Inspired SUMMER 2014
A PHYSICIAN PUBLICATION
FOCUS ON LEUKEMIA PAGE 4
ATRA/ATO therapy targets acute promyelocytic leukemia PAGE 6
Haplo-cord stem cell transplantation expands lifesaving treatment
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE PAGE 1
First international trial for oligometastatic breast cancer PAGE 3
Sleeve gastrectomy helps acclaimed chef lose weight, gain health PAGE 10
Minimally invasive surgical resection for metastatic spinal cord compression
The University of Chicago Medicine & Biological Sciences has been at the forefront of medical care, research and teaching for more than 90 years. Located in historic Hyde Park on the South Side
®
aT T H e F O R e F R O n T O F M e D i C i n e
of Chicago, the University of Chicago Medicine & Biological Sciences includes: Patient Care » Bernard A. Mitchell Hospital » Center for Care and Discovery » Comer Children’s Hospital » Duchossois Center for Advanced Medicine » Numerous outpatient locations throughout the Chicago area Teaching Programs » Pritzker School of Medicine » Master’s and doctoral degree programs » Postdoctoral programs Research » Medical and basic science units
We want to work with you to bring leading-edge therapies to patients facing cancer and other challenging diseases.
Among our many honors and acknowledgments: 12 Nobel laureates; ranked 11th of all U.S. medical schools; one of only 41 National Cancer
Dear Colleagues,
Institute–designated comprehensive cancer centers; ranked fifth in nation for National Institutes of Health grant
A diagnosis of
37 years ago, when our scientists identified
acute promyelocytic
the chromosomal 15;17 translocation
Sciences Executive Leadership
leukemia (APL) used
responsible for APL. In the ensuing
Kenneth S. Polonsky, MD, Dean of the
to be an oncologist’s
decades, researchers here and worldwide
nightmare. Life-
have conducted clinical trials leading to
threatening
and refining the ATRA/ATO treatment.
support per researcher. University of Chicago Medicine & Biological
University of Chicago Biological Sciences Division and the Pritzker School of Medicine, and executive vice president for Medical Affairs for the University of Chicago Sharon O’Keefe, president of the
hemorrhaging at the outset typically worsened even while initial treatment
In this issue of Inspired, you will also
was being administered. Today the
read about haplo-cord stem cell
introduction of the combination of
transplantation, minimally invasive surgery
basic science, Biological Sciences Division
all-trans retinoic acid and arsenic
for cancer that has metastasized to the
Holly J. Humphrey, MD, dean for medical
University of Chicago Medical Center Jeffrey Glassroth, MD, dean for clinical affairs, University of Chicago Medicine T. Conrad Gilliam, PhD, dean for
trioxide (ATRA/ATO) for frontline
spine and our new I131-MIBG therapy room
education, Pritzker School of Medicine
therapy has brought about remarkable
for treatment of high-risk neuroblastoma.
INSPIRED iS PubliSHeD THRee TiMeS
improvements in survival for patients
a yeaR by THe univeRSiTy OF CHiCaGO MeDiCine & biOlOGiCal SCienCeS.
with this rare leukemia.
editor: Anna Madrzyk assistant editor: Gretchen Rubin email us at: inspirededitor@uchospitals.edu Design: TOKY Branding + Design
We want to work with you to bring these and other leading-edge therapies
The story behind this tailored treatment
to patients facing cancer and other
began at the University of Chicago Medicine
challenging diseases. Let us know how we can help.
Contributing writers Thea Grendahl Christou, Tanya Cochran, John Easton, Kevin Jiang, Brooke O’Neill, Gretchen Rubin and Matt Wood Contributing photographers David Christopher, Megan E. Doherty, Carolina Hidalgo, Robert Kozloff, Jean Lachat and Bruce Powell aDDReSS The university of Chicago Medicine 5841 S. Maryland Ave., Chicago, IL 60637
KENNETH S. POLONSKY, OLONSKY, MD OLONSKY Dean of the University of Chicago Biological Sciences Division and the Pritzker School of Medicine, and executive vice president for Medical Affairs for the University of Chicago
The university of Chicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital 5721 S. Maryland Ave., Chicago, IL 60637 Telephone 1-773-702-1000 appointments 1-888-824-0200 Follow the University of Chicago Medicine on Twitter at twitter.com/uChicagoMed or visit our Facebook page at facebook.com/ uChicagoMed. You can read more about our news and research at uchospitals.edu/news and at sciencelife.uchospitals.edu. This publication does not provide medical advice or treatment suggestions. If you have medical problems or concerns, contact a physician, who will determine your treatment. Do not delay seeking medical advice because of something you read here. For urgent needs, call 911 right away. Read Inspired online at uchospitals.edu/inspired.
