In Memoriam
Moffitt Mourns the Loss of Research Giant Robert J. Gillies, PhD
Kim Polacek, APR, CPRC
Moffitt Cancer Center and the global research community have lost a great leader, scientist, and collaborator. Robert J. Gillies, PhD, died on June 7 after an extended illness. He was 69 years old. His recruitment in 2008 elevated Moffitt’s scientific stature, and his vision and work over the past 1...
Mourned and Missed
The ASCO Post Staff
The respected members of the oncology community listed here passed away in 2021–2022. The ASCO Post remembers them, their lives, and their contributions to cancer research and treatment. Joseph R. Bertino, MD Dr. Bertino garnered many honors for his scientific contributions leading to curative tre...
Leader in the Field of Integrative Oncology, Barrie Cassileth, PhD, Dies at 83
In 1999, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) President Paul Marks, MD, recruited Barrie Cassileth, PhD, to establish an Integrative Medicine Service that “provided evidence-based complementary therapies that improve patients’ quality of life by alleviating physical and emotional symptoms ...
Childhood Leukemia Pioneer, Donald P. Pinkel, MD, Dies at 95
When St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital was opened in 1962, childhood blood cancer, especially acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), had an exceptionally grim prognosis. However, years of unflagging clinical research led by Donald P. Pinkel, MD, the pediatrician who developed an aggressive leukemia...
Humanitarian Paul Farmer, MD, PhD, Dies at 62
"One of the great advocates for the poorest and sickest of our planet.” —Nobel Peace Prize laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu “Our mission is to provide a preferential option for the poor in health care. By establishing long-term relationships with sister organizations...
Hematologist and Bone Marrow Transplant Pioneer, Tahir Shamsi, MBBS, MRCPath, FRCPath, Dies at 59
Ronald Piana
Although bone marrow transplantation is routinely employed in the United States and other wealthy nations, this costly life-saving procedure has struggled to gain a foothold in many low- to moderate-income countries, where resources are triaged to make the best use of precious health-care funding....
Cancer Biologist Beatrice Mintz, PhD, FAACR, Dies at 100
The ASCO Post Staff
The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) issued the following statement regarding the passing of Beatrice Mintz, PhD, FAACR, a trailblazing pioneer in multiple fields of cancer biology, who died January 3, 2022, at the age of 100. Born on January 24, 1921, in New York, New York, Dr. Mint...
David Morse Livingston, MD, Scientist and Esteemed Mentor, Dies at 80
The ASCO Post Staff
David Morse Livingston, MD, formerly the Charles A. Dana Chair in Human Cancer Genetics at Dana-Farber and the Emil Frei III Distinguished Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, died unexpectedly on October 17, 2021. He was Deputy Director of the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center (DF/HCC) ...
Cancer Researcher and Drug Developer, Joseph R. Bertino, MD, Dies at 91
Ronald Piana
Over the arc of his notable career, Joseph R. Bertino, MD, garnered many honors for his scientific contributions leading to curative treatments for leukemia and lymphoma, such as ASCO’s David A. Karnofsky Award. Yet his legacy was perhaps most prominently punctuated by the multitude of patients wi...
AML Pioneer and ‘Gentle Soul,’ Elihu H. Estey, MD, Dies at 75
Ronald Piana
“A lot of times, younger bright physicians are afraid to say what they really think, out of fear of challenging the dogma. One of the things I do when mentoring is to ask why we are doing a particular therapy or intervention. I tell my mentees not to let the data interfere with your knowledge,” said...
Clayton Dunklin Pruett, Business Professional, ASCO Member, Dies at Age 86
Ronald Piana
The delivery of high-quality cancer care relies on a vast network of dedicated experts, some of whom work assiduously behind the scenes, building and modernizing the very architecture on which the cancer community operates. One such person was Clayton Dunklin Pruett, an engineer by training, who fol...
Franco M. Muggia, MD, Internationally Regarded Chemotherapy Pioneer, Dies at 85
Ronald Piana
Today’s life-saving chemotherapeutics originated from the vision and indefatigable work of pioneers in the field whose unwavering vision challenged the status quo. One such pioneer was Franco M. Muggia, MD, who, in a career lasting more than 50 years, had a hand in the development of some of the ...
UNMC Professor Emeritus James Edney, MD, Dies Tragically at 73
The ASCO Post Staff
The University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) in Omaha announced news of the death of James Edney, MD, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Surgery. Dr. Edney died on August 7 in a small plane crash in Minnesota. A Caring Physian and Educator UNMC Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, MD, said in a st...
