Inside the Tulane Cancer Center

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A Message from the Director
Roy S. Weiner, M.D.
Director, Tulane Cancer Center 		This past year has been busy and productive for the Tulane Cancer Center. The accomplishments of our members, the support of our administration, and the dedication of our friends have lead to landmark successes. Our members have contributed 316 articles to the scientific literature, and have won $14,147,000 in new and renewed research grants. We presented 14 papers at the meetings of the American Association of Cancer Research. We conducted our first faculty scientific retreat and funded 12 projects to increase cancer research focus among funded basic and clinical scientists. We are welcoming new faculty in both clinical cancer and basic cancer research. We have doubled the cancer patient volume in Medicine resulting in an overall increase in volume to multiple departments in each of the last two years. The construction of our clinical cancer center is progressing, and we anticipate opening the doors and serving our patients in an outstanding, state-of-the-art facility in early spring 1997.
We had our third continuing medical education course last October, and look forward to an even more successful course October 5-6, 1996. The American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer has granted Tulane's first approval as a full cancer program, validating our efforts to improve our comprehensive care, our quality assurance, and our teaching.

The Cancer Center has been the recipient of generous support for its development and its programs. We received the pledge of an endowed chair for breast cancer research from the Republic Breast Cancer Foundation in honor of Edmond and Lily Safra. The Community Advisory Board Members have contributed generously to our training program, and together with the grant from the Brown Foundation, we have been able to fund seven fellows for academic year 1996-97. The Cancer Crusaders have continued their generous support and the Virginia H McNeill Cancer Research Foundation has also pledged us support.

As yet another indication of their devotion and support to Tulane University, Dr. and Mrs. John Deming have established the Bertie M. and John W. Deming Endowed Research Fund for Oncology. We are grateful for their support and are committed to investing the resources wisely.

NEW LEADERSHIP FOR A NEW ERA

I am pleased to report some enhancements in leadership and management of the Cancer Center. Bernard Jaffe, M.D., Professor of Surgery and Vice Chairman of the Department of Surgery, has accepted the responsibility of directing our cancer education effort and will chair the Medical School's Cancer Education Committee. Dr. Jaffe is a well respected researcher and educator who has been developing the surgical oncology training program over the past three years. He will lead a thorough review of the Medical School curriculum with regard to cancer and will develop post-doctoral education programs that integrate basic and clinical sciences in the various cancer disciplines. Dr. Jaffe will join the Executive Committee of the Cancer Center as Associate Director for Cancer Education.

Griselda Gutnisky, M.D., Associate Professor of Psychiatry, has agreed to develop our program in Psych-Oncology. She is Assistant Director of the Tulane Cancer Center for Psych-Oncology and a member of our Steering Committee. In addition to enhancing the programs available at the Friedler Cancer Counseling Center, Dr. Gutnisky will develop research programs and training programs in Psych-Oncology.

Robert Kuske, M.D., Clinical Associate Professor of Radiology, is the chief of our new Radiation Oncology Program and heads a group of superb Radiation Oncologists, including Troy Scroggins, M D., Roland Hawkins, M.D., Maurice King, M.D., and David Bush, M.D. Ray Wilenzick, Ph.D. is our Radiation Physicist. Dr. Kuske will develop clinical research, the clinical service program in Radiation Oncology, and ultimately, an outstanding Radiation Oncology training program - the only such program in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Arkansas. Dr. Kuske will join the Cancer Center leadership as a member of the Steering Committee.

We are committed to developing research-based clinical programs in partnership with Tulane University Hospital & Clinic and Columbia, to facilitate the joint development and the coordination of our missions, we have restructured the administration of the Cancer Center.