ON THE COVER: Design based on a photomicrograph of a blood smear from a patient with newly diagnosed acute promyelocytic leukemia (aPl). Cure rates for adults with low- and intermediate-risk aPl now exceed 90 percent with targeted therapy. See story on page 4. image courtesy of Sandeep Gurbuxani, MD, PhD, assistant professor of pathology, the university of Chicago Medicine
aT THe FOReFROnT OF CanCeR CaRe
Controlled primary lesion Distant metastases/ recurrences
i131-MibG
OLIGOMETASTASIS
NEUROBLASTOMA
Directed Therapy Shows Promise for Oligometastatic breast Cancer
i131-MibG Therapy Room Opens at Comer Children’s Hospital
The university of Chicago Medicine will lead the first international trials to randomize breast cancer patients with oligometastatic disease to treatments with curative intent. The trial studies (Br001 and Br002) are being conducted through the national Cancer Institutes’ nrg oncology and alliance cooperative groups. oligometastasis — an intermediate state between cancer that has not spread at all and cancer that has spread extensively — was defined by physician-scientists here a decade ago. subsequently, they demonstrated that some patients with limited metastases could be cured with radiotherapy directed locally at the tumor. The objectives of Br001 and Br002 are to determine if ablation, with either stereotactic body radiotherapy or surgical resection of all known metastases, significantly improves progression-free survival and overall survival in oligometastatic breast cancer patients. “It is the hope that the outcome of this trial will be practicechanging for this subset of patients,” said radiation
oncologist steven J. Chmura, MD, PhD, the principal investigator for the trial. The university of Chicago Medicine recently organized a multidisciplinary team of medical, surgical and radiation oncologists to evaluate and treat patients with oligometastases. The physicians work collaboratively to identify the most effective treatment — stereotactic body radiotherapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and/or surgery — for individual patients. The breast cancer trial, which begins later this year, is one of several prospective trials underway or in the planning stages. uChicago Medicine researchers also are conducting extensive laboratory investigations to better understand the biological mechanisms of metastasis and oligometastasis. They have identified promising molecular biomarkers of oligometastasis, which may help determine which patients are most likely to benefit from aggressive metastasis-directed local therapies.
For more information or to refer a patient, please call 1-773-702-6860.
The university of Chicago Medicine Comer Children’s hospital is the first medical center in Illinois to offer I131meta-iodobenzylguanidine (MIBg) therapy for treatment of high-risk neuroblastoma. neuroblastoma cells internalize the MIBg molecule. When the molecule is combined with radiolabeled iodine (iodine-131), the radioactive drug can carry radiation directly to tumor cells without harming normal cells. a single dose of I131-MIBg IV is given to patients over two hours on day 0. radiation is cleared through bodily fluids over several days, mainly excreted through the urine, during which time the patient must be hospitalized with a urinary catheter. “I131-MIBg is one of the most active drugs identified to date for relapsed or refractory neuroblastoma,” said oncologist susan l. Cohn, MD, noting that the therapy has a 30 to 40 percent response rate in this setting. “Because of its efficacy in patients with relapsed disease, we are now evaluating I131-MIBg response in newly diagnosed high-risk disease.” Comer Children’s hospital built a designated lead-lined room to safeguard families and
staff while children receive I131-MIBg therapy. During the three- to five-day exposure period, everything in the room — including the walls, floor and fixtures — is covered with plastic or paper. lead plates separate the patient bed from visiting staff and family. nurses caring for patients undergoing I131-MIBg therapy follow strict guidelines to control their exposure to radiation. Parents are trained to be the primary caregivers during limited visits in the room, which become longer as the amount of radiation given off by the patient decreases. a closed-circuit TV monitoring system and iPads allow patients to communicate with family and staff. The MIBg team at Comer Children’s hospital includes pediatric oncologists, advanced practice oncology nurses, nuclear medicine physicians and technicians, radiation safety experts, child life specialists and social workers.
For more information or to arrange a visit, please contact Susan Cohn, MD, scohn@ peds.bsd.uchicago.edu, or Kelly Kramer, RN, MSN, CPNP, CPON, kkramer@peds.bsd. uchicago.edu.
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Research News MOTHERS’ THERAPY THwARTED
Despite evidence supporting the effectiveness of radiation therapy after breast-conserving surgery for women with breast cancer, women with young children seem less likely to be compliant. To understand the factors that affect compliance so that they may be addressed pre-emptively, university of Chicago researchers analyzed data from more than 21,000 women aged 20 to 64 who had breast-conserving surgery. Patients with at least one child younger than 7 years old were significantly less likely to receive radiation therapy than their counterparts with older or no children. “This underscores the importance of competing demands from child care as a barrier to complete breast cancer treatment,” said ya-Chen Tina shih, PhD, associate professor of medicine, an expert on health economics and senior author of the study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
FRAGMENTED SLEEP AND CANCER
Poor-quality sleep marked by frequent awakenings can speed cancer growth, increase tumor aggressiveness and dampen the immune system, according to a university of Chicago Medicine study published in the journal Cancer Research. a team led by sleep expert David gozal, MD, professor of pediatrics, compared two groups of mice that had been injected with tumor cells. one cohort slept soundly while the other had their sleep disrupted. all mice developed palpable tumors, but masses from the mice with fragmented sleep were twice as large and far more aggressive than those from mice that slept normally. The difference appeared to be driven by tumor-associated macrophages (TaMs), a hallmark of the immune system’s response to cancer.
Read moRe at ScienceLife.uchospitals.edu @ScienceLife
Microscopic view of human pancreatic islets after isolation. islets are stained red with dithizone; acinar tissue remains yellow.
AT THE FOREFRONT
W I T k oW s k I
The university of Chicago Medicine is the only u.s. site for an international multicenter trial testing an antiinflammatory drug for pancreatic islet transplant in patients with brittle type 1 diabetes. The medication may improve islet survival during engraftment, allowing patients to achieve insulin independence sooner and avoid additional islet transplants. Piotr Witkowski, MD, PhD, director of pancreas and islet transplantation, is the principal investigator.
2 » THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO MEDICINE INSPIRED MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2014
CAFFEINE AS ANESTHESIA ANTIDOTE
Caffeine may be able to reverse the overall effects of anesthetics, according to university of Chicago Medicine researchers. The researchers injected caffeine, forskolin or theophylline — all of which increase neurotransmitter release — into rats that had been put under with isofluorane or propofol. all three drugs not only reduced waking times, but also made waking times similar in all animals. Caffeine performed the best, accelerating recovery time by more than 60 percent without significant blood pressure or heart rate change in the rats. “If you could wake up everybody reproducibly and quickly, and relieve the cognitive problems that are associated with anesthetics, it might change everyday medicine,” said aaron fox, PhD, professor of neurobiology, pharmacology, and physiology and an author of the study published in the Journal of Neurophysiology.