Leland Chung, PhD, Distinguished Mentor and Urologic Oncology Research Scientist, Dies at 80
The ASCO Post Staff
Talk to anyone who knew Leland Chung, PhD, and you’ll hear the same descriptions of the famed scientist: warm, humble, gracious, brilliant, innovative. Dr. Chung, who served as Director of the Urologic Oncology Research Program at Cedars-Sinai Cancer in Los Angeles for 12 years and was Professor in ...
Oncology Community Mourns the Loss of Investigator Angelo Di Leo, MD, PhD
The ASCO Post Staff
Oncologist Angelo Di Leo, MD, PhD, recently died after a long struggle with neurodegenerative disease. He was 58 years old. Dr. Di Leo was devoted to breast cancer research for more than 25 years. He first trained with Gianni Bonadonna, MD, in Milan, followed by postdoctoral research at Jules Borde...
Gauri Varadhachary, MD, Compassionate Leader, Caring and Brilliant Physician, Dies at 52
The ASCO Post Staff
Gauri Varadhachary, MD, Clinical Professor in Gastrointestinal (GI) Medical Oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, died on June 5, 2021. She was 52. A member of the MD Anderson community for nearly 20 years, Dr. Varadhachary was remembered for her dedication to her patients,...
Innovator in Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Francisco Marty, MD, Dies at 53
The ASCO Post Staff
The Brigham and Women’s hospital community mourns the loss of Francisco Marty, MD, of the Division of Infectious Diseases, who died April 8, 2021, after a tragic accident while hiking in the Dominican Republic. He was 53. A member of the Brigham community for more than 20 years, Dr. Marty is rememb...
Medical Oncologist Gouri Shankar Bhattacharyya, MD, FRCP, Dies of COVID-19–Related Complications
The members of the oncology community who spend time and energy addressing the growing global cancer burden in low- and middle-income countries have a kind of selfless dedication beyond the scope of the profession itself. One such medical oncologist was Gouri Shankar Bhattacharyya, MD, FRCP, a value...
Mourned and Missed
The ASCO Post Staff
The respected members of the oncology community who are listed below passed away in 2020–2021. The ASCO Post remembers them, their lives, and their contributions to cancer research and treatment. John Bartlett, MD Dr. Bartlett, a visionary physician-scientist and pioneer in human immunodeficienc...
Towering Figure in Cancer Drug Development, José Baselga, MD, PhD, FASCO, Dies at Age 61
José Baselga, MD, PhD, FASCO, a global innovator in novel cancer therapeutics, led research efforts in his native country of Spain and in the United States, most notably as Physician-in-Chief at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK). “My moment of recognition as an oncologist came early, wh...
Gene Therapy Pioneer Arthur W. Nienhuis, MD, Dies at 79
The ASCO Post Staff
Gene therapy pioneer Arthur W. Nienhuis, MD, the fourth Director of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, died on February 3 at age 79. Under his leadership, the hospital grew exponentially in both size and scientific stature. “At St. Jude, the nature of our work requires a bold, ambitious approa...
Oncology Community Mourns the Death of Chemotherapy Pioneer Emil J Freireich, MD, FASCO
Jo Cavallo
Legendary oncologist Emil J Freireich, MD, FASCO, died from COVID-19 on February 1, 2021, at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, where he had worked for 50 years. He was 93. During a career that spanned more than 6 decades, Dr. Freireich was relentless in pursuing cures fo...
Conversations With the Pioneers of Oncology: Emil J Freireich, MD, FASCO
Jo Cavallo
To hear an interview with Dr. Freireich by Daniel F. Hayes, MD, FASCO, of the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center and Past President of ASCO, visit the Journal of Clinical Oncology’s podcast, Cancer Stories, wherever you get your podcasts. In this episode, the Cancer Stories podcast reflects...
Joseph V. Simone, MD, Visionary Pediatric Oncologist and ‘Quintessential Mentor,’ Dies at 85
Ronald Piana
When Joseph V. Simone, MD, was 6 years old, he had his first experience with the death of a child. His 9-month-old brother became sick with the croup and was taken to the nearby children’s hospital, where he died a few days later, leaving Dr. Simone and his family devastated. Caring for sick childre...
Gert Brieger, MD, MPH, PhD, Historian of Medicine and Public Health, Dies at 89
The ASCO Post Staff
Gert Brieger, MD, MPH, PhD, former Director of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Institute of the History of Medicine, died on January 13, 2021, due to heart failure. He was 89. Dr. Brieger is credited with transforming the department from a research center with occasional students to ...
John Bartlett, MD, Pioneer in Infectious Diseases Research and Treatment, Dies at 83
The ASCO Post Staff
John Bartlett, MD, a visionary physician-scientist and pioneer in HIV/AIDS study and treatment who built the infectious diseases division at The Johns Hopkins, died on January 19, 2021, in New York. He was 83 years old. “Over his long and illustrious career, John Bartlett epitomized the best of Joh...
