD, director of Stanford's Ludwig Center for Cancer Stem Cell Research, will receive the 2019 Albany Medical Center Prize in Medicine and Biomedical Research for his pioneering work, including the discovery of a "don’t eat me" signal on the surface of many cancer cells. He will share the prize with Bert Vogelstein, MD, of Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University.ASHG Awards City of Hope Genetics Leaders
City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center
The American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) has named Jeffrey N. Weitzel, MD, and Kathleen Blazer, EDD, MS, LCGC, as the 2019 recipients of the Arno Motulsky-Barton Childs Award for Excellence in Human Genetics Education. Dr. Weitzel is chief of the Division of Clinical Cancer Genomics and the Cancer Screening and Prevention Program at City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Blazer directs City of Hope’s Cancer Genomics Education Program.Chwistek Appointed Editor-in-Chief of AAHPM Quarterly
Fox Chase Cancer Center, Temple Health
Marcin Chwistek, MD, FAAHPM, has been appointed editor-in-chief of AAHPM Quarterly, which is published by the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Dr. Chwistek is an associate professor in the Department of Hematology/Oncology at Fox Chase, where he is also director of the Pain and Palliative Care Program.
UNM Bone Marrow Transplant Program Receives FACT Accreditation
University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center
The Bone Marrow Transplant program at the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center recently received accreditation by the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT). The accreditation covers the clinical, collection, and laboratory components of the Bone Marrow Transplant program and enables the program to offer more treatment options and transplant clinical trials. Matthew Fero, MD, FACP, and his team are planning for accreditation of additional components to cover bone marrow transplants in children, CAR-T cell therapy, and, eventually, donor transplants.
Benioff Initiative for Prostate Cancer Research Launched
UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center
UC San Francisco announced it will establish the UCSF Benioff Initiative for Prostate Cancer Research, made possible by a $35 million gift from Marc and Lynne Benioff. The new initiative will bring together scientists and physicians who seek to push the boundaries of prostate cancer research and devise new strategies to combat the disease, which remains the most frequently diagnosed cancer among men in the U.S. and the second deadliest.
New Program to Fast-Track Lung Cancer Research
Fred Hutch Cancer Center
A new five-year, $13 million grant will help scientists and clinicians at Fred Hutch improve outcomes for lung cancer patients. The Specialized Program of Research Excellence in Lung Cancer, led by McGarry Houghton, MD, will bring together experts from across the Hutch and its partner organizations to fast-track the latest breakthroughs in its labs to patients and those at risk of developing the disease.
New Initiative Aims to Reduce Cervical Cancer in Appalachia
University of Virginia Cancer Center
UVA Cancer Center is part of a new five-year study seeking to reduce the disproportionately high rates of cervical cancer—and deaths from cervical cancer—in Appalachia. Supported by an $11 million grant from the National Cancer Institute, this multi-state study will involve 10 health systems serving the Central Appalachian region, along with cancer centers at The Ohio State University, University of Kentucky, and West Virginia University. The goal is to work closely with primary care practices to decrease smoking, increase HPV vaccination, and increase cervical cancer screening.U-M, Karmanos Receive $9.2 Million Grant for Prostate Cancer Research
University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center
Michigan’s two elite cancer programs are joining forces to find new solutions for prostate cancer. The University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center and the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute have received a $9.2 million grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The grant is through the NCI’s SPORE, or Specialized Program of Research Excellence, which funds collaborative, interdisciplinary translational cancer research.Cedars-Sinai Awarded $10 Million to Study Pancreatic Diseases
Cedars-Sinai Cancer
A scientific team led by Cedars-Sinai has been awarded $10 million from the U.S. Department of Defense to investigate the risk factors and behaviors that contribute to pancreatic diseases and develop potential treatments and lifestyle recommendations to prevent them. Stephen J. Pandol, MD, is the lead investigator.