Read moRe at CancerConversations. uchospitals.edu @UChicagoCancer
aT THe FOReFROnT OF DiGeSTive DiSeaSeS The university of Chicago Medicine’s Digestive Diseases Center is a multidisciplinary network of physicians, researchers and allied health professionals. The name communicates the deep and broad level of services and the collaboration among the departments of medicine, surgery and pediatrics as they relate to digestive diseases.
director of clinical cancer programs, and David T. rubin, MD, chief of gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition, are the co-directors.
» Center for Gastrointestinal Oncology
We are committed to providing timely and optimal care for any patient with a disease involving the gastrointestinal tract.
» Center for Small Bowel Disease
» Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center » Center for Liver Diseases » Pancreatic Disease Center and Nutrition
» Center for the Surgical Treatment of Obesity
» Basic, translational and
THE DIGESTIVE DISEASES
clinical research
CENTER IS COMPOSED OF THE FOLLOwING SERVICE AREAS:
GI Physician Connect:
» Celiac Disease Center
1-844-UCGIDOC (1-844-824-4362)
» Center for Endoscopic Research and Therapeutics
» Center for Esophageal Diseases
Mitchell C. Posner, MD, chief of general surgery and surgical oncology, and medical
» Gastrointestinal Cancer Risk and Prevention Clinic
Posner
ruBIn
AT THE FOREFRONT
Tailoring Obesity Surgery to the needs of acclaimed Chef “It was a reasonable way to start,” Prachand a year ago, graham elliot — the nationally known chef and judge of fox’s “Master Chef ” said. “If it wasn’t sufficient, we could follow competitive cooking show — weighed almost it with the rest of the duodenal switch later.” 400 pounds. “I had hypertension, sleep apnea, after extensive evaluation, discussion gout, constant aches and pains,” elliot said. and counseling, elliot underwent obesity “I was headed for disaster.” surgery in July 2013. he was an ideal patient. he recovered quickly, changed the elliot, 37, made an way he eats and became a role model for appointment with routine exercise. Vivek n. Prachand, MD, director of minimally invasive surgery and chief Graham elliot keeps bananas PraChanD quality officer, Department in the fridge to remind him just of surgery, at the university of Chicago Medicine, to discuss obesity surgery. how small his stomach is now. elliot fit the criteria for a duodenal switch, the surgical option that is often the best choice for patients with a BMI over 50 plus metabolic problems. But patients who have the procedure lose some of their capacity to process dietary fats. “This could interfere with his profession,” Prachand said. Multiple small tastings are central to elliot’s work. so Prachand suggested a smaller operation, the gastric sleeve. This reduces the stomach to the size and shape of a small banana, but doesn’t interfere with nutrient uptake or digestion.
Center for the Surgical Treatment of Obesity » All four major surgical options for the treatment of obesity: Roux-en Y gastric bypass, adjustable gastric banding, biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch (DS) and vertical sleeve gastrectomy
» Individualized, multidisciplinary care
» Approximately 200 complex laparoscopic bariatric procedures in the last year
» Nationally recognized experts in the treatment of super-obesity (BMI>50)
» Regionally recognized referral
four months later, he ran a respectable 5k. By Christmas, he no longer needed CPaP when he slept. By March 2014, his weight was below 250 pounds, his blood pressure nearly normal and his cholesterol levels much improved.
center for complications and suboptimal outcomes following procedures performed at other institutions before
after
By april, his BMI was in the 27–29 range — overweight but not obese — and still falling. “When you start out above 50,” Prachand said, “29 is fantastic. graham is where we want him to be right now. he’s motivated and committed to functional fitness.”
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1
foCus on leukeMIa
2F
Prompt, Tailored Treatment Produces Remission in aPl acute promyelocytic leukemia (aPl) can cause hemorrhaging in the brain, gastrointestinal tract and other areas after starting remission induction chemotherapy. “If we even suspect aPl, we start specific treatment immediately,” said hematologist/ oncologist hongtao liu, MD, PhD. at the university of Chicago Medicine, that means following a new frontline treatment supported by the latest clinical research. Patients immediately receive oral all-trans retinoic acid (aTra) along with intravenous infusions of arsenic trioxide (aTo). This differentiation therapy causes malignant cells to mature, circulate in the blood briefly and then die off like normal white blood cells. The combination counters cells’ arrest in maturation with less toxicity, fewer side effects and better outcomes than either chemotherapy alone or chemotherapy paired with aTra.
AT THE FOREFRONT
a multi-institutional team of researchers, including University of Chicago medicine pathologist Y. Lynn Wang, md, Phd, has pinpointed why some patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) develop resistance to ibrutinib, a highly effective, precisely targeted new drug. ReaD MORe aT
ScienceLife. uchospitals.edu
4 » THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO MEDICINE INSPIRED MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2014
“aTra/aTo has turned out to be one of the best examples of targeted cancer therapies,” explained richard a. larson, MD, who directs the hematologic Malignancies Clinical research Program. “The treatment has changed aPl from one of the most lethal leukemias to one of the most curable ones.” If treated quickly, larson said, nearly every patient with typical aPl enters remission. In early 2014, author and speaker kim hammond of aurora, Ill., became fatigued and out of breath. Petechiae appeared on his chest. hammond’s diagnosis of aPl came just months after his son, Carter, 10, finished treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia at the university of Chicago Medicine Comer Children’s hospital. kim also chose uChicago Medicine for his treatment. he completes his therapy for the disease this fall and has an excellent prognosis. Carter’s cancer is in remission.