Professor Gordon McVie, International Cancer Researcher and Patient Advocate, Dies at 76
Ronald Piana
An imposing painting of sailing ships graced the wall behind the desk in the office of Professor Gordon McVie, BSc (Hons), MBChB, MD, FRCP, FRCPEd, FRCPS (Glas), FMedSci, DSc. It was a gift from one of his patients with cancer, a long-term survivor who said the painting reminded her of him, walking ...
Tabaré Vázquez, Former President of Uruguay, Oncologist, and Human Rights Activist, Dies at 80
Ronald Piana
In 2006, President of Uruguay Dr. Tabaré Vázquez, a radiation oncologist by profession, enacted comprehensive antismoking legislation, eventually leading Uruguay to become the first country in Latin America to prohibit smoking in enclosed public spaces. His bold action drew the ire of international ...
Remembering Patrick H. Beauregard: ‘Selfless in His Efforts to Raise Awareness’ of Colorectal Cancer in Young Adults
The editors of The ASCO Post are sad to report the death of Patrick H. Beauregard on September 6, 2020. The cause was colorectal cancer. Diagnosed with stage IV disease in 2017 at the age of 29, Mr. Beauregard dedicated the last 3 years of his life to raising awareness of colorectal cancer in young...
Isabelle Tabah-Fisch, MD, Drug Researcher, Industry Executive, Dies at 64
The ASCO Post Staff
Isabelle Tabah-Fisch, MD, a medical oncologist in Paris who contributed greatly to drug development, died August 28, 2020, at age 64. An announcement about Dr. Tabah-Fisch’s death was made by GamaMabs, where she served as Chief Medical Officer until her retirement in March 2020. Under her leadersh...
Joan H. Marks, Pioneer in Genetic Counseling, Dies at 91
The ASCO Post Staff
Joan H. (Rosen) Marks, a pioneer in genetic counseling, died on September 14, 2020. She was 91. Ms. Marks received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York, in 2019, in recognition of her contributions and leadership to the College and to society, the ...
Roger H. Herzig, MD, Pioneer in the Treatment of Leukemia, Dies at Age 74
Ronald Piana
More than 5 decades ago, the concept of bone marrow transplantation to treat humans with leukemia was met with varying degrees of skepticism and countless clinical failures. Yet, over those same decades, bone marrow transplantation was transformed from an insurmountable therapeutic option used in a ...
Sanjiv Sam Gambhir, MD, PhD, Pioneer in Molecular Imaging, Dies at 57
The ASCO Post Staff
Sanjiv Sam Gambhir, MD, PhD, Professor and Chair of Radiology at the Stanford School of Medicine and an internationally recognized pioneer in molecular imaging, died on July 18, 2020, of cancer. He was 57. The Virginia and D.K. Ludwig Professor of Cancer Research, Dr. Gambhir dedicated his career...
Gynecologic Cancer Advocate, Wendy Noelle Ericsson, Dies at Age 60
The ASCO Post Staff
The Society of Gynecologic Oncology announced with sadness the death of Wendy Noelle Ericsson, an advocate and champion of the Foundation for Women’s Cancer, an advocacy group supporting research, education, and public awareness of gynecologic cancers. Ms. Ericsson’s death was due to complications f...
Cornelius O. ‘Skip’ Granai, MD, Champion of Cancer Care for Women, Dies at 71
The ASCO Post Staff
Cornelius O. “Skip” Granai, MD, Founder of the Program in Women’s Oncology at Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, died on June 28, 2020, after a long bout with cancer. Dr. Granai strongly believed that cancer care for women should encompass both breast and gynecologic cancers, according...
Flossie Wong-Staal, PhD, Molecular Biologist Who Uncovered the Secrets of Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Dies at 73
Ronald Piana
The origin of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has been traced back to Kinshasa, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, around 1920, when the virus crossed species from chimpanzees to humans. It wasn’t until the 1980s that epidemiologic data began to sum up the number of people who were infect...
Oscar Colegio,MD, PhD, Expert on Skin Cancers Linked to Immunodeficiencies, Dies at 47
The ASCO Post Staff
Oscar Colegio, MD, PhD, the Lawrence P. & Joan Castellani Family Endowed Chair in Dermatology at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, New York, died unexpectedly on June 13, 2020, at a family residence in Connecticut. He was 47. Dr. Colegio had relocated to Buffalo when he was r...
