KCP Outreach Efforts Are Helping Save Lives Across Kentucky.

SPRING 2007
A publication of the
J A M E S G R A H A M BROWN CANCER CENTER
KCP outreach
efforts are helping
save lives across
Kentucky.
“Every day is different
here. We keep changing
KCP to meet the needs of
the people of Kentucky.”
Connie Sorrell, MPH
KCP Director & Brown Cancer Center
Associate Director
letter
FROM THE DIRECTOR...
Dear Friends,
As we think back on the history of the Brown Cancer Center, it is hard to adequately
appreciate the importance of the Kentucky Cancer Program. For more than twenty years,
it has been an integral part of our mission. Widely recognized as one of the very best cancer
education and prevention programs in the nation, Connie Sorrell and her team have truly
made a difference in educating Kentuckians about their increased risk of cancer.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE...
Many times, KCP has been the face of Brown Cancer Center throughout the state.
Each of the KCP offices is a “Brown Cancer Center Embassy” in the region that
it serves.
COVER STORY
page
6
KCP’s Outreach Efforts are
Helping Save Lives Across KY
of the Brown Cancer Center. This program is absolutely “one-of-a-kind” and
represents an important extension of our drug development research program.
ARTICLES
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page
page
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The Owensboro Cancer Research Program is another very important program
We have been extremely fortunate to attract Dr. Davis, who is one of the few
Bigger & Better Mint Jubilee
Resource Center
people with the academic and commercial experience to direct a program of this
type. We believe that under his leadership, this program will rapidly become a
major strength of the Center. As we move forward toward NCI designation,
Finding the Answers to
Skin Cancer
it will be these types of programs that will bring the national and international
distinction to the BCC.
Joan’s Legacy Foundation
Awards $200,000 to BCC
As we celebrate our annual Cancer Survivors’ Day, we are reminded that Kentucky
continues to bear a disproportionate burden of cancer. We continue to appreciate
the remarkable strength of our patients and their families. We are committed to
providing the very best care for cancer patients in the short term, and to finding the answers
Discoveries is published
for the friends, faculty and
staff of the James Graham
Brown Cancer Center.
that will provide relief for this suffering in the future.
Discoveries
Brown Cancer Center, 2nd floor
529 S. Jackson Street
Louisville, KY 40202
www.browncancercenter.org
skin cancers. Each year more than 10,000 lives are lost to skin cancer, and the Brown Cancer
Editor
Julie G. Riley
Contributors
Craig Fairfield
Ellen de Graffenreid
Beth Hobson
Diane Konzen
Lucha Ramey
Sarah Walsh
2
As we approach the summer, we remain focused on educating our community on the risk of
Center is out to change that. We are excited to partner with the Stan Browning Melanoma
Cancer Foundation to begin a grassroots melanoma campaign this summer…look for us at
local tennis, golf and swim tournaments where we will be sharing information on how you
and your family can play it safe in the sun.
Discoveries................
Donald Miller, MD, PhD
Director of the James Graham Brown Cancer Center
A publication of the
J A M E S G R A H A M BROWN CANCER CENTER
Cancer Research
PARTNERSHIP ANNOUNCED
BETWEEN UofL & OWENSBORO MEDICAL HEALTH
The University of Louisville and the
Owensboro Medical Health System
(OMHS) are partnering to develop
new drugs derived from tobacco and
other plant sources.
UofL President James Ramsey, James
Graham Brown Cancer Center
Director Donald M. Miller and
OMHS President Jeff Barber
announced the partnership at a press
conference preceding Owensboro
Night at the State Capitol in
Frankfort.
The tobacco-based process, more
cost effective than many other
methods, involves inserting genes
needed for vaccine development into
a virus that grows in the plants or
directly into the tobacco genome.
The leaves of the plants are then
harvested, processed and purified
to derive a key vaccine ingredient.
The process takes advantage of a
state-of-the-art facility in Owensboro,
owned by Kentucky Bioprocessing,
LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary
of OMHS.
“This partnership will take advantage
of synergies between the nationallyknown drug development research
program at University of Louisville
James Graham Brown Cancer Center
and the unique resources available in
Owensboro for plant-based pharmaceuticals,” said Ramsey.
Davis will direct the new center,
which initially will employ three
researchers with the goal of
attracting up to 10 scientists.
Four laboratories have been built
at OMHS Mitchell Memorial
Cancer Center to house the
research program.
UofL researchers Kenneth Palmer
and Keith Davis, experts in plant
biotechnology, already are based in
Owensboro. They are collaborating
with the Brown Cancer Center’s
A. Bennett “Ben” Jenson and Shin-je
Ghim, the researchers behind the
cervical cancer vaccine released last
year, to develop a second-generation
vaccine that will be grown in
tobacco plants.
“The future for plant-made
pharmaceuticals and the potential
benefits to cancer research and
treatment are limitless,” said Miller.
“This partnership is a great
opportunity for Brown Cancer Center
researchers who already have more
than a dozen new drugs in
development.”
“This is an opportunity for
intellectual and manufacturing
expertise, both developed right
here in Kentucky, to truly make a
difference for patients with cancer
and other chronic illnesses,”
said Barber. ■
“This partnership
is a great opportunity
for Brown Cancer
Center researchers
who already have
more than a dozen
new drugs in
development.”
Donald Miller, MD, PhD
Director of the James Graham
Brown Cancer Center
SPRING 2007
3
Mint Jubilee
CANCER RESOURCE CENTER
BIGGER & BETTER FACILITY
The Mint Jubilee Cancer Resource
Center services are an extension of
the James Graham Brown Cancer
Center’s multidisciplinary approach
to cancer treatment. With proceeds
from the Brown Cancer Center’s
Derby Eve benefit (the Mint Jubilee
Gala) and generous community
donations, the Mint Jubilee Resource
Center first opened its doors in
August 2001—providing emotional
support and educational information
to patients and their families.