PROviDinG leaDeRSHiP in CanCeR CliniCal TRialS
FISH IMAGE OF CHROMOSOME TRANSLOCATION
Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FiSH) image confirming the presence of the PMl/RaRa rearrangement in a patient with acute promyelocytic leukemia (aPl). Fluorescently labeled Dna probes are designed to target the PMl locus on chromosome 15 (red probe) and the RaRa locus on chromosome 17 (green probe). The separate red signal corresponds to the PMl locus on the normal chromosome 15, while the green signal corresponds to the RaRa locus on the normal chromosome 17. The t(15;17) results in juxtaposition of the PMl and RaRa regions on the abnormal chromosomes, resulting in formation of two abnormal fusion (yellow) signals (shown by arrows).
a team from the university of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center has received a fiveyear, $3.9 million award from the national Cancer Institute to serve as a lead academic Participating site for the newly created national Clinical Trials network (nCTn). uChicago Medicine received the best possible score in the highly competitive application process and is the only institution in Illinois chosen as a lead site. The new network is designed to improve the speed and efficiency of cancer clinical trials, according to the national Cancer Institute. The nCTn will focus on earlyand late-stage clinical trials for adults with cancer.
| r I g h T, To P | Kim and Carter Hammond | r I g h T, B oT To M | Hongtao liu, MD, PhD,
leads rounds.
AT THE FOREFRONT
Today’s treatment for acute
17 to fuse with the promyelocytic
promyeloctyic leukemia was built on
leukemia gene on chromosome
the University of Chicago Medicine’s
15. The resulting abnormal fusion
long history of world-class cancer
protein binds to DNA and causes
research. In 1972, the late Janet
malignant cells to become arrested
D. Rowley, MD, became the first
in their normal maturation process.
to identify cancer as a genetic
The combined effect of ATRA/ATO
disease, paving the way for effective
degrades the abnormal fusion protein
targeted therapies. Five years later,
and re-initiates the normal pathway
Rowley, together with hematologist
for these abnormal white blood cells to differentiate, mature
Harvey M. Golomb, MD, and
and then die off.
pathologist James W. Vardiman, MD, discovered
“our cancer center has a welldeserved reputation for highimpact clinical research and a deep and long-standing commitment to the former cancer cooperative groups that now comprise the nCTn,” said hedy lee kindler, MD, medical director of gastrointestinal oncology at the university of Chicago Medicine and lead principal investigator for the site. “This grant will enable us to provide outstanding multidisciplinary scientific and administrative leadership in the design and implementation of innovative and potentially practice-changing clinical trials within the nCTn.”
University of Chicago
that APL results from a
Medicine researchers
structural rearrangement
participated in the
of chromosomes 15 and
clinical trials that led to
17 in bone marrow cells.
and refined the ATRA/ATO
In the majority of patients, this
treatment and established it as
translocation causes the retinoic acid
the frontline therapy.
receptor alpha gene on chromosome
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2
FoCUS oN LeUkeMIA
Haplo-cord Stem Cell Transplant Technique Expands Lifesaving Treatment Although millions of potential volunteer donors are listed on the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) registry, up to 50 percent of children and adults who need this type of transplant are unable to find a suitable match. University of Chicago Medicine physicianscientists have successfully refined results for an alternative procedure known as haplo-cord transplantation. The technique combines the administering of haploidentical (HLA half-matched) related donor cells and a well-matched unrelated umbilical cord blood (UCB) unit. Haploidentical stem cells engraft quickly but only produce blood cells for a limited time. Nevertheless, they provide a bridge until replaced by lasting engraftment of UCB. In a 2011 study published in Blood, UChicago Medicine researchers gave results for the first 45 adults in the U.S. to undergo
the procedure. The majority of patients experienced rapid engraftment of neutrophils and platelets, low incidences of graft vs. host disease and durable remissions.
“Separately, half-match and cord blood stem cell transplantation have many challenges, but we have shown them to be effective together.” JOHN M. CUNNINGHAM, MD
“Following these successes in adults, we began performing haplo-cord stem cell transplants on children and teens who had neither a related donor nor a match on the NMDP,” said John M. Cunningham, MD, director of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation at the University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital and a co-author on the study. Haplo-cord
transplant is offered only to patients for whom initial treatment has failed. Daniela Lakosilova, then 17, had the novel treatment in fall 2012 after relapsing from acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Her halfmatched stem cells came from her father. While Lakosilova experienced GVHD and other complications after the transplant, her medical team successfully addressed each problem. The senior in high school kept up with her studies, attending school via FaceTime on an iPad. She graduated in the top 10 percent of her class and is now attending college. “Daniela’s prognosis is outstanding,” Cunningham said, noting that her risk of relapse is very low now that she has passed the one-year mark. After two years, the risk of recurrence is less than 5 percent. AT THE FOREFRONT
The University of Chicago Medicine was one of the first medical centers in the country to offer haplocord stem cell transplantation to adults and children.
The evolution of haplo to cord engraftment during the first six months after transplantation
MEDIAN PERCENTAGE (UNFRACTIONATED CEllS)
100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 D7 - D14 HAPlO CORD
D30 - D60
D100
D180
Graph is a modification of a data report from the 2011 paper published in Blood. First author: Hongtao Liu, MD, PhD, University of Chicago Medicine.
6 » THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO MEDICINE INSPIRED MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2014
| A B o V e | John M. Cunningham, MD, director of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation at the University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital, and patient Daniela Lakosilova.
