Search Results
Your search for all items matches 34711 pages
Showing 28701 - 28750Learning to Live in the Moment
I’ve been health conscious all my life. I have never smoked, I eat a healthy diet, and I have maintained a near-daily exercise routine since I was 20. I’m also steadfast about keeping yearly medical checkups and screenings. So when I felt a sharp, lightning-bolt of pain that went from the top of my ...
ASCO Cofounder Jane Cooke Wright, MD, Defied Racial/Gender Barriers and Helped Usher in the Modern Age of Chemotherapy
When Jane Cooke Wright, MD, met with six other oncologists at the Edgewater Beach Hotel in Chicago on April 9, 1964, to discuss the creation of American Society of Clinical Oncology, the first medical society dedicated to bringing patient-oriented issues to clinical oncology, the Civil Rights Act...
ASCO’s Visionary Founders
On April 9, 1964, seven physicians—Jane Cooke Wright, MD, FASCO; Arnoldus Goudsmit, MD, PhD; Fred J. Ansfield, MD, FASCO; Harry F. Bisel, MD, FASCO; Herman H. Freckman, MD, FASCO; Robert W. Talley, MD, FASCO; and William Wilson, MD, FASCO—met for lunch at the Edgewater Beach Hotel in Chicago. They...
The Camaraderie of ASCO
Oncologists are occupied with an unusual kind of medicine, and, as a result, we are exposed to enormous personal stress and strain, because patients we care for are profoundly sick with potentially fatal diseases. As a group, we deal with the possible mortality of those for whom we are responsible...
The Consequence Is Cure
My Presidency was the first year that the Annual Meeting hit 10,000 attendees, which at the time we thought was a huge number—it seemed that we’d hit the ceiling. It was about 9 years after we published the results from our study of combination chemotherapy (MOPP) in the treatment of advanced...
Journal of Clinical Oncology
During my Presidency, we decided to increase ASCO’s size to give clinical investigators a better position in the medical world. To that end, I decided that the Society needed its own journal. At that time, we sent our papers to Blood or Cancer Research, where, in my estimation, they received poor...
Science vs Practice
My year as President was a busy one. Aside from continuing my research and directing the activities of the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project, I was drowned by the vast amount of information that was sent to me by ASCO headquarters. At the onset of my Presidency, I discovered...
AACR–ASCO Transition
My Presidency was a transitional year; it was the first time that ASCO had a meeting separate from the American Association for Cancer Research. Since ASCO was thought to be simply a science-light organization that focused solely on clinical trials, the pressure was on to establish an independent...
Quality of Cancer Care
Under my leadership as President, ASCO initiated the largest quality of cancer care study ever done. Called the National Initiative for Cancer Care Quality (NICCQ), we looked at more than 60 quality measures for stage I to III breast cancer and stage II to III colorectal cancer. We identified areas ...
Cancer Prevention
One highlight of serving as ASCO President is working with the outstanding staff—to name just a few, Executive Vice President Charles M. Balch, MD; Chief Operating Officer Ron Beller, PhD; Jean Colvard; Roseanna Thoman; and all the Department heads. During my Presidency, we undertook some very...
Quality Cancer Care
Ten years ago, at ASCO’s Annual Meeting, we were celebrating 40 Years of Quality Cancer Care. We have certainly seen many improvements in cancer care quality since then, especially in more effective agents and patient-centeredness care. When I joined ASCO in 1984, I never imagined that I would be...
Multidisciplinary Interactions
As my Presidency gradually fades into the past, it is sobering to reminisce on how exciting it was. ASCO is a great organization with an amazing staff and a solid mission. Chairing the Board meetings was clearly a highlight of my Presidency because of the vast talent and collective wisdom that is...
SIDEBAR: FDA-Approved Drugs to Use as Single Agents or in Combination Chemotherapy
2014 Ceritinib for the treatment of patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive, metastatic NSCLC with disease progression on or who are intolerant to crizotinib; mercaptopurine as a 20 mg/mL oral suspension for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia as part of a combination...
One Community
My Presidential theme was One Community. I think that theme continues to express much of our goal in oncology, which is to make sure that all members of the cancer care team work together—oncologists, nurses, scientists, nutritionists, psychologists, social workers, administrators, and others. I...
Personalizing Cancer Care
Durng my Presidency we completely revamped the way the ASCO Board of Directors works by creating various subcommittees and a much more deliberate strategic planning process. In effect, the Board members took more ownership of ASCO’s agenda, planning the future of the Society rather than dealing...
The Promise of Genomics
My year as President of ASCO was one of momentous change, not just for ASCO, but for health care and for cancer biology as well. The theme of my Presidency was Patients, Pathways, and Progress. “Pathways” referred to the molecular pathways that are becoming increasingly important in the targeted...
Collaborating to Conquer Cancer
Serving as ASCO’s President was one of the most exciting years of my professional career. Although that year presented a number of challenges, it also marked a number of accomplishments, including a record number of new ASCO members, which then reached more than 30,000 in 122 countries (today,...