SERVICES
Since then, the number of patients
and caregivers who have found
refuge in the peaceful and relaxing
atmosphere of the Mint Jubilee has
grown by almost a thousand. Any
cancer patient in the community, not
just those undergoing treatment at
the Brown Cancer Center, are invited
to take part in the classes and utilize
the Mint Jubilee’s services. The
number of programs offered has
also increased to meet the growing
need and demand.
When the Brown Cancer Center
began its $10 million renovation
project approximately four years ago,
it was clear that the Mint Jubilee had
to be expanded to accommodate
its growing list of clients and
services—and it was.
The staff of the Mint Jubilee
Resource Center recently celebrated
the move to their bigger and better
home, now located in the heart of
the Brown Cancer Center lobby.
offered
New services and programs are being added monthly.
Here’s a glimpse at some of the classes available:
• Art Therapy
• Chemotherapy Education
• Disease Specific Support Groups
• “Look Good Feel Better” Cosmetic
Demonstrations
• Nutrition Education
• Cooking Demonstrations
The Center went from two rooms
to six—which means even more
services can be provided. The Mint
Jubilee staff wants to make sure
that EVERYONE knows what is
available. ■
• Massage & Reiki Therapy
• Scarf Tying Class
• Qigong Class
• Pharmacy Lectures
For more information,
call (502) 562-4158 or visit
www.browncancercenter.org
• Other Special Events
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Discoveries................
A publication of the
J A M E S G R A H A M BROWN CANCER CENTER
THE MINT JUBILEE GALA
Once again, the 11th annual Derby
Eve fundraising event, the Mint
Jubilee Gala, is sold out.
Through the help of sponsors like
Southern Wine and Spirits, Aegon,
Delta Dental and First Residential
Mortgage Network, the charitable
event has grown from 250 attendees
to more than 1,500—with proceeds
benefiting cancer research,
treatment, education and support
services at the James Graham
Brown Cancer Center.
For the third year in a row, part of
the fundraising dollars will also go to
Gilda’s Club Louisville—the Brown
Cancer Center’s partner in providing
cancer support services to the
community. At the end of May,
Gilda’s Club Louisville will celebrate
completion of its center and will
begin welcoming members in July.
Gilda’s Club support groups and
activities are free to anyone who has
cancer or has cancer in their family.
Last year, just under $200,000 was
raised for the organizations through
ticket sales and silent auction
purchases. Funds raised at both
events were used for various efforts,
including the purchase of a $620,000
mobile mammography van and the
opening of Gilda’s Club Louisville.
With the help of guest celebrity
chairwoman and best selling author
Nora Roberts, this year’s goal is
$250,000.
Roberts, along with other guests
including Shayne Graham, kicker
for the Cincinnati Bengals; Bob
Guiney, former star of ABC’s
“The Bachelor” and his wife, former
“All My Children” actress Rebecca
Budig-Guiney are scheduled to
attend this year’s event with other
film, stage, television, sports and
literary stars. ■
For more information on the Mint Jubilee Gala, please visit
www.mintjubilee.org. And for more information on Gilda’s
Club Louisville, please visit www.gildasclublouisville.org.
www.mintjubilee.org
SPRING 2007
5
KCP
OUTREACH EFFORTS ARE HELPING SAVE LIVES ACROSS KENTUCKY
More than 4,000 mammograms for low income women in Jefferson County
More than 2,500 prostate screenings in Kentucky communities
More than 1,500 prostate cancer, 1,400 skin cancer, and 300 oral cancer screenings at the Kentucky State Fair
More than 1,200 people attend annual Cancer Survivors’ Party
More than 800 cancer survivors attend annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure
kickoff dinner
More than 1,000 breast cancer survivors from across the state attend a tea at the Governor’s mansion hosted
by the First Lady
These are just some of the Louisville
area Kentucky Cancer Program’s
(KCP) recent accomplishments.
KCP’s educational outreach programs for the public, cancer patients
and health care professionals span
the Commonwealth and the needs
of all Kentuckians, and so does the
energy of the professional staff and
volunteers that make all of this
possible statewide.
Twenty-five years ago the Kentucky
General Assembly realized that
prevention and control played a vital
role in the fight against cancer;
therefore, it mandated and funded
the Kentucky Cancer Program. KCP is
administered by the cancer centers
at the Commonwealth’s two largest
research universities—University of
Louisville’s James Graham Brown
Cancer Center and University of
Kentucky’s Lucille Parker Markey
Cancer Center.
While the state
mandate came in
1982, Connie Sorrell
says programs
started long before
that; KCP’s work is
30 years strong.
Connie Sorrell, MPH, KCP Director
and Brown Cancer Center Associate
Director, arrived in 1989. She has
taken the organization to the comprehensive cancer control network it
was intended to be—rivaling programs at Houston, Texas-based MD
Anderson and New York City’s
Memorial Sloan Kettering. Programs
are driven by cancer data from the
Kentucky Cancer Registry, based on
nationally recognized best practices,
and guided by the community.