COnFeRenCe DiGeST american association for Cancer Research forty members of the university of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center participated in the annual meeting of the american association for Cancer research (aaCr) in san Diego in april. The theme of this year’s meeting, “harnessing Breakthroughs — Targeting Cures,” reflects the commitment among the cancer research community to advance research findings from the laboratory bench to the cancer patient’s bedside with an accelerated pace and personalized approach. In a meet-the-expert session, Mark J. ratain, MD, discussed the strategies and challenges of cancer pharmacogenomics. lucy a. godley, MD, PhD, chaired a methods workshop that provided practical information on the latest techniques in epigenetic research. kenan onel, MD, PhD, chaired and presented his latest work in a session on “radiation and Breast Cancer: linking genetics, epidemiology and Biology.” In addition, the aaCr poster sessions included 54 presentations by university of Chicago Medicine researchers.
american Society of Clinical Oncology The american society of Clinical oncology (asCo) annual meeting brought more than 25,000 oncology professionals to Chicago this spring to discuss the most recent advances in clinical oncological scientific research. This year’s conference theme was “science and society.” Many university of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center members had oral and/or poster presentations showcasing their latest findings, including Mitchell Posner, MD; Irving Waxman, MD; everett Vokes, MD; ravi salgia, MD, PhD; olufunmilayo olopade, MD; Iris romero, MD, Ms; gini fleming, MD; Tanguy seiwert, MD; Thomas gajewski, MD, PhD; Mark lingen,
DDs, PhD; Justin kline, MD; Victoria participants. rubin also gave the inaugural Villaflor, MD; ralph Weichselbaum, MD; scott Zarrow Memorial lecture in honor Jonas de souza, MD; hedy kindler, MD; of a patient who died of colorectal cancer. Diane yamada, MD; scott eggener, MD; The lecture focused on new approaches to William Dale, MD, PhD; swati kulkarni, cancer prevention in inflammatory bowel MD; Mark ratain, MD; Christopher disease. uzma siddiqui, MD, led a handsDaugherty, MD; yusuke nakamura, MD, on workshop on endoscopic retrograde PhD; Tara henderson, MD, MPh; Walter cholangiopancreatography (erCP). stadler, MD; Theodore karrison, PhD; In all, there were more than 40 invited Blase Polite, MD; richard larson, MD; lectures and presentations from the russell szmulewitz, MD; elizabeth Blair, Digestive Diseases Center, demonstrating MD; Wendy stock, MD; susan Cohn, MD; uChicago Medicine’s ongoing excellence habibul ahsan, MD, MMedsc; rita nanda, in these disciplines. “Casein kinase 2 MD; Todd Zimmerman, MD; hongtao (Ck2) inhibition limits damage-induced liu, MD, PhD; olatoyosi odenike, MD; and immune-mediated colitis by distinct ya-Chen Tina shih, PhD; Michael Maitland, mechanisms” from the lab of Jerrold r. MD, PhD; sonali smith, MD; kenan Turner, MD, PhD, was featured as one onel, MD, PhD; rena Conti, PhD; Peter of the top abstracts of the meeting. o’Donnell, MD; eileen Dolan, PhD; other presentations of note included: Chadi nabhan, MD; hans schreiber, MD, “histological normalization in ulcerative PhD; Dezheng huo, MD, PhD; amittha colitis: a new treatment outcome” (Britt Wickrema, PhD; Michael Bishop, MD; and Christensen, MD); “Microbes, not Manish sharma, MD. technique, cause anastomotic leak” (John C. alverdy, MD), and “Transcriptional response to 1,25(oh)2 Vit D in the human american Society of colon: differences by ethnicity and CrC Pediatric Hematology/ affection” (sonia kupfer, MD).
Oncology
research from university of Chicago Medicine Comer Children’s hospital physicians John M. Cunningham, MD; susan l. Cohn, MD; samuel l. Volchenboum, MD, PhD, Ms; James laBelle, MD, PhD; navin Pinto, MD; and Tara henderson, MD, MPh, was presented at the american society of Pediatric hematology/oncology (ashPo) annual meeting in Chicago in May.
Digestive Disease Week university of Chicago Medicine faculty led courses and presented their research and clinical updates during Digestive Disease Week (DDW) in Chicago in early May. David T. rubin, MD, directed the american gastroenterological association spring postgraduate course attended by 2,900
Society of General internal Medicine numerous university of Chicago Medicine physicians and trainees led workshops, gave oral presentations and presented posters during the society of general Internal Medicine (sgIM) annual scientific meeting in san Diego in april. among the areas covered were health disparities; quality of care and quality improvement; patient safety; and innovations in medical education. highlights included a workshop by Deborah Burnet, MD, Ma, titled “effective Time Management for gIM leaders,” and the plenary session, “over a Decade of Duty hours: Who Do Patients say is Most Involved in Their hospital Care,” presented by Vineet arora, MD, MaPP; Micah T. Prochaska, MD; Jeanne farnan, MD, MhPe; and David Meltzer, MD, PhD.
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exPerT Care, ClInICal TrIals for oVarIan CanCer
8 » THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO MEDICINE INSPIRED MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2014
| f ro M l e f T | nita Karnik lee, MD, MPH;
Meaghan Tenney, MD; ernst lengyel, MD, PhD; and S. Diane yamada, MD
AT THE FOREFRONT
With the majority of ovarian cancer cases still found at an advanced stage, patients need access to comprehensive care: aggressive tumor debulking, IV and intraperitoneal chemotherapy, targeted therapies that prolong time to progression, clinical trials and a multidisciplinary team of specialists in gynecologic oncology. at the university of Chicago Medicine, the ovarian cancer team integrates surgical and medical care with ongoing clinical, basic and translational research. our researchers are investigating the biology of ovarian cancer metastasis and exploring new drugs for its treatment. In recent years, they characterized two new targets in ovarian cancer that led to clinical trials and developed a novel method for finding new drugs. OVARIAN CANCER RESEARCH AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
Our ovarian cancer physician-scientists are members of the internationally recognized University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center, a National Cancer Institute (NCI)–designated cancer research center.
