Saturday, 05/14/05

Nashville researchers from the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, the Sarah Cannon Research Institute and Meharry Medical College are playing a significant role in this week's annual meeting of the American Society for Clinical Oncology in Orlando, Fla.

Dr. David H. Johnson, deputy director of Vanderbilt-Ingram, will preside over the meeting of more than 27,000 of the world's cancer physicians as ASCO president. His term ends at the conclusion of the meeting on May 17.

Dr. Alan Sandler, professor of oncology and director of thoracic oncology at Vanderbilt-Ingram, yesterday discussed results showing that the drug Avastin can extend life in patients with non-small cell lung cancer, the most common type, and will do so in more detail today. Other Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center researchers will discuss improving current chemo- and radiation therapies, molecular techniques that might lead to personalized cancer care with targeted treatments and how patients access and use cancer-related information that may influence their care.

Dr. F. Anthony Greco, medical director of the Sarah Cannon Research Institute, will present findings on the effectiveness of the combination of Avastin and the drug Tarceva in the treatment of patients with metastatic kidney cancer. He's found that the two drugs, which each attack tumors differently, appear to work better together than when given alone. Others researchers will present results of studies on radiation and surgery in the treatment of lung cancer, leukemia and lymphoma, among others.

Dr. Steven N. Wolff, chairman of internal medicine at Meharry Medical College, will present a study conducted with the Lance Armstrong Foundation on the non-medical needs of cancer survivors.

— Sameh Fahmy

Chemotherapy, drug extend cancer patients' lives in study