KCP’s Louisville office functions as
the educational outreach arm of the
Brown Cancer Center providing
cancer screenings, cancer control
programs and healthy lifestyle
Calendar of Events
April 30: “Celebration of Hope” tea for Kentucky breast cancer survivors hosted by
First Lady Glenna Fletcher at the Governor’s mansion
May 3: Cancer Survivors Day Party
May 12, Mother’s Day: “Mother’s Gift to Herself” mammogram screenings
June 1-3: Breast cancer patient weekend retreat
June 16, Father’s Day: Father’s Day prostate screenings
August 16 - 26: Kentucky State Fair prostate, skin, and oral cancer screenings
6
Discoveries................
A publication of the
promotion throughout the Western
Kentucky region. While the Brown
Cancer Center provides the most
advanced cancer care and treatments
spearhead by the latest in research—
mostly done by Brown Cancer
Center scientists, KCP goes out into
the communities of Kentucky to
make sure individuals are getting
access to the cancer control
programs they need.
Under Sorrell’s direction, community
outreach has become the most
important thing KCP does. Three
major themes drive the cancer
prevention and control initiatives:
1. Working to improve cancer health
disparities in Kentucky’s minority,
urban and rural communities
2. Providing leading-edge continuing
education for health professionals
3. Creating a regional outreach
network that meets the needs of
local communities focused on
detection and prevention of cancer
But Sorrell is very careful to give
credit where credit is due, praising
the staff for their contribution to
KCP’s success. “I’ve been very
fortunate to recruit people who have
a passion for this and who’ve stayed
here. They’re allowed to be creative
and to identify new approaches to
cancer control and new ways to
communicate.”
J A M E S G R A H A M BROWN CANCER CENTER
REGIONAL NETWORK
Through a network of 12 regional
offices, KCP’s services and programs
are available in all parts of Kentucky
(Western Kentucky is covered by
UofL’s Brown Cancer Center’s KCP
and Eastern Kentucky is served
through UK’s KCP program). Each
office is run by a Cancer Control
Specialist, who is a catalyst for
change in their region. Led by
Assistant Director Carol Hurst, RN,
the regional Cancer Control
Specialists organize special events,
coordinate screening events,
organize support groups, and
conduct smoking cessation
programs. These specialists are
bringing about change. The
specialists also head up 15 District
Cancer Councils that provide
guidance and support to KCP.
Seated: Carol Hurst, RN, Assistant Director
Standing (left to right): Vanessa Goble,
Administrative Secretary; Angela Elliott,
Administravite Assistant; Leah Dorr, Program
Assistant; Michele Weaver, Program Assistant
The regional office network is KCP’s
backbone. The power of this
network is what made it possible to
conduct more than 2,500 free
prostate screenings across the state
last year. With the help of the
Louisville support staff, Hurst and
her regional specialists spearhead
“Kentucky’s Drive Against Prostate
Cancer” a campaign with the
Kentucky Prostate Cancer Coalition.
The National Prostate Cancer
Coalition van left the Kentucky
State Fair and drove across Kentucky
providing FREE prostate cancer
screenings to uninsured,
underinsured and underserved men.
Another one of
KCP’s biggest
screening events is
held at the annual
State Fair. As
Louisville’s Cancer
Control Specialist,
Pam Temple-Jennings, BA, is
responsible for organizing some of
KCP’s most recognized events,
including the State Fair screenings.
KCP has provided prostate
screenings for the past three years
and skin cancer screenings for 17
years in collaboration with partners.
Decreasing Kentucky’s high cancer
incidence and mortality rates, can
only be achieved by taking the
cancer control programs to the
community. KCP recognized a long
time ago, that part of the problem
with Kentucky’s high numbers was
access to proper screenings and
medical care. So they began doing
their part to take screenings and
their cancer control programs to
the people—where they live, urban
or rural!
KCP events for cancer survivors
Some of Temple-Jennings’ other public awareness events include a Pegasus Parade
Party celebrating cancer survivors, Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure
kickoff dinner and retreat weekends for recently diagnosed
breast cancer patients. Planning fun and interactive
patient and family inclusive educational programs
and events are Temple-Jenning’s expertise. Last year’s
theme of the Race for the Cure kickoff dinner was
“Who was that Lady?” Guests were encouraged to dress
in vintage clothing or dress up as their favorite super
heroine for judging contests. KCP survivor events are
ALWAYS triumphant celebratory occasions for survivors
and their family and friends.
KCP
REGIONAL CANCER
CONTROL SPECIALISTS
• ELIZABETHTOWN (Lincoln Trail)
Suzanne Gude, MA
Sandy Lamas
Cancer Control Specialist
Program Assistant
• MADISONVILLE (Pennyrile)
Joan Lang, MBA
Cindy Dame
Cancer Control Specialist
Program Assistant
• OWENSBORO (Green River)
Jaime Rafferty, BA
Charlotte Paez
Cancer Control Specialist
Program Assistant
• BOWLING GREEN (Barren River)
Elizabeth Westbrook,
BS, CHES
Susan Brown,
RN, MS, CHES
Cancer Control Specialist
Health Education Specialist
• BOWLING GREEN
•
PADUCAH (Purchase)
Catherine Wagner
Garyl Barlow
Program Assistant
Program Assistant
SPRING 2007
7
CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION
As part of improving the medical
care in the communities across
Kentucky, KCP also reaches out to
health care providers who directly
influence high cancer mortality rates
through patient intervention and
referrals. So KCP launched the
Professional Education division of
the organization, which develops
and distributes toolkits featuring
reference manuals and training
videos to Kentucky’s physicians,
physician assistants, nurse
practioners, nurses, dentists,
dental hygienists and D.O.s (doctors
of osteopathic medicine), for which
they can also earn continuing
education credits. Currently there are
two modules that address helping
patients to quit using tobacco; and
on the horizon are updates for
cervical cancer diagnostic practice
guidelines, including HPV (the
Human papillomavirus) testing.