The ovarian cancer team discusses and plans optimal treatment regimens for individual patients at the weekly multidisciplinary tumor board conference.
OuR CanCeR RiSK CliniC OFFeRS SCReeninG, GeneTiC TeSTinG anD COunSelinG.
ernst lengyel, MD, PhD, right, chairman of obstetrics and gynecology, performs a procedure.
MEDICINE FOCUSES ON:
» understanding metastasis
THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO MEDICINE wILL BE THE LEAD
» Imaging for early detection
SITE FOR A PHASE 2 TRIAL of metformin in conjunction with
» Drug discovery
chemotherapy followed by metformin maintenance therapy in advanced stage ovarian, fallopian tube and primary peritoneal
» ovarian cancer prevention
cancer. Metformin has been associated with decreased cancer
» genetic and protein studies
risk and improved survival for other cancers.
OTHER CARE RESOURCES FOR wOMEN wITH OVARIAN CANCER
» Psycho-oncology supportive care for patients with cancer
The University of Chicago Medicine
» sexual health clinic for cancer patients and survivors
TRIALS
HAS MORE CLINICAL
» specialized oncology clinic for older adults
available to patients with advanced stage ovarian cancer than S. Diane yamada, MD, section chief of gynecologic oncology, talks with a patient.
Gynecologic Oncology Surgical Team S. DIANE YAMADA, MD
section Chief, gynecologic oncology ERNST LENGYEL, MD, PHD
Chairman, obstetrics and gynecology
other institutions in Illinois.
The ovarian cancer
60–70 PERCENT OF PATIENTS at the University of Chicago
NITA KARNIK LEE, MD, MPH
Medicine are optimally debulked,
MEAGHAN TENNEY, MD
with 1 centimeter or less residual tumor remaining after surgery.
program is a lead academic site for nRG Oncology, an nCisupported cooperative group that develops and runs leading clinical trials for gynecologic and other cancers.
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Surgical Resection for Metastatic Spinal Cord Compression Keeps Patients Ambulatory for Longer Innovations to radiation, chemotherapy and other treatments are extending function, quality of life and survival time for many patients battling metastatic prostate cancer. Surgery is playing a more significant role in the management of cancer that has spread to the spine, the most common musculoskeletal site of metastasis for prostate, lung and breast cancer.
Operating through a 5-centimeter incision, Ramos debulked the tumor. He then separated it from the spinal cord, which would allow for higher radiation doses earlier in the postoperative period. Using titanium screws and rods, he reconstructed the spine to restore stability in the compromised area.
Tim Collins
A
Collins, a semi-retired sales executive, was up and walking the day after surgery and back to work the next week. He was able to move expeditiously on to his next phases of treatment — radiation and chemotherapy — and take a vacation to Florida in between.
Five to 14 percent of cancer patients will develop metastatic spinal cord compression, with approximately 20,000 new cases in the U.S. every year. In most cases, the metastases causing the compression are located anterior to the spinal cord, in the vertebral body. University of Chicago Medicine neurosurgeon Edwin Ramos, MD, an expert in oncological and complex spine surgery, performs minimally invasive decompression and spinal stabilization surgery as part of the medical center’s multimodal management for patients with metastatic spine tumors.
The primary endpoint after surgery is to keep the patient ambulatory, Ramos said. “In selected patients with symptomatic spinal cord compression, a randomized trial showed that surgery followed by radiotherapy was superior to radiotherapy alone in preventing paralysis,” Ramos said. “In addition, patients maintain muscle strength and continence as well as reduce steroid and analgesic use.”
B
| L E F T | A Spinal cord compression from metastatic prostate adenocarcinoma arising from the left T4 lateral and posterior spine elements. B Postoperative CT image shows the decompression and resection cavity after tumor debulking and separation from the spinal cord. C Instrumentation was placed percutaneously (2cm incisions) to restore spinal stability.
In early spring, a scan taken during Tim Collins’ treatment for prostate cancer revealed a spinal cord tumor at the T4 vertebra. The 61-year-old had pain that radiated from his back around to the front of his chest, but thought he had pulled a muscle. “The tumor was severely compressing the spinal cord and destroying stabilizing structures in Collins’ spine,” said Ramos.
C
“Without surgical treatment, the condition would have progressed quickly to paralysis.”
AT THE FOREFRONT
Edwin Ramos, MD, discusses the role of surgery in the management of metastatic spine tumors on Learning at the Forefront, our new online educational channel, launching in July. learning.uchospitals.edu
10 » THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO MEDICINE INSPIRED MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2014
NIR URIEL, MD, MS C , an authority on
heart failure, heart transplantation and clinical management of circulatory assist devices, has been appointed associate professor of medicine and medical director of the heart failure program at the university of Chicago Medicine. uriel previously was director of research for the mechanical circulatory support program at Columbia university. DAVID T. RUBIN, MD, a nationally recognized
authority on digestive disease, investigational therapies and medical ethics, has been named section chief of gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition at the university of Chicago Medicine. rubin, professor of medicine, is co-director of the Digestive Diseases Center. MARSHALL CHIN, MD, MPH, the richard Parrillo family Professor of healthcare ethics in the Department of Medicine, is the new presidentelect of the society of general Internal Medicine (sgIM) for the 2014–15 year. Chin is associate chief and director of research in the section of general Internal Medicine. DIANE SPERLING LAUDERDALE, PHD,
professor and chair of the Department of health studies, was elected president-elect of the society for epidemiological research. she is a fellow of the american College of epidemiology. wILLIAM A. MCDADE, MD, PHD, associate
professor of anesthesia and critical care and deputy provost for research and minority issues for the university of Chicago, was elected president of the Illinois state Medical society. MONICA B. VELA, MD, associate dean for multicultural affairs at the university of Chicago Pritzker school of Medicine, received the 2014 herbert W. nickens Minority health and representation in Medicine award from the society of general Internal Medicine. The award recognizes exceptional commitment to cultural diversity in medicine. SUSAN L. COHN, MD, professor of pediatrics
and a leading authority on neuroblastoma, has been named dean for clinical research at the university of Chicago Medicine & Biological sciences. In this role, she will direct the strategy and operations of the office of Clinical research. she also is director of clinical sciences in the Department of Pediatrics and co-leader of the Clinical Trials Cluster at the university of Chicago’s Institute for Translational Medicine. JOHN C. ALVERDY, MD, the sara and
harold lincoln Thompson Professor and executive vice chair of the Department of surgery, has been named president-elect of the surgical Infection society. alverdy will assume the presidency in april 2015.