Building Bridges to Conquer Cancer
One of the pleasures during my year as President was the ability to bring personal and professional passions and a sense of what really matters into focus for the work of our membership. My Presidential theme, Building Bridges to Conquer Cancer, reflected my particular interest in outreach to...
Celebrating ASCO's History, 1964-2014
The last 50 years have been marked by significant advances in cancer research and in more effective therapy for patients. Once viewed as a largely untreatable, fatal disease, today a number of cancers are being converted into chronic diseases that can be managed for long periods of time. The result ...
2014 Oncology Meetings
MAY ASPHO’s 27th Annual MeetingMay 14-17 • Chicago, Illinois For more information: www.aspho.org Oral Oncology: Oncologic Dentistry and Maxillofacial Prosthetics SymposiumMay 15-17 • Houston, TexasFor more information: www.mdanderson.org/conferences 2014 State of the Art Radiation Therapy:...
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Surpasses $1 Billion Investment in Blood Cancer Research
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) has announced that it has passed the $1 billion mark in research investment, a significant milestone in the cancer research landscape as the Society continues its 65-year pursuit of advancing breakthrough therapies, finding cures, and ensuring access to...
Duquesne University Awarded $1.4 Million NIH Grant
Duquesne University’s newly established biomedical engineering initiative has received a $1.4 million, 5-year grant from the National Institutes of Health’s National Cancer Institute to detect, capture and analyze circulating melanoma cells. John Viator, MD, Biomedical Engineering Program Director...
An Oncologic Surgeon Discusses the Pros and Cons of Pursuing a Business Degree
Is pursuing a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree a good idea for ambitious surgical oncologists who want to advance their careers? The ASCO Post recently spoke with Martin J. Heslin, MD, MSHA, Chief, Section of Surgical Oncology, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Medical Center, ...
SIDEBAR: Research Groups in South America
Although cancer research in South America has been largely led by the pharmaceutical industry, a number of independent research groups are active in the region. Peru: GECOPERU and INEN The Peruvian Oncology Clinical Studies Group (Grupo de Estudios Clínicos Oncológicos Peruano, or GECOPERU...
A Vision of Independent Clinical Research in South America
Clinical research is vital for the development and improvement of methods designed to prevent and treat cancer. The majority of clinical trials take place in the developed world through sponsored pharmaceutical research companies.1 The corresponding lack of research in developing countries results...
Ramucirumab for Advanced or Metastatic Gastric or Gastroesophageal Junction Adenocarcinoma
On April 21, 2014, ramucirumab (Cyramza) was approved for use as a single agent in the treatment of patients with advanced or metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma with disease progression on or after prior treatment with fluoropyrimidine- or platinum-containing...
May Is National Skin Cancer Awareness Month
According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, more than 3.5 million cases of skin cancer are diagnosed each year, with the incidences of skin cancer outnumbering all cases of breast, colon, lung, and prostate cancers combined. Of the three most common types of skin cancer—basal cell carcinoma, squamous...
Connecting to ASCO Through the State Affiliate Council
ASCO’s State Affiliate Council is composed of the State Society Presidents and/or designated physician Council Representatives as well as the Executive Directors of each state and/or regional oncology society. The Council convened in late February to address the most relevant issues affecting...
SIDEBAR: How the Schwartz Center Rounds Program Works
The Schwartz Center Rounds program utilizes a case-based format to present information about an identified topic and stimulate discussion among Rounds participants. A physician leader and planning committee choose a case and topic and identify a panel of professional caregivers to share their...
Schwartz Center Rounds® Programs Foster Clinical Teamwork and Enhance Patient Care
In the fall of 1994, 40-year-old Kenneth B. Schwartz, a health-care lawyer, was diagnosed with lung cancer. Radiation and chemotherapy failed to stop progression of the disease, and 10 months later he died. During his treatment, Mr. Schwartz wrote about the ordeal of coming to grips with the...
Irving Bone Marrow Transplant Unit Opens at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia
New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center has opened the Irving Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, a state-of-the-art facility for comprehensive bone marrow transplant (BMT) care. The new unit features 18 inpatient rooms, a high-tech nurses station for individual patient monitoring, and a...
Ofatumumab Plus Chlorambucil for Previously Untreated CLL in Patients Not Treatable With Fludarabine-Based Regimens
In the Clinic provides overviews of novel oncology agents, addressing indications, mechanisms, administration recommendations, safety profiles, and other essential information needed for the appropriate clinical use of these drugs. On April 17, 2014, ofatumumab (Arzerra) received regular approval...
Bert Howard O’Neil, MD, Joins Indiana University Simon Cancer Center
Bert Howard O’Neil, MD, has been named the inaugural Joseph W. and Jackie J. Cusick Professor of Oncology and a Professor of Medicine at the Indiana University (IU) School of Medicine, in Indianapolis. He is also the Phase I Director and Director of the Gastrointestinal Cancer Research Program at...
