Rally for Medical Research

Today, I had the opportunity to participate in the Rally for Medical Research in Washington, D.C. More than 80 national organizations and institutions are participating in this effort to call on our nation's policymakers to make life-saving medical research funding a priority. The goal is raise awareness among members of Congress and the general public about the critical need for a sustained investment in the National Institutes of Health, which is the largest source of funding for medical research in the world.

I've written previously about the importance of funding medical research and how in today's economic climate, that funding is tougher than ever to receive. That still holds true today. Now even more so, because sequestration is slashing the NIH budget by 5.1 percent, or approximately $1.5 billion. This makes it extremely difficult to keep pace with the rate of biomedical inflation.

Funding for research does more than just save lives. It also fuels the economy and creates jobs. NIH funding supports research by 325,000 scientists at more than 3,000 universities and other entities across the United States, including the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center. Thanks to that research, we have made unprecedented advances in science and medicine that were unimaginable just a few years ago. Now is the time for us to move full steam ahead, and not linger behind.

If you would like to see an end to cancer, heart disease, diabetes, HIV/AIDS and other diseases, I encourage you to contact your congressional representative and tell them to make funding for medical research a national priority. All of our lives depend on it.

-Ed Partridge, M.D.

Time for a Change

Since the end of World War II, Pap smear screening has markedly reduced the incidence and mortality of invasive cervical cancer in the United States, Canada, UK, Australia, and Western Europe. Interestingly, it’s one of the few widespread screening tests that have never been evaluated in a randomized clinical trial,yet it has undoubtedly forever changed women’s healthcare.

However, we may have reached the maximum benefit of Pap-based cervical cancer screening and have learned quite a bit about this diagnostic test in the last 20 years. Unfortunately, a single Pap smear has a false negative rate of 50% (yes, 50%!). That might be even higher in areas where prevalence of disease is low (i.e., an over-screened population or one with high HPV vaccination rates).

Another Broken Record

Today, the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center received an extremely generous donation from one of its most loyal and longstanding community partners, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama. The BCRFA hosts events and other fundraising opportunities throughout the year, and in turn donates all of its proceeds to the Cancer Center for breast cancer research. 

In a way, today felt like a bit of deja vu. It was just one year ago when I accepted what was, at the time, the Foundation's largest donation yet, which had surpassed their record total from the year prior. And today, the BCRFA broke their record again when they presented the Cancer Center with a check for $550,000 - their largest contribution yet, topping last year's record by $50,000.

The Cancer Center hosted a special luncheon today for the BCRFA and several of its supporters, which gave us the opportunity to present updates on the research being funded by their donation. Dr. Andres Forero, one of our leading breast cancer specialists, explained several promising research projects that could potentially change the way some breast cancers are treated. One of those projects involves a drug known as Tigatuzumab, which was developed here at UAB.  

What began as a small grassroots effort with just a few people has turned into an amazing organization that, to date, has raised more than $4 million for breast cancer research at the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center. That support has helped turn the Cancer Center's breast cancer research and clinical enterprise into one of the premier programs in the United States.

The support of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama is critical to our success here at the Cancer Center, and I am proud to have them as a community partner. I want to thank the BCRFA board and staff - especially outgoing president Dianne Mooney - for all of their hard work in taking the organization forward. They truly set the standard for a group who wants to make a difference in the fight against cancer. I thank them for their support.

-Ed Partridge, M.D.

Tipping the Scales

The scales are once again tipping in Alabama's favor - or rather, not in our favor. According to a report released by the Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, our state once again ranks in the top 10 of our nation's fattest states.

Alabama weighs in at fourth for high adult obesity rates, behind Mississippi, Louisiana and West Virginia. Michigan rounded out the top five, and fellow Southern states Arkansas, South Carolina and Kentucky also made appearances in the top 10.

Obesity is a major risk factors for many diseases, including cancer. It accounts for nearly 30 percent of cases of the major cancers, including postmenopausal breast and colorectal cancers. It also poses a greater risk for endometrial, kidney, pancreatic and esophageal cancers.

Because of our location in the heart of the Deep South, the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center has identified obesity and its connection to cancer a major research priority going forward. Our scientists are examining obesity from the cellular level to the population level, as we are leading studies enrolling hundreds of thousands of patients across the country to examine the roles that diet, nutrition and physical activity play in this epidemic.

More information about healthy eating can be found at www.choosemyplate.gov. I encourage you to learn more and help us make a difference.

-Ed Partridge, M.D.

Soak Up the Sun...With Protection

A favorite pastime for many of us during the summer is laying on the beach or splashing in the pool, especially in the heat of July. But while you are having fun soaking up the sun, remember to protect yourself from those harmful UV rays - the ones that can cause skin cancer, wrinkles, brown spots and spider veins.

More than 2 million people in the United States are diagnosed with skin cancer every year, making it the most common form of cancer in the U.S., according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. About 90 percent of all skin cancers are associated with sun exposure; therefore, you must protect your skin this summer! Remember these helpful tips:

• Use sunscreen. Apply a minimum of 30 SPF sunscreen or moisturizer that protects against UVB/ UVA rays (look for the term "broad spectrum") and is water resistant.
• Use the right amount. Apply one ounce of sunscreen to your entire body 30 minutes before going outside.
• Reapply every two hours. Even if the label reads "water resistant:" or "waterproof," you still need to reapply every couple of hours to ensure sweat or water did not wash your protection away.
• Seek shade. Avoid the hottest time of the day between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
• Cover up. Wear a wide-brimmed hat, clothing and UV-blocking sunglasses.
• Do not burn.

Enjoy your summer while staying protected! Remember a temporary tan is not worth the consequences of cancer. For more information about skin cancer, visit the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention or the Skin Cancer Foundation.

-Ed Partridge, M.D.

SPORE grants set UAB apart

The UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center is one of few institutions to have been awarded three or more SPORE (Specialized Program of Research Excellence) grants from the National Cancer Institute. Currently the center holds SPORES in pancreatic and breast cancer and is partnered with John Hopkins University on a cervical cancer SPORE. Additionally, the Cancer Center was the only institution nationwide to receive a SPORE grant in pancreatic cancer in 2010. Why is this grant such a big deal?

It supports projects that will lead to the early detection, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of human cancers. Each SPORE is focused on a specific organ site, such as breast or pancreatic cancer. "SPOREs are designed to enable the rapid and efficient movement of basic scientific findings