INSPIRED TO DiSCOveR, TeaCH & Give baCK GOKHAN MUTLU, MD, was appointed section
chief of pulmonary/critical care medicine. Mutlu, professor of medicine, previously was an associate professor at northwestern university. BARRY G.w. ARNASON, MD, the James nelson and anna louise raymond Professor of neurology, received the 2014 John Dystel Prize for Multiple sclerosis research, awarded jointly by the national Multiple sclerosis society and the american academy of neurology. The prize recognizes outstanding contributions to research in the understanding, treatment or prevention of multiple sclerosis. DAVID MELTZER, MD, PHD, associate professor of medicine and section chief of hospital medicine, is the 2014 recipient of the John M. eisenberg excellence in Mentoring award from the agency for healthcare research and Quality (ahrQ). Meltzer is recognized for his long-standing dedication to the professional development of trainees as leaders in clinical care, quality improvement and medical education. LUCIA B. ROTHMAN-DENES, PHD,
MELISSA GILLIAM, MD, MPH, professor of obstetrics/gynecology and pediatrics and associate dean for diversity for the Biological sciences Division, was honored by the Chicago urban league with an Innovator award for her leadership in cross-disciplinary collaborations.
recipients of 2014 fellowships from the John simon guggenheim foundation included LAINIE ROSS, MD, PHD, the Carolyn and Matthew Bucksbaum Professor of Clinical Medical ethics, professor of pediatrics, medicine and surgery, and an associate director of the Maclean Center for Clinical Medical ethics; and JOSEPH w. THORNTON, PHD, professor in the Departments of ecology and evolution and human genetics. R. TAMARA KONETZKA, PHD, associate professor in the Department of health studies, received the article-of-the-year award from academyhealth, the leading professional organization for health services research. her article, “shipping out Instead of shaping up: rehospitalization as an unintended effect of Public reporting in nursing homes,” was published in the Journal of Health Economics. SAMUEL G. ARMATO III, PHD, associate
professor of radiology and chair of the Committee on Medical Physics, was elected a fellow of the american association of Physicists in Medicine in recognition of his distinguished contributions to medical physics.
professor of molecular genetics and cell biology, has been elected a member of the national academy of sciences, one of the highest professional honors a scientist can achieve. rothman-Denes is best known for pioneering a novel system to study how bacterial viruses take over the molecular processes of their hosts.
BERNARD ROIZMAN, S C D, has been named a fellow of the national academy of Inventors. he is the Joseph regenstein Distinguished service Professor of Virology in the Departments of Microbiology and Molecular genetics and Cell Biology.
MARCUS R. CLARK, MD, professor of
associate professor of medicine and director of the pulmonary hypertension program, has been appointed by the Patient-Centered outcomes research Institute (PCorI) one of the first 13 members of its new advisory Panel on rare Disease.
medicine and pathology, and section chief of rheumatology, has been elected to the association of american Physicians for his leadership in research in autoimmune disease focused on B cell biology. he co-directs the gwen knapp Center for lupus and Immunology research and directs the uChicago Medical scientist Training Program. JOHN MAUNSELL, PHD, one of the
world’s foremost experts on the neuroscience of vision, perception and attention, was elected to the american academy of arts and sciences. he is a professor of neurobiology and the inaugural director of the grossman Institute for neuroscience, Quantitative Biology and human Behavior at the university of Chicago.
MARDI GOMBERG-MAITLAND, MD, MS C ,
JOHN M. CUNNINGHAM, MD, professor of
pediatrics, physiology, and stem cell biology, has been named physician-in-chief of the university of Chicago Medicine Comer Children’s hospital and interim chair of the Department of Pediatrics. IRA BLUMEN, MD, professor of medicine,
section of emergency medicine, received the Medical Director of the year award from the air Medical Physician association in recognition of his contributions and achievements in the field of aeromedical transport and as medical director of the university of Chicago aeromedical network (uCan).
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CME & eDuCaTiOnal OPPORTuniTieS
Chicago breast and lymphedema Symposium SEPTEMBER 12–13, 2014
Fairmont Hotel 200 N. Columbus Drive, Chicago
Colon, Rectum and beyond: innovations in Management of inflammatory bowel Disease, Colorectal Cancer and Pelvic Floor Disorders OCTOBER 10, 2014 7:30 AM–3:30 PM
American College of Surgeons 633 N. St. Clair St., Chicago SAVE THE DATE
Women’s Health Symposium NOVEMBER 8, 2014
University of Chicago Gleacher Center, 450 N. Cityfront Plaza Drive, Chicago This educational event will provide participants with the latest multidisciplinary update on ovarian, cervical and breast cancer, fertility and reproductive endocrinology and other women’s health topics. For more information, please contact Anthony Turner, anthony.turner@ uchospitals.edu.
bringing university of Chicago Medicine expertise to northwest indiana
The master affiliation agreement between the university of Chicago Medicine and franciscan alliance creates a unique relationship between a prominent academic medical center and a leading regional health system. The move brings together two health care systems “that share both a dedication to excellence in patient care and a desire to develop new models of care in a rapidly changing health care marketplace,” said kenneth s. Polonsky, MD, Dean of the university of Chicago Biological sciences Division and the Pritzker school of Medicine and executive vice president for Medical affairs for the university of Chicago.