Becky L. DeKay, MBA, Becomes President of ACCC
Becky L. DeKay, MBA, became President of the Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC) at its 40th Annual National Meeting in April. She is Director of Oncology Services at the Feist-Weiller Cancer Center at Louisiana State University (LSU) Health Shreveport, in Louisiana. “I am honored to...
Personalizing Outreach to Address Asian Cancer Health Disparities
In an effort to reduce cancer health disparities among Asian Americans, UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center now offers individual, in-language education and culturally sensitive materials for every Asian American cancer patient. New brochures and 5-minute videos were debuted during the National...
Improving Quality of Life in Cancer Survivors
The number of cancer survivors has been steadily increasing in recent years. According to the Ministry of Health National Cancer Registry, in 2010 there were 254,000 cancer survivors in Israel (3.3% of the population) compared with 15,700 (0.4% of the population, P < .005) in 1975.1 Forty years...
Elevated Morbidity/Mortality Risks for Childhood Cancer Survivors Further Increase After Fourth Decade
An analysis of the first generation of childhood cancer survivors, who are now aging into their fourth and fifth decades, shows further increases in the survivors’ morbidity and mortality risks. “By age 50 years, more than half of survivors have experienced a severe, disabling, or life-threatening...
Ongoing Clinical Trials Actively Recruiting Patients With Ovarian or Cervical Cancers
The information contained in this Clinical Trials Resource Guide includes details of actively recruiting clinical studies of patients with gynecologic and breast cancers. It also includes the Family Caregiver Palliative Care Intervention study, which is investigating interventions to support...
Haiku: To Take Herbs or Not to?
While botanicals are generally perceived as harmless, many reports in literature indicate that misuse of botanicals can be detrimental. Presented below are a few popular herbs in use today, along with their benefits and risks, especially when taken along with other medications. Soy...
Bookmark: Survivorship: Living Well During and After Cancer
Title: Survivorship: Living Well During and After Cancer Author: Barrie Cassileth, MS, PhD Publication Information: Spry Publishing, April 2014, 216 pages, $16.95 This slender-volume survivorship guidebook provides the latest evidence-based information on complementary therapies and is a must-read...
Thirty Years of Effort Has Led to the Mainstreaming of Integrative Medicine in Oncology Care
When Barrie R. Cassileth, MS, PhD, began researching complementary medicine and its potential for use in oncology care over 30 years ago, not much was known about the importance of complementary therapies for the well-being of patients with cancer. She chose to conduct her doctoral dissertation...
American Association for Cancer Research Inaugurates New Leadership at 2014 Annual Meeting
The American Association for Cancer Research welcomed Carlos L. Arteaga, MD, as President of the Organization for 2014–2015. Dr. Arteaga was inaugurated during the AACR’s Annual Meeting. Dr. Arteaga is Professor of Medicine and Cancer Biology at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, where he...
CancerCare Names Patricia J. Goldsmith Chief Executive Officer
CancerCare recently announced Patricia J. Goldsmith has been named the organization’s Chief Executive Officer. CancerCare is a national nonprofit organization providing free, professional support services to anyone affected by cancer. The announcement comes as the group celebrates 70 years of...
Genetic Testing Beneficial in Melanoma Treatment, UPCI Study Shows
Genetic screening of cancer can help doctors customize treatments so that patients with melanoma have the best chance of beating it, according to the results of a clinical trial by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute. The trial, funded by the National Institutes of...
Creating a Comprehensive Catalog of Cancer Genes to Improve Patient Outcomes
In January, Eric S. Lander, PhD, Director of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and his colleagues published the results from their landmark study,1 which explored the feasibility of creating a comprehensive catalog of cancer genes. The researchers collected and...
Increased Incidence of Thyroid Cancer: An Epidemic of Diagnosis?
In a study reported in JAMA Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery,1 Davies and Welch found that the incidence of thyroid cancer has nearly tripled since 1975. However, the increase appears to represent an “epidemic of diagnosis” and to almost exclusively represent increased diagnosis of papillary...
Surgical Resection of Newly Diagnosed Glioblastoma: What Is the Standard of Care?
The neurosurgeon is often the gateway provider when patients present with what on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) appears to be a new glioblastoma. Because histology-based diagnosis is a prerequisite for initiating standard therapy with radiation and chemotherapy, the first question that the...
Maximizing the Benefits of Exercise in Patients With Cancer
Many nonpharmacologic therapies increase both physical and emotional strength during cancer treatment as well as throughout survivorship. These therapies include the mind-body practices of meditation, self-hypnosis, guided imagery, and breath awareness, touch therapies including massage and...
The Role of Psychosocial Supportive Services in Palliative Care
More than 2 decades ago, Deane L. Wolcott, MD, helped develop comprehensive patient-centered psycho-oncology care in cancer centers across the country. Today, many aspects of that patient-centered care, including psychiatric, dietary, pain management, cancer rehabilitation medicine, survivorship,...
Discussions About the Cost of Cancer Care Are Still Uncommon
Patients with cancer are extremely interested in discussing the cost of treatment, especially their share of the cost, but some oncologists are still hesitant to enter into these conversations, according to a study reported at the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) 2014 Conference.1 “We...