Through the Professional Education
programs, KCP cancer control
specialists also teach doctors and
nurses how to perform clinical
breast exams. Through a unique
partnership with UofL’s School of
Medicine standardized patients,
specially trained actors who portray
patients, are used to give health
care providers valuable training
experience. KCP also provides
training modules for health
department nurses and contract
providers involved with the Kentucky
Women’s Cancer Screening Program.
Hospital inpatient smoking cessation pilot program
Celeste T. Worth, CHES, Professional Education Manager and Sarah E. Walsh, MPH, CHES, Program
Coordinator worked to arrange a contract between KCP and the Kentucky Department for Public Health to
conduct interventions for hospital inpatients who smoke. KCP is proposing brief bedside interventions to supply
the patients with educational information on smoking cessation programs and the health benefits of a
non-smoking lifestyle. Other strategies include encouraging physicians to write standing orders that don’t allow
the patient to smoke while at the hospital and actually giving the patient smoking cessation products as a head
start on quitting during their hospital stay. KCP intends to work with several hospitals to pilot this concept.
“CULTIVANDO LA SALUD”
KCP takes pride in special initiatives
which address the unique needs of
Kentucky’s diverse populations. One
example is the need created by the
steady growth of the state’s Hispanic
community. To ensure that language
and cultural barriers don’t keep
Hispanic women from getting
appropriate medical attention and
recommended cancer screenings,
KCP implemented “Cultivando la
Salud” in Jefferson, Shelby and
Hardin counties in 2005. This
regional outreach program is funded
by a grant from the Louisville affiliate
of Susan G. Komen Race for the
Cure. KCP also received a grant from
Komen to expand the
program in seven counties
in the Green River District
(Owensboro area). Cancer
Control Specialist Rachelle
Seger oversees the
implementation of this
national science-based program on
a local level.
In English, “Cultivando la Salud”
means cultivating health, and
that’s exactly what Seger has trained
the 10 promotoras (bi-lingual community health workers) to do. The
promotoras are able to reach their
target audience by visiting churches,
organizations and going door to
door in the Hispanic neighborhoods.
The health translators also accompany the Mobile Mammography van to
community screenings.
KCP organizes and offers free or
low-cost mammograms and cervical
cancer screenings for uninsured,
underinsured and underserved
women. KCP Program
Coordinator Pam
Cooper works with
the Centers for
Disease Control and
Prevention, the state
Health Department
and Louisville/Jefferson
County Partnership in Cancer
Control to provide these screenings
to low-income women, many of
whom don’t speak English. Cooper
is able to bring the screenings to the
women where they live and work by
using the Brown Cancer Center’s
mobile mammography unit. Last
year, Cooper helped coordinate
more than 4,000 mammograms
for the underserved women in
Jefferson County.
It’s clear that community outreach
drives everything KCP does. Sorrell
and the rest of the staff at KCP are
passionate about their work.
Their programs and initiatives tell
the story that these cancer control
professionals are driven by energy
and excitement and that they are
playing vital roles in the fight
against cancer.
“Every day is different here. We keep
changing KCP to meet the needs of
the people of Kentucky,” says Sorrell.
CANCER HEALTH DISPARITIES
Along with improving access for
minorities and the underserved, the
first step to ending health disparities
is education. African Americans have
the highest death rate for cancer of
any racial or ethnic group in the
United States. The mission of KCP is
to remove the barriers that prevent
early detection in African Americans.
Those barriers included fear, cost,
lack of knowledge, accessibility and
mistrust of the healthcare system.
Virginia A. Bradford, RN has
worked with this
special population
for sixteen years,
first as a volunteer
with the Kentucky
African Americans
Against Cancer
(KAAAC) and then
later as a KCP staff member. Bradford
currently serves as the Harriett B.
Porter Cancer Outreach Coordinator
for KCP. In this role, Bradford
incorporates various strategies to
reduce the cancer health disparities
among African Americans in
Louisville:
• Development of a community
based coalition of concerned
citizens and health care providers
seeking to reduce the incidence,
morbidity and mortality of
cancer in the African American
community
• Utilization and development of
culturally appropriate and sensitive
educational materials
• Utilization of multiple media
mediums targeted to African
American audiences
• Enlisting the help of community
social and civic organizations
(such as the Urban League, Links,
100 Black Men, fraternities and
sororities)
• Utilization of annual holidays to
hold special screening events (such
as Mother’s Day, Father’s Day,
Valentine’s Day, National Breast
Cancer Awareness month and
National Minority Cancer
Awareness month)
Bradford’s position is funded by the
Harriett B. Porter Cancer Education
& Research Endowment. The
Endowment was created with a
$250,000 gift by Woodford Porter Sr.
in honor of his late wife. Harriett
Porter was first diagnosed with
breast cancer in her 30s. Porter
successfully battled her cancer, but
the deadly disease came back in
2001 claiming her life. Throughout
her life Porter promoted breast
cancer education and the
importance of early detection in
all women, but especially in African
American women.
Red and Black Ball
The first annual Red & Black Ball “For the
Love of Harriett” lit up Churchill Downs’
Triple Crown Room on February 3, drawing
275 guests and raising more than $70,000
for the Harriett B. Porter Cancer Education Virginia Bradford, RN (left) and Marie PorterSales introduce the “Life Through Knowledge”
& Research Endowment Fund which
resource kits at the first annual Red and Black
supports funding for cancer research,
Ball held in February at Churchill Downs.
treatment, education, and screenings for
African Americans. At the ball, Bradford introduced the “Life Through Knowledge”
resource kits to be given to all newly diagnosed African American cancer patients.
The gifts are designed to meet the educational, cultural and spiritual needs of
African Americans facing cancer.
Sponsors for the event included Burns Janitor Service, A.D. Porter & Sons, Inc.
Funeral Home, National City, C.W. Johnson, Beverly M. Gaines, M.D. & Associates,
Manna, Inc., Sabil Uplink Communications and the University of Louisville Office
of Diversity and Equal Opportunity.
“Make the Connection”
Meeks recently used her UofL student
connections to organize student athlete
support for the “Make the Connection”
campaign kickoff. During halftime of UofL’s
home women’s basketball game in January,
students joined hands with Lt. Governor
Steve Pence, UofL President James Ramsey,
Brown Cancer Center Director Donald Miller,
and Brown Cancer Center HPV vaccine
researchers Drs. Ben Jenson and Shin-je
Ghim. The “Make the Connection” campaign is part of KCP’s statewide education
initiative to raise awareness, among all age
groups, about the connection between HPV
(a sexually transmitted disease) and
cervical cancer. Jenson and Ghim were
part of the original team that invented
the cervical cancer vaccine, Gardasil®
now being marketed by Merck & Co., Inc.
While half of all women who develop
cervical cancer are between 35 and 55 years
old, many of these women were probably
exposed to cancer-causing HPV types in
their late teens or early 20s. HPV infection is
most common among young adults
between the ages of 18 and 28. In fact, of
the approximately 6 million new cases of
genital HPV in the United States, it is
estimated that 74 percent of them occur in
15 to 24 year olds.
The Porters were also strong
supporters of UofL—establishing the
prestigious Porter Scholars program
for African-American students, which
emphasizes leadership.
KAAAC Coordinator Nilaja
Meeks is a graduate of UofL
and was a Porter Scholar
during her undergraduate
studies. As a KAAAC
Coordinator, Meeks’ outreach
efforts include the Mother’s Day
mammogram screenings and a
faith-based initiative in Louisville’s
African American churches. She also
organizes Father’s Day prostate
screenings, weekend retreats for
patients and KAAAC’s annual
banquets.
SPRING 2007
9
Finding
THE ANSWERS TO SKIN CANCER
What is the first thing that comes
to mind when you hear the word
“cancer”? Is it lung cancer, breast
cancer, or colon cancer? Because
these types of cancer get so much
attention in the press, many people
assume that they are the most
common. In reality, the most
common form of cancer in the U.S.
is skin cancer – and not just by a
small margin. According to the
National Cancer Institute, more
than 1,000,000 Americans will be
diagnosed with new cases of skin
cancer in the next year, almost
twice as many as lung cancer,
breast cancer, and colon cancer
combined. That is a stunning
number.
Research
There is good news though. Skin
PROGRAMS cancer is largely preventable and
The groundbreaking experimental work
done at Brown Cancer Center falls into
five main programs:
• Stem Cell Biology
• Molecular Targets
• Tumor Immunobiology
• Structural Biology
• Prevention & Control
For complete information regarding
specific programs and clinical trials,
visit: www.browncancercenter.org/
research/program.aspx
10
Discoveries................
highly treatable when caught early.
Even better, the doctors at the
James Graham Brown Cancer
Center are working on groundbreaking research that may soon
unlock the answers to new
treatments for this very common
form of cancer.
Skin cancer is cancer that forms in
the tissues of the skin, especially in
areas that are routinely exposed to
the sun including the hands, face,
neck, shoulders, and arms. It can,
however, occur anywhere on the
body. It affects people of every age
and race, and is found in both men
and women. In early stages, skin
cancer produces no symptoms
A publication of the
other than subtle changes in skin
color or texture. While it can affect
all skin surfaces, a particularly
dangerous form called Melanoma
forms in skin that produces
pigment - typically in moles,
freckles, and age spots. Melanoma
can be cured with surgery if caught
early, but once it spreads to other
parts of the body it is frequently
fatal. According to Jason Chesney,
MD, PhD, of the Brown Cancer
Center, "Once melanoma spreads
into other organs, it becomes
problematic to treat. In fact, ninety
percent of patients will succumb to
the disease."
Fortunately, there are ways to
minimize your likelihood of
becoming a victim of skin cancer.
One major step in the right
direction is learning to manage
your exposure to the sun.
Prolonged exposure to sunlight
has been shown to significantly
increase skin cancer risk.
By protecting yourself with
sunscreen, a hat, and protective
clothing, you can significantly
reduce your risk of overexposure.
Avoiding outdoor activity during
the hottest times of the day is also a
good idea. Children are particularly
sensitive to the sun, and there is
strong evidence that exposure in
childhood can increase the danger
of developing skin cancer later in
life, so be sure to protect them
whenever possible.
J A M E S G R A H A M BROWN CANCER CENTER
Two additional keys to reducing your
risk of developing skin cancer are
routine personal examinations and
regular professional screenings.
Everyone should periodically check
for changes in the color and texture
of their skin. New moles or changes
in the size, shape or color of existing
ones may be cause for concern and
should be checked by a professional.
Annual skin examinations by a
qualified physician are also a good
idea, even if no changes are evident.
Remember, the earlier skin cancer is
detected, the higher the likelihood
that it can be successfully treated.
Various standard treatment options
are available for patients suffering
from skin cancer. Primary treatment
involves the removal of the
cancerous tissue utilizing surgical
instruments, lasers, or freezing.
In cases where the cancer has
advanced beyond these therapies,
chemotherapy and/or radiation
therapy may be indicated. If the
cancer has spread to other organs
of the body, their treatment or
removal may be necessitated.
Chesney and his colleagues
at the Brown Cancer Center are
conducting clinical trials utilizing
innovative new treatments that may
someday supplement or even replace
these conventional methods. One
of the most promising of the new
treatments is known as
Immunotherapy. According to
Chesney, "Over time, the
transformed cells learn how to hide
from the immune system. The cancer
cells figure out a way to keep
proteins hidden so the immune
system can't see them. What we're
doing is trying to activate the
immune system so that it can see
the cancer cells and kill them.
Immunotherapy is using the immune
system to kill cancer cells. We can
take the healthy cells out of a
patient, activate them in tissue
culture, put them back in the
patient, and hope they fight cancer."
The Brown Cancer Center offers
more clinical trials for Melanoma
than any other facility in the country.
These programs include the Sunbelt
Melanoma Trial and the National
Cancer Institute’s Melanoma Vaccine
Trials, as well as other types of new
and promising treatments.
The
The work currently taking place at
the Brown Cancer Center may
someday unlock the answers to
curing skin cancer. Regardless of
when that day arrives, protecting
yourself from overexposure to the
sun, paying close attention to
changes in your skin, and seeking
annual examinations will always be
good ways to minimize your risk of
developing this most common form
of cancer. ■
For more information about
skin cancer, visit the Brown
Cancer Center online at
www.browncancercenter.org,
or call (502) 562-4158.
STAN W. BROWNING FOUNDATION
Stan Browning was devoted to his wife, Ann, and their three
children Gary, Kyle, and Erica. He was also very involved in
the tennis and running communities. As a State Farm Insurance Agent,
he was a highly respected and successful businessman. At the age of 53,
Stan was diagnosed with melanoma. Stan and his family fought the disease
with the same determination they devoted to everything else. Sadly, after a
2 1/2 - year battle, Stan succumbed to the cancer.
In his memory, Stan’s family established the Stan W. Browning Melanoma
Cancer Foundation. The mission of this non-profit organization is to increase
awareness in our community and schools of the perils of melanoma.
By joining forces with the Kentucky Cancer Program and participating
healthcare specialists, the foundation hopes to provide support and assistance
to melanoma patients and their families, and to promote increased use of
preventative measures and early detection.
The Stan W. Browning Foundation, the Kentucky Cancer
Program, and the James Graham Brown Cancer Center
will be jointly promoting melanoma and skin cancer
awareness this summer with a program called, “Play
it Safe in the Sun”. Watch for volunteers at area
tennis, golf, and swim tournaments who will be
distributing information and sun-safety kits.
SPRING 2007
11
Joan’s Legacy Foundation
AWARDS $200,000 TO BROWN CANCER CENTER RESEARCHERS
Joan’s Legacy: The Joan Scarangello
Foundation to Conquer Lung Cancer
awarded a total of $200,000 in
grants over two years to two lung
cancer researchers at the University
of Louisville’s James Graham Brown
Cancer Center.
Both researchers are studying the
relationship between gender-specific
factors and lung adenocarcinoma,
a type of cancer that affects women
more often than men. Even women
who do not smoke may be more
susceptible to lung adenocarcinoma,
suggesting that estrogen may play a
role in the cancer’s growth and
development.
William W. Young, PhD
William W. Young, Jr., professor of
molecular, cellular and craniofacial
biology at the UofL School of
Dentistry, will use the funding to
continue his work on the role of
mucins, large proteins found on
cell surfaces that transmit biological
information to the inside of the
cell, in the development of
adenocarcinoma, with the goal of
understanding gender differences
and predicting who may be more
susceptible to the disease.
The Foundation distributed a
total of $1.1 million in 2006
through eleven grants. Only
the University of Louisville
and the Mayo Clinic received
Carolyn M. Klinge, PhD
Carolyn M. Klinge, professor of
biochemistry and molecular biology
at the UofL School of Medicine,
will use the grant to study the
differences in proteins that may
behave differently in women than
in men, with the goal of developing
targets for future therapies.
Joan’s Legacy is named for Joan
Scarangello, a television producer,
writer and nonsmoker who died at
age 47 after a valiant nine-month
fight with lung cancer. The
Foundation, based in New York, NY,
is committed to fighting lung cancer
by funding innovative research into
diagnosis and treatment and
focusing greater attention on the
world’s leading cancer killer. ■
multiple grants this year.
Klinge’s grant is being funded
in partnership with the
LUNGevity Foundation and
Young’s grant is fully funded
by the Thomas G. Labrecque
Foundation through the Joan’s
Legacy Grant Program.
More information is available
at joanslegacy.org.
12
Discoveries................
A publication of the
J A M E S G R A H A M BROWN CANCER CENTER
Faculty
PROFILES
Bradon J. Wilhelmi, MD
Ryan G. Reca, PhD
Professor & Chief of Plastic Surgery
UofL Department of Surgery
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Brown Cancer Center
Bradon J. Wilhelmi, MD recently joined
the University of Louisville Department of
Surgery as the Leonard J. Weiner Professor
and Chief of the Division of Plastic
Surgery. He is also the Program Director
for the Plastic Surgery Residency program
at University of Louisville.
Wilhelmi is board certified in Plastic
Surgery by the American Board of Plastic Surgeons.
He also passed the board exam for the certificate of
added qualification in Hand Surgery. Prior to coming to
Louisville, Wilhelmi was on the faculty as a Plastic Surgeon
and completed the Hand Microsurgery Fellowship at
Harvard Medical School - Massachusetts General Hospital
in Boston. He also was a Faculty Plastic Surgeon at
Southern Illinois University School of Medicine for several
years before coming to Louisville.
Wilhelmi received his medical degree from Rush Medical
College in Chicago, graduating in the top 10 percent of
his class. He completed pre-requisite training in General
Surgery at Northwestern University and Plastic Surgery
residency at the University of Texas Medical Branch.
His extensive training includes experience in cancer and
breast reconstruction at M.D. Anderson in Texas, aesthetic
plastic surgery in Miami, Florida, and pediatric plastic
surgery and burns at the Galveston’s Shriner's Hospital.
At Southern Illinois University, he was Director of Hand
Surgery and Director of Burns.
Wilhelmi has received numerous regional and national
awards for research and presentations. He has authored
more than 50 scientific publications and several textbook
chapters. His research has included studies pertaining to
anatomy for cosmetic and hand surgery and basic science
in the field of ischemia reperfusion.
Wilhelmi participates in the Brown Cancer Center breast
tumor board and sees patients. He has a special interest in
breast reconstruction and plastic surgery of the breast.
Ryan G. Reca, PhD has recently joined
the faculty of the Brown Cancer Center
as an Assistant Professor of Medicine.
Reca recently completed a postdoctoral
fellowship in stem cell biology at UofL
and is part of the Ratajczak lab team that
discovered very small embryonic-like stem
cells in adult human bone marrow.
Reca earned his PhD in Microbiology and Immunology
at the University of Louisville. His research focuses on
complement mediated mechanisms involved in the
mobilization and engraftment of hematopoietic stem
cells and the potential application of these discoveries to
bone marrow transplantation.
Jessica M. Lehman, PhD
Clinical Assistant Professor
Division of Hematology/Oncology, School of Medicine
Jessica M. Lehman, PhD joins the faculty
as a Clinical Assistant Professor in the
Division of Hematology/Oncology, School
of Medicine. She will be the newest team
member in the behavioral oncology
program at the Brown Cancer Center.
Her research interests include the
psychological and social aspects of cancer
diagnosis and treatment for patients with
breast cancer. She earned her MS and PhD in Clinical
Psychology at the University of Miami and her BA in
Psychology and Biology at Goshen College in Indiana.
Uma Sankar, PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology
Uma Sankar, PhD joined the University of
Louisville Owensboro Cancer Research
Program in 2006 after completing a
post-doctoral fellowship in pharmacology
and cancer biology at Duke University.
She earned her PhD in molecular,
cellular and developmental biology at
The Ohio State University. She is a
member of the International Society for
Stem Cell Research and the American Society for Cell
Biology. Her research interests center on bone-marrow
derived stem cells and their role in biological processes
related to immunity and diseases such as leukemia.
SPRING 2007
13
Stem Cell
DIRECTOR PRAISED FOR INDEPENDENT THINKING
RATAJCZAK APPOINTED TO HOENIG CHAIR, HONORED BY FOUNDATION FOR POLISH SCIENCE
Mariusz Ratajczak, MD, PhD, DSci
is an independent thinker whose
curiosity isn’t satisfied by the
conventional wisdom.
When he started
his scientific
education, his
native Poland
was still behind
the iron curtain.
Scientists had
limited access to
what was going
on in Western
Europe and the
United States
and were often
discouraged
from followingup on promising research, because
it didn’t fit into the rubric of the
state-controlled academic enterprise.
None of these factors seem to have
limited him. On February 19th, he was
honored through an appointment to
the Roger and Stella Hoenig Chair
at the Brown Cancer Center and
congratulated for receiving the
Foundation for Polish Science’s 2006
award in medicine and life sciences in
a ceremony Dec. 6, 2006 in Warsaw,
Poland.
The award, popularly known as the
“Polish Nobel Prize,” recognizes Polish
researchers for achievements and
discoveries made within the last four
years that represent a major advance
in their field of study and have
contributed to boosting the reputation
of Polish research in Europe and
the world.
Recipients must be nominated by
a previous laureate. Nominations
are then ranked by a panel of 20
international experts. The award
carries a cash prize of approximately
$50,000.
Ratajczak, director of the stem cell
biology program at University of
Louisville James Graham Brown Cancer
Center, was recognized for his
14
Discoveries................
discovery of cells in adult bone
marrow that look like embryonic stem
cells and appear to mimic their ability
to multiply and develop into other
kinds of cells.
His interest in stem cells’ potential
for treating cancer and other diseases
was encouraged by his PhD mentor,
Professor Wieslaw Jedrzejczak, the first
doctor to complete successful bone
marrow transplants from any Soviet
bloc country.
“Professor Jedrzejczak was not afraid
to challenge scientific dogmas. He
encouraged me to think independently
and to think critically about
established concepts,” said Ratajczak.
Ratajczak first came to the United
States to complete a postdoctoral
fellowship at the University of
Pennsylvania in 1990.
Ratajczak notes that he came to the
United States with a clear understanding that the U.S. has both the best
intellectual potential and the financial
resources to do the science.
“I was very lucky that when I came to
the University of Pennsylvania, I had
the opportunity to work in Dr. Alan
Gewirtz’s laboratory. He has been
another great mentor to me,” he said.
Ratajczak proved his theory by
running a successful laboratory at the
University of Pennsylvania until 2001,
when he was recruited to head the
stem cell biology program at BCC.
“Dr. Ratajczak is one of the finest and
most creative scientists that I have met
in my career. He is dedicated to finding ways to help patients deal with the
pain and suffering caused by cancer,”
said BCC Director Don Miller. “We are
extremely fortunate to have recruited
him to the Brown Cancer Center.”
His 2005 discovery of very small
embryonic-like stem cells in adult bone
marrow is part of his team’s effort to
understand the causes of and potential
therapies for cancer. The group’s
A publication of the
initial publications have been very
highly cited in the scientific literature
and Ratajczak has been invited to
lecture in several countries.
Nevertheless, he remains philosophical
about his success and praises his
laboratory team, which includes his
wife Janina Ratajczak, MD, PhD,
Magda Kucia, PhD and Ryan Reca,
PhD.
“Science is often a combination of
hard work and luck. My group worked
very hard and had the luck to be the
first to identify this population of
cells,” he said.
He recently was awarded a major grant
from the National Institutes of Health
to investigate how rhabdomyosarcoma
(RMS) cells move throughout the
body. RMS is the most common
sarcoma in children and often
spreads from muscle fibers to the
bone marrow.
In addition, Ratajczak has applied for
additional funding to take studies on
the newly-discovered stem cells further
by investigating the mechanisms
behind their mobilization into the
bloodstream as part of the immune
system’s response to illness or injury.
Scientists (including Ratajczak) have
shown that these cells move from the
bone marrow to the bloodstream and
then move to the site of injury to help
repair damage.
Ratajczak’s defiance of conventional
wisdom extends to other areas of his
life. He is a distance runner and last
year, for his 50th birthday, finished the
Kentucky Derby Marathon. He and his
wife both take any opportunity to
speak to middle and high school
students about careers in science.
“I hope the most talented young
people will follow their ‘intellectual
hunger.’ Those in school today are the
future of science,” he said. ■
J A M E S G R A H A M BROWN CANCER CENTER
Kidd wins
COMPETITIVE GRANT FROM PROSTATE CANCER FOUNDATION
James Graham Brown Cancer Center
researcher La Creis Kidd, PhD,
MPH, and her team were recently
awarded a $100,000 Prostate Cancer
Foundation Competitive Research
Grant to study genetic factors
contributing to prostate cancer in
African-American men. Kidd’s study
utilizes a unique statistical approach
to identify selected polymorphisms
in certain genes that may influence
the risk of developing prostate
cancer.
The incidence and mortality of
prostate cancer disproportionately
affects African-Americans at almost
twice the rates for their Caucasian
counterparts. The risk of dying from
this disease increases considerably as
it becomes more aggressive and
advanced, and it knows no ethnic,
social, or class barriers. Paramount
to reducing unnecessary deaths is
the identification of biomarkers
capable of predicting the tendency
for developing prostate cancer.
With this information, clinicians can
more accurately direct their efforts
for early detection, specialized
treatment, and improved outcomes.
Kidd, who holds the Bucks for Brains
“Our Highest Potential” Chair in
Cancer Research, is honored by the
Prostate Cancer Foundation’s
enthusiasm for her research
direction.
“With the ultimate goal of improving
post-surgical treatment regimens
among prostate cancer patients, our
study will be the first to evaluate the
interaction among six highly variant
angiogenesis-related genes and their
joint impact on prostate cancer risk
and disease progression”, said Kidd.
The Prostate Cancer Foundation
selected Kidd’s study for funding
out of 423 applicants from 184
institutions in 23 countries.
The review panel was composed
of 14 experts in basic and clinical
prostate cancer research. Sixty-three
projects were funded this year.
David Hein, chairman of the
Department of Pharmacology and
Toxicology, is not surprised.
“It is so satisfying that this work will
help prostate cancer patients receive
optimal treatment. This is one of the
goals of personalized medicine,” says
Kidd. ■
“Dr. Kidd is poised to make major
contributions in predicting and
reducing cancer risks, particularly in
underserved populations,” says Hein.
“Support from private foundations
and donors is what makes the
difference for cutting edge programs
like these.”
Kidd is excited about the project’s
potential and credits the success to
inspired collaborations with her
research team, including Guy
Brock (Associate Professor in
Bioinformatics), Richard
Baumgartner (Chair,
Epidemiology Department),
James Lillard (Associate Professor,
Microbiology & Cancer
Immunology), Tiva M.
Templeton (Research Scientist),
and Oyeyemi Komolafe
(Masters of Public Health
Student). She is also
grateful to the
continued support
of the Brown
Cancer Center
leadership
and staff.
“It is so satisfying that
this work will help prostate
cancer patients receive optimal
treatment. This is one of the goals
of personalized medicine.”
La Creis Kidd, PhD, MPH
Brown Cancer Center Researcher
SPRING 2007
15
Strike
AGAINST CANCER
The American Cancer Society estimates in 2007
more than 2,500 women in Kentucky will be
diagnosed with breast cancer and more than
2,800 men are expected to be diagnosed with
prostate cancer.
We all want to take a strike at these numbers. So
it makes perfect sense to lace-up bowling shoes
and roll a Strike Against Cancer—benefitting
the Brown Cancer Center’s Multidisciplinary
Breast Clinic and the Kentucky Prostate
Cancer Coalition.
More than 150 dedicated cancer research
supporters came out to Lucky Strike Lanes,
at Fourth Street Live, in late February, for the
third annual fundraising event. This year teams
were comprised of members of various Louisville
businesses and corporations. Donations were
also raised through a silent auction.
This year more than $26,000 was raised for the
Brown Cancer Center and the Kentucky Prostate
Cancer Coalition. The funds will be used for
research, education, awareness, and screening
programs for both organizations.
JAMES GRAHAM
BROWN CANCER CENTER
529 South Jackson Street
Louisville, KY 40202
a proud member of
NON-PROFIT ORG
US POSTAGE
PAID
LOUISVILLE, KY
PERMIT NO 879