Unique Immunotherapy Platform Moving Forward With $6.42 Million Grant
Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
A team from Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center is moving a new three-part strategy for treating advanced cancers forward with support from a U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) grant. The four-year, $6.42 million Breakthrough Award through the DoD’s Breast Cancer Research Program will fund a clinical trial in patients with brain-metastatic breast cancer.$5 Million Grant Endows Blood Disorder Research
Siteman Cancer Center
Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has received a $5 million grant to establish and endow a new center focused on advancing research and improving treatments for myelodysplastic syndromes, or MDS, which leaves the body unable to make enough healthy blood cells. The new Edward P. Evans Myelodysplastic Syndromes Center will be led by oncologist Matthew J. Walter, MD, a professor of medicine who treats patients with MDS and related blood disorders at Siteman Cancer Center.
Gray Receives NIH 'Genomic Innovator Award'
City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center
Stacy Gray, MD, is one of six physicians to receive an inaugural "Genomic Innovator Award" from the National Human Genome Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The award was created in 2018 to support the early careers of researchers studying genome biology, genomic medicine, technology development, and societal implications of genomic advances. Dr. Gray will receive $2.65 million over a five-year period.Team Aims to Close Rural-Urban Cancer Survival Gap
The University of Kansas Cancer Center
While people in rural areas across the U.S. are less likely than urban dwellers to be diagnosed with cancer, they are more likely to die from it. A multidisciplinary team of researchers from The University of Kansas Cancer Center has received a five-year, $2.25 million grant from the National Cancer Institute to study why there are survival rate disparities in rural parts of Kansas, and how to improve them.Grant Received to Expand Clinical Trials in Rural Kansas
The University of Kansas Cancer Center
The University of Kansas Cancer Center and Midwest Cancer Alliance have been awarded a grant to expand the reach of cancer clinical trials to rural communities in Kansas. The six-year grant designates the team as a minority/underserved community site of the National Cancer Institute’s Community Oncology Research Program. There are 14 such sites in the U.S., and the cancer center/Midwest Cancer Alliance is the only site funded that focuses on rural communities.Gilliland Announces Plan to Step Down
Fred Hutch Cancer Center
D. Gary Gilliland, MD, PhD, president and director of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, will step down in 2020. His accomplishments at Fred Hutch are numerous, say board leaders, and he leaves the Hutch in a strong position for the future. Since 2015, the center has grown and diversified its faculty, increased its already-strong federal grant funding, quadrupled its endowment, and forged new internal and external research collaborations.Bondy Appointed Chair of Epidemiology and Population Health
Stanford Cancer Institute
Melissa Bondy, PhD, has been appointed chair of the Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, effective October 1. Dr. Bondy, who joins Stanford from Baylor College of Medicine, also will serve in the newly created role of associate director for population sciences at the Stanford Cancer Institute.Decker Named Associate Director for Clinical Services
Yale Cancer Center, Yale School of Medicine
Roy H. Decker, MD, PhD, a professor of therapeutic radiology, has been named associate director for clinical services at Yale Cancer Center. Dr. Decker’s leadership as vice chair for clinical research, director of the Residency Training Program, director of the Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy Program, and director of the Therapeutic Radiology Disease Aligned Research Team, has significantly advanced the cancer center's mission.Hilal Joins CCRI Hematology Team
UMMC Cancer Center and Research Institute
Talal Hilal, MB, BCh, has joined the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) Cancer Center and Research Institute to work with patients with blood and lymphatic cancers. He is especially interested in lymphoproliferative disorders and the latest treatments for them and will focus on clinical trials in hematologic malignancies.Keller to Oversee Shared Resources
University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center
The University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center has named Evan T. Keller, DVM, PhD, associate director for shared resources. In his new role, Dr. Keller will provide strategic oversight and direction for the center’s 11 shared resources, which provide access to scientific consultation, services, and technologies that enhance scientific interaction and productivity.Billingsley Named Chief Medical Officer at Smilow Cancer Hospital
Yale Cancer Center, Yale School of Medicine
Kevin G. Billingsley, MD, has been appointed chief medical officer at Smilow Cancer Hospital and Yale Cancer Center and professor of surgery at Yale School of Medicine. Dr. Billingsley starts in his new position in January 2020. He joins Yale from Oregon Health and Sciences University.