Beth Levine, MD, Renowned Doctor and Researcher in the Field of Autophagy, Dies at 60
The ASCO Post Staff
Beth Levine, MD, Professor of Internal Medicine and Microbiology, Director of the Center for Autophagy Research, and Charles Cameron Sprague Distinguished Chair in Biomedical Sciences at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UT Southwestern), and an investigator at the Howard Hughes...
Neil Spector, MD, Physician-Scientist, Mentor, Author, Dies at 63
The ASCO Post Staff
Neil Spector, MD, a physician-scientist, translational research leader, and oncology mentor died on June 14, 2020. He was 63. Dr. Spector was the Sandra Coates Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine, Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, and a member of the Duke Cancer...
Champion in Geriatric Oncology, Rosemary Yancik, PhD, Dies at 86
Jerome W. Yates, MD, MPH
Rosemary Yancik, PhD, a medical sociologist, was best known for her talent of bringing a group of experts together who shared her interests in improving the prevention and management of cancer in elderly patients. She served many years at the National Institutes of Health in both the National Instit...
Researcher and Leader in Cancer Center Administration, John W. Yarbro, MD, PhD, Dies at 88
Most who leave a mark in life are noted for a single contribution; few are remembered for the breadth of their contributions. Such a man was John W. Yarbro, MD, PhD, who, near the end of his rich life, stepped foot on Antarctica, completing his desire to have visited all of the world’s seven contine...
Paul G. Marks, MD, Visionary Leader of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Dies at 93
In 1980, Paul G. Marks, MD, became the President and Chief Executive Officer of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), the oldest and largest private cancer center in the world. Over his 19-year reign, he is credited with setting MSK on a more scientific course by encouraging innovative resea...
Tribute to Bernard Fisher, MD
Ronald Piana
Bernard Fisher, MD, who died on October 16, 2019, at the age of 101, is recognized today for his groundbreaking research in breast cancer, which ultimately ended the standard practice of performing the Halsted radical mastectomy, a treatment that had been in place for more than 75 years. His labor...
Mourned and Missed
Ronald Piana
The respected members of the oncology community who are listed below passed away in 2019–2020. The ASCO Post remembers them, their lives, and their contributions to cancer research and treatment. Clara D. Bloomfield, MD, FASCO The acute myeloid leukemia (AML) community lost one of its shining ligh...
Breast Cancer Specialist Lawrence J. Solin, MD, FACR, FASTRO, Dies at Age 66
Lawrence J. Solin, MD, FACR, FASTRO, a champion of breast-conserving therapy for women with breast cancer, died unexpectedly on March 3 at the age of 66. At the time of his death, Dr. Solin was Professor Emeritus, Department of Radiation Oncology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsyl...
AML Pioneer and Giant, Clara D. Bloomfield, MD, FASCO, Dies at 77
Robert Peter Gale, MD, PhD, DSc(hc), FACP, FRCP, FRCPI(hon), FRSM; Rüdiger Hehlmann, MD, PhD; and Andreas Hochhaus, MD
Physicians and scientists interested in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) have lost one of the community’s shining lights with the death of Clara D. Bloomfield, MD, FASCO, on March 1, 2020, at age 77 years. Dr. Bloomfield is well known for her more than 50 years of groundbreaking research in blood can...
Nobel Laureate Stanley Cohen, PhD, Dies at 97
The ASCO Post
Stanley Cohen, PhD, co-recipient of the 1986 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, died on February 5, 2020. The Nobel Laureate was recognized for his discovery of epidermal growth factor and its receptor. He shared the prize with Rita Levi-Montalcini, MD, a former colleague, who was recognized f...
A Tribute to Arti Hurria, MD, FASCO, a Leader in Geriatric Oncology
Ronald Piana
The oncology community is deeply saddened by the untimely passing of Arti Hurria, MD, FASCO, a nationally regarded expert and advocate for elderly patients with cancer. Dr. Hurria died on November 7, 2018, in a traffic accident. At the time of her tragic death, Dr. Hurria was Director of the City ...
Innovator and Leader in Radiation Oncology, Eli J. Glatstein, MD, FASCO, Dies
Ronald Piana
Eli J. Glatstein, MD, FASCO, Morton M. Kligerman Professor, Radiation Oncology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, made a significant impact on how different cancers are diagnosed and treated. His research improved how physicians stage and treat cancer, es...
Hematologist/Oncologist Augustine L. Perrotta, DO, Dies at 80
Michael Perrotta
On November 24, hematologist/oncologist Augustine L. Perrotta, DO, died, days before his 81st birthday. Ironically, Dr. Perrotta died of renal cell carcinoma, presenting with metastasis to the spine, a topic about which he had written and lectured extensively. Clinical Professor of Medicine at Mic...