The agreement focuses on the university of Chicago Medicine and franciscan alliance’s northwest Indiana facilities, including Crown Point, Michigan City, Dyer, hammond and Munster. The affiliation provides for the joint development and implementation of clinical, research and educational initiatives. “By combining the world-class tertiary and quaternary care and research capabilities of the university of Chicago Medicine with franciscan alliance’s extensive network of community-based hospitals and ambulatory centers, we will enhance patient care locally and provide seamless access and continuity for patients needing care at any level,” said kevin leahy, franciscan alliance’s president and chief executive officer.
19th annual endoscopic ultrasonography live 2014 NOVEMBER 14–16, 2014
University of Chicago Medicine Center for Care and Discovery 5700 S. Maryland Ave., Chicago
University of Chicago Medicine physicians are available to present in-office CME courses in greater Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana.
For information, please contact Uchenna Hicks, uchenna.hicks@ uchospitals.edu.
Register for CME events at cme.uchicago.edu
P H YS I C I A N R E L AT I O N S Please contact your dedicated liaison by phone or email with any request. We are here to serve you. CAROL MARSHALL
DEMETRIA AVANT
ANTHONY TURNER
Director 1-773-702-9205 carol.marshall@ uchospitals.edu
Regional and Western Suburbs 1-773-717-0458 demetria.avant@ uchospitals.edu
South and Southwest Suburbs 1-773-729-0822 anthony.turner@ uchospitals.edu
MIKE DELAROSA
DIONNE MEEKINSMICHAUD
AMBER NAIK Assistant Director 1-773-230-5236 amber.naik@ uchospitals.edu
Northwest Indiana 1-773-230-8496 michael.delarosa@ uchospitals.edu
12 » THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO MEDICINE INSPIRED MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2014
North and Northwest Suburbs
1-773-717-0457 dionne.michaud@ uchospitals.edu BROOKE HERNANDEZ Pediatrics, All Regions 1-773-573-9500 brooke.hernandez@ uchospitals.edu
ClOSeR TO a CuRe FOR FOOD alleRGieS
With an increasing number of children affected by food allergies, research being conducted at the university of Chicago Medicine is raising hope of finding a way to protect the body against allergic sensitization to food. at the helm of that research is university of Chicago immunologist Cathryn nagler, PhD, who recently received a five-year, $1.95 million grant from the national Institutes of health, along with additional funding from food allergy research & education (fare). nagler has identified a new strain of “good” intestinal bacteria that may protect the body against food allergies. The research, while in its early stages, could lead to new formulations that might prevent food allergy in infants or enhance the protection provided by other promising new treatments for food allergy, such as oral immunotherapy. “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has documented an 18 percent increase in the prevalence of food allergies in children under 18 between 1997 and 2007,” nagler said. “environmental stimuli are changing the composition of the microbiota (the vast collection of microbes that inhabit our bodies), and in genetically susceptible individuals, this can predispose to food allergies.” The university is positioned to be a leader in microbiome research. Its state-of-the-art, germ-free mouse facility has been a catalyst for significant multidisciplinary partnerships among university of Chicago researchers, including eugene Chang, MD, David T. rubin, MD, and Bana Jabri, MD, PhD, who focus on inflammatory bowel disease and celiac disease. reaching this point would not have been possible without multidisciplinary collaboration and philanthropic support from various donors, added nagler.
| l e f T | visitors
from Food allergy Research & education, from left, Mary Poland, Mackay Gunn and Jennifer Dues, meet with senior research technician anuradha nadimpalli during a tour of immunologist Cathryn nagler’s lab.
Cathryn nagler, PhD
“fare’s funding decisions are informed by its strategic research plan, with the overarching goal of investing in research that will lead to safe, effective new treatments — and ultimately a cure — for food allergy,” said John lehr, Ceo of fare. “fare’s support of Dr. nagler’s work illustrates the success of this approach.” nagler’s work is encouraging to families with loved ones who have suffered from sometimes life-threatening food allergies. Denise and David Bunning know this all too well. When their two sons were young, they experienced numerous lifethreatening reactions to certain foods, including milk, eggs, tree nuts, shellfish and beef. now young adults, the Bunnings’ children still need to be vigilant about food and carry a shot of epinephrine in case of allergic reaction. “every reaction is a game of russian roulette, hoping the drug stops the problem before a patient stops breathing,” said Denise Bunning. so the Bunnings are staunch supporters of nagler’s work. In collaboration with fare, the north suburban residents previously established the Bunning food allergy Professorship, held by nagler, to advance research on, treatment for and education about children’s food allergies. “Dr. nagler’s insight into the bacteria in the gut may offer a solution to many affected by allergic disease, not just food allergy,” Bunning added. “We are thrilled and hopeful for the work she continues to do for the entire food-allergic community.”
For more information or to support food allergy research at the University of Chicago Medicine, please contact Kate Azizi at kazizi@mcdmail.uchicago.edu.
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LeArNINg At the ForeFroNt
Coming soon: Learning at the Forefront, our new online learning channel. Content includes lecture presentations by University of Chicago Medicine physicians, procedure videos, and links to our physician directory, upcoming events and science blogs. learning.uchospitals.edu
LeArNINg At the ForeFroNt
John M. Cunningham, MD, on Evolving Approaches to Stem Cell Transplantation for the Hemoglobinopathies