Thoracic Surgeon Joins Karmanos Staff
Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University
The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute announces that David I. Sternberg, MD, thoracic surgeon, has joined its medical team as of August 1. Board-certified in general and cardiothoracic surgery, and specialized in minimally invasive chest surgery, Dr. Sternberg will serve on the Thoracic Oncology Multidisciplinary Team.Yang Appointed Hematology Division Director
The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute
Yiping Yang, MD, PhD, has been named director of the Division of Hematology at the OSUCCC – James and The Ohio State University College of Medicine. He was previously co-director of the hematologic malignancies and cell therapies program and professor of medicine/immunology at Duke Cancer Institute and Duke University School of Medicine.
Surgeons Take on New Roles
UMMC Cancer Center and Research Institute
Shannon Orr, MD, has been named chief of the Division of Surgical Oncology, a new division in the University of Mississippi Medical Center’s Department of Surgery. Other changes involving surgical members were also announced.Abraham Appointed Chair of Hematology/Medical Oncology
Cleveland Clinic Cancer Center
Jame Abraham, MD, FACP, has been appointed the new chair of the Hematology/Medical Oncology Department at Cleveland Clinic. In this capacity, he will recruit and develop staff, and guide the department’s focus on patient access and a multidisciplinary approach to care. Dr. Abraham currently serves as the director of the Breast Oncology Program at Taussig Cancer Institute and co-director of the Cleveland Clinic Comprehensive Breast Cancer Program.
Pingree Named Chief Strategy Officer
Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah
Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah has announced the appointment of Scott Pingree, MBA, MPA, to serve as the organization’s chief strategy officer. Pingree has held a variety of prior executive roles in major health care and business consultancy organizations.Novel Regulator of Mitochondrial Cell Death Promising Target for Cancer Therapy
Ellen and Ronald Caplan Cancer Center of The Wistar Institute
Researchers at The Wistar Institute have described the role of mitochondrial fission factor (MFF) in controlling survival of cancer cells, suggesting the protein could represent a promising therapeutic target. They also found that expression of MFF is regulated by Myc, a ubiquitous mediator of cell proliferation that contributes to development of many cancer types. Dario C. Altieri, MD, Wistar president and CEO, was senior author on the study.Software Tools Help Researchers Find Genetic Mutations That Can Cause Cancer
The University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center
A computational software program developed by UChicago researchers can help identify "driver genes," or those with mutations most likely to cause cancer. The program, called driverMAPS (Model-based Analysis of Positive Selection), does more than just count the number of mutations on genes. It also considers the functional importance of the mutation, or how much it affects the gene’s ability to do its job.
Study Provides Insight on Targeted Therapies for Colorectal Cancer Metastasis
UK Markey Cancer Center
A new study by University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center researchers provides new insight on targeted therapy for colorectal cancer metastasis. The study focused on Neuropilin-1 (NRP1), a transmembrane protein that has been connected to the progression of cancers, particularly metastasis. The researchers identified two novel human NRP1 splice variants in colorectal cancer, both defective in N-linked glycosylation modification.Drug Being Tested for Prostate Cancer Patients on Active Surveillance
Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma
Stephenson Cancer Center at OU Medicine recently launched a new clinical trial testing an immunotherapy drug, Provenge, for men who are on active surveillance. The hope is that the drug—which uses the patient’s own immune cells and doesn’t cause side effects—will attack and eliminate the cancer or keep it from changing over time. Kelly Stratton, MD, is leading the trial.
Mammography Unlikely to Benefit Older Women With Chronic Illnesses
Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center
Regular screening mammograms are unlikely to benefit women 75 and older who have chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disease or diabetes. New data suggest they would likely die due to other health conditions before they developed breast cancer. The finding is based on data from more than 220,000 women.Racial Disparities in Survival Outcomes Shown in Pediatric Hodgkin Lymphoma Patients
Rutgers Cancer Institute
In what is believed to be the largest dataset study to date examining the role of race on survival outcomes for pediatric patients with Hodgkin lymphoma, investigators at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey have found that Black patients have significantly worse overall survival at five years than White patients when accounting for all available clinical variables.Understanding Risks for Childhood Cancer Survivors
The University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center
Tara Henderson, MD, MPH, and her collaborators have found that childhood cancer survivors had only a slightly higher chance of dying from breast cancer compared to the control group. While that was good news, there was a catch. The study showed that childhood cancer survivors were five times more likely to die as a result of other diseases, including secondary cancers and heart and lung diseases.Researcher Creating Novel Device for Early Detection of Oral Cancer
Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma
Javier Jo, PhD, a University of Oklahoma researcher, is developing computer technology and a new medical device to improve early detection of oral cancer. The research involves creating a hand-held endoscope to look for precancerous and cancerous lesions of the mouth, and "training" it to recognize patterns and signatures of those lesions with more accuracy and at an earlier stage.Potential Therapeutic Target for Prostate Cancers With PTEN Mutation Found
GW Cancer Center
PTEN, a tumor suppressor gene mutated in approximately 20 percent of primary prostate cancers, and in as many as 50 percent of androgen deprivation-resistant prostate cancers, relies on another gene, ARID4B, to function. These findings, by George Washington University (GW) Cancer Center researchers, provide a potential therapeutic target for prostate cancers carrying the common PTEN mutation.
Infant With Deadly Leukemia Saved by Drug for Adult Liver Cancer
UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center
UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals have successfully treated a months-old infant with a rare childhood leukemia using a targeted therapy approved for adults with inoperable liver cancer and advanced kidney cancer. The decision to use the drug, sorafenib, was made after pathologists identified a unique mutation in the form of two genes being fused together instead of on separate chromosomes.
Standardized Residency Exam May Reduce Diversity of Radiation Oncology Applicant Pool
Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Jefferson
A standardized medical school exam, often used as a criterion for medical residency programs, may reduce the diversity of applicants in radiation oncology. The discovery represents a call to action for medical societies to reduce the barriers and biases in competitive medical fields.Baby Aspirin Improves Overall Survival for Patients With Head/Neck, Lung Cancer
Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
In companion presentations at the American Society for Therapeutic Radiation Oncology Annual Meeting in Chicago, doctors from Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center reported new evidence that low-dose aspirin and other anti-inflammatories may improve survival in patients undergoing treatment for some head/neck and lung cancers. Both research efforts were led by Anurag Singh, MD.Compound Could Play Novel Role in Halting Pancreatic Cancer Progression
Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University
In early test tube and mouse studies, investigators at Johns Hopkins Medicine and the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center have found that nonmuscle myosin IIC (MYH14), a protein activated in response to mechanical stress, helps promote metastatic behavior in pancreatic cancer cells, and that the compound 4-hydroxyacetophenone (4-HAP), known to stiffen myosin IIC-containing cells, can send it into overdrive, overwhelming the ability of cells to invade nearby tissue.Enzalutamide Improves Progression-Free Survival in Men With Metastatic Prostate Cancer
Duke Cancer Institute
A group of clinical researchers, led by Duke Cancer Institute’s Andrew Armstrong, MD, MSc, FACP, have reported on results from the ARCHES study. ARCHES prospectively evaluated the efficacy and safety of enzalutamide, an androgen-receptor inhibitor, in conjunction with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in men with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer, compared to ADT alone.Breast Cancer Cells 'Stick Together' to Spread During Metastasis
Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University
A cell adhesion protein, E-cadherin, allows breast cancer cells to survive as they travel through the body and form new tumors, say researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center. The findings, obtained from laboratory experiments and in mouse models, help explain how metastasis works in invasive ductal carcinoma. Andrew Ewald, PhD, led the study.
Researchers Discover Role of Nuclear Glycogen in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancers
UK Markey Cancer Center
Researchers at the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center have made a breakthrough discovery that solves a mystery long forgotten by science and have identified a potentially novel avenue in pre-clinical models to treat non-small cell lung cancers. The research centers on the function of glycogen accumulation in the nucleus of a cell.Study Shows Benefit of Facebook Patient Support Groups in Rare Cancer Research
UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute
An article co-authored by Jerad Gardner, MD, at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) demonstrates the ability to use international Facebook patient support groups to rapidly reach large numbers of rare cancer survivors. The study reports international disease-relevant statistics from 214 survivors of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans.How Cigarette Smoke Makes Head and Neck Cancer More Aggressive
Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson University researchers studying the effects of cigarette smoke on tumor progression show that cigarette smoke reprograms the cells surrounding the cancer cells, and helps drive head and neck squamous cell carcinoma aggressiveness.
Huntsman Breaks Ground on Cancer Hospital Expansion
Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah
Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) recently broke ground on the Kathryn F. Kirk Center for Comprehensive Cancer Care and Women’s Cancers at HCI. The eight-story building will feature a new endoscopy center; increased services for blood and marrow transplant patients; an expansion of the HCI Wellness and Integrative Health Center; and 48 new inpatient rooms.Statewide Survey Aims to Improve Cancer Prevention, Curb Health Disparities
VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center
Researchers at VCU Massey Cancer Center have designed a comprehensive health assessment survey to better understand how patterns in social, behavioral, and environmental factors can inform improved health care practices and services for all Virginians. The project, titled "Together for Health – Virginia," is led by Bernard Fuemmeler, PhD, MPH, and Gordon D. Ginder, MD.Cancer Center Jobs
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Meeting Announcements
Multidisciplinary Approaches to Cancer Symposium
October 10, 2019
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Cancer and Inflammation: From Micro to Macro
October 17, 2019
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
This two-day national symposium hosted by the CCR Center of Excellence in Immunology addresses recent advances in the field through discussion and debate on the current understanding of cancer and inflammation.
2019 AACI/CCAF Annual Meeting
October 20, 2019
The CME-accredited annual meeting of the Association of American Cancer Institutes (AACI) and the Cancer Center Administrators’ Forum (CCAF) provides an opportunity to network with and learn from peers at AACI cancer centers. The meeting will cover topics of both scientific and operational value, providing attendees with practical solutions.
7th Annual AACI Physician Clinical Leadership (PCLI) Meeting
October 20, 2019
4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
PCLI is a resource for creating best practices to help cancer center physician clinical leaders, such as chief medical officers and chief physicians, address a range of operational challenges while providing the best patient care. In this session, panelists will discuss initiatives that target health research for sexual and gender minorities and patient financial toxicity, particularly its effect on patient care.
2019 CAR T Symposium
October 21, 2019
2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
The Association of American Cancer Institutes (AACI) 2019 CAR T Symposium, in collaboration with Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC), aims to identify the key challenges to patient access and delivery of CAR T, and to discuss potential solutions to address barriers to care.
AACI Government Relations (GR) Forum
October 21, 2019
2:30 PM - 5:00 PM
The GR Forum provides an opportunity for government relations professionals from AACI member cancer centers to discuss federal and state policy issues that impact the cancer community. The meeting will feature presentations and roundtable discussions covering a variety of topics. Please note: the GR Forum is only open to AACI members.
Artificial Intelligence in Oncology: Advancements and Policy
October 24, 2019
The inaugural Artificial Intelligence in Oncology Symposium will bring together experts in AI and machine learning as well as clinical, industry, and federal agency experts in pathology, radiology, oncology, and immuno-oncology to speak on research developments, regulatory policy, reimbursement, and ethics surrounding AI.
Innovators in AYA Cancer: Driving Science and Policy Toward a Brighter Future for Teens and Young Adults With Cancer
November 14, 2019
The Case Comprehensive Cancer Center Angie Fowler Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Cancer Research Initiative symposium will engage physicians, practitioners, advocacy organizations, patients and survivors, their families, and caregivers in a conversation about the steps being taken to improve outcomes and address challenges specific to cancer in the AYA population.
The symposium will feature a poster session and Rising Star oral presentations by students, postdocs, residents, fellows and faculty conducting research in AYA cancer.
The symposium will feature a poster session and Rising Star oral presentations by students, postdocs, residents, fellows and faculty conducting research in AYA cancer.