James Yates, MSPH, MBA, is the new Executive Director of the Tulane Cancer Center and the Assistant Dean for Cancer Center Affairs. Jim, an executive of Tulane University Hospital & Clinic, has worked closely with us for the last three years in developing the structure and the operational plans for the multi-disciplinary Ambulatory Cancer Center. His energies are now focused on Cancer Center development, and he adds the administration of the academic component to his responsibilities. He will facilitate the expansion of our research and clinical network and the development of information systems for productivity measurement and outcome analysis This reorganization will facilitate our growth and our identity as a comprehensive program encompassing research, teaching, patient care, and community service. Sadly, it means that we will lose Ms. Gaye McCutchen, M.S., who has played a valuable role in the early phases of the Cancer Center as the Assistant Director for Budget and Planning. Her imprint on the Cancer Center has been positive and will endure. We wish her well.

The leadership of the Community Advisory Board itself has evolved, Sam LeBlanc has joined the CAB and has accepted the responsibility of Chairman. Sam has been a valuable member of TUMC's Board of Governors, and brings a wealth of community experience and insight to his new position We will all get to know and appreciate Sam's vigor and enthusiasm as he unrolls his agenda in the weeks ahead. We are fortunate that Cathy Pierson, who has been the founding Chairperson of the Board for the past three years, will continue to provide advice and counsel as a member of the Board and its Executive Committee. I owe Cathy an enormous debt of gratitude for her devotion and her commitment to the Tulane Cancer Center and to Tulane University, which she now serves as a member of its Board of Administrators.

Our energies are focused on three goals for the next year: 1. To open the Ambulatory Cancer Center and to demonstrate that our model of coordinated interdisciplinary care can provide our patients with excellent and satisfying service while providing our faculty with the opportunity to teach, to discover, and to translate scientific discovery to improve health outcomes. 2. To develop our research base and to focus our research into clear-cut programs that will be recognized by our peers, our patients, and our friends as valuable assets to our region. 3. To develop a network of physicians and health care facilities and thereby extend the Tulane model of research driven cancer care to as many patients as possible in this region.
A Closer Look:
Researchers Identify Cells Linked to Cancer
While some scientists are focusing their research on a cure for cancer, others are focusing their efforts to find prevention of the disease. Still others are looking at innovative ways of improving current treatments with approaches that are less invasive, that will in turn decrease recovery time and increase a person's chance of survival. Making all of this innovative research available to physicians to benefit patients is the mission of the Tulane Cancer Center.

At the Tulane Cancer Center, researchers are now able to identify specific cells in healthy people that contribute to the formation of cancerous cells. In a study of 132 healthy blood donors, researchers found a small number of chromosomal abnormalities in half of the group. The volunteer blood donors were between the ages of 18-50 and were pre-screened to determine their health status.

"The chromosomal abnormality allows the tiny percentage of white blood cells that have the abnormality to live for decades rather than dying out within a few weeks," said Dr. Melanie Ehrlich, biochemist and a Professor of Biochemistry. "These cells then have plenty of time to accumulate the other genetic damage necessary to become cancerous."

Ehrlich and her colleagues found a significant increase with age in the percentage of individuals found to have these abnormal blood cells with the rearranged chromosome. The abnormality hampers the cell's ability to respond to DNA damage by killing itself, a normal safeguard against cancer, said Ehrlich.

Although only a small sample of blood was examined, statistical analysis suggests that almost every person over the age of 40 may have one white blood cell with this chromosomal abnormality. Some healthy people have a thousand times more of these abnormal blood cells than others.

Ehrlich and Dr. Susan Halabi, Assistant Professor of Biostatistics and Epidemiology at the Tulane Cancer Center, will study the contribution of heavy smoking, as well as heredity, to the build-up of cells with this abnormal chromosome. "By itself, the chromosomal abnormality cannot cause cancer,' said Ehrlich, "but evidence does show that this abnormality is found in various types of lymphoma -- especially follicular lymphoma."

Follicular lymphoma, a form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, usually occurs in people over the age of 60, and only rarely in those under 40. More than 85 per cent of the people diagnosed with follicular lymphoma were found to have this rearranged chromosome in all the cells of their tumor.

"The reason that more people don't have lymphoma," said Ehrlich, "is partly due to the multiple chromosomal and gene changes necessary to generate a cancer cell."

An estimated 60,200 new cases of lymphoma will be diagnosed in 1996, including 7,500 cases of Hodgkin's disease and 52,700 cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

"Through clinical trials scientists and researchers are able to fight the war against cancer by using the findings to help identify individuals who are at high risk."

Reprint of article appearing in One Source, Summer 1996.
TCC News
Tulane Cancer Center and
The Breast Cancer Fund Introduce ...

There are one million women in the United States who have breast cancer, but do not yet know it. A new program at the Tulane Cancer Center can help women in the New Orleans area avoid becoming part of these sobering statistics.

Friends for Life is a special buddy program designed to educate women about their breast health in a one-on-one relationship. The friends promise to remind each other to perform monthly breast self-examinations, schedule annual examinations, and have mammograms as necessary. Anyone can be a Friend for Life -- sister, mother, husband, or co-worker.

"Early detection and prevention are essential" says Dr. Roy S. Weiner, Director of the Tulane Cancer Center. "Breast cancer is an epidemic and is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women today."

"We are especially fortunate to have The Breast Cancer Fund as our partner," said Weiner. "Andrea Martin and The Breast Cancer Fund are dedicated to conquering this disease through funding projects in research, education, and advocacy. The Breast Cancer Fund is a major contributor the the fight against breast cancer and is making a lasting impact on the Tulane Cancer Center."

Friends for Life is a free program that motivates well women, heightens their awareness of breast health and stimulates breast cancer survivors to become active in women's health issues. It's good to have a Friend for Life ... and even better to be one.
Ladies Leukemia League Awards Grant to Tulane
The Ladies Leukemia League of New Orleans recently awarded a $14,000 grant to Barbara Beckman, Ph.D., Professor of Pharmacology and Tulane Cancer Center member. the one-year grant was awarded to Dr. Beckman for her research project entitled "The Molecular Mechanism of Multi-drug Resistance in Leukemia."
Upcoming Events & Benefits
(Click on the name of an event for further details.)
Kathy Trosclair Memorial Volleyball Tournament
Oncology Update 1996
1996 Cancer Crusaders Ball
5K Revlon Run/Walk Festival New Orleans
Cancer Awareness Day For "Senior Friends"
New Cancer Center Members
Akira Arimura, M.D., Professor, Endocrinology
Steven Arnold, Ph.D., Professor, Envirnmental Health Science
Bettina Beech, Dr.P.H., M.P.H., Assistant Professor, Community Health Sciences
Derrick Beech, M.D., Assistant Professor, Surgery
Steven S. Coughlin, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Biostatistics & Epidemiology
Rodney Davis, M.D., Assistant Professor, Urology
Roland Hawkins, M.D., Radiation Oncologist
Charles Hemenway, Ph.D., M.D., Assistant Professor, Pediatrics
Maurice King, M.D., Radiation Oncologist
Robert Kuske, M.D., Director, Radiation Oncology
Raja Mudad, M.D., Assistant Professor of Medicine, Hematology/Oncology
James Nolan, Ph.D.Assistant Professor, Biochemistry
Gloria Richard-Davis, M.D., Assistant Professor, Obstetrics & Gynecology
Hana Safah, M.D.Assistant Professor of Medicine, Hematology/Oncology
Troy Scroggins, M.D., Radiation Oncologist
Maureen Sintich, RNC, MSN, FNP-C
Louaine Spriggs, Ph.D., Research Assistant Professor, Anatomy
Russell Van Dyke, M.D., Associate Professor, Pediatrics
Recent Honors and Awards
The International Society for Experimental Hematology (ISEH) Board selected the Tulane University Medical Center as the site for its anual meeting in August 2004. Roy S. Weiner, M.D. and Alan Miller, Ph.D., M.D. will co-chair the local Organizing Committee. Barbara Beckman, Ph.D. will chair the scientific committee.
Laura Levy, Ph.D., Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, has been invited to serve as a member of the Virology Study Section, Division of Research Grants, for the National Institute of Health for the term July 1, 1996 through June 30, 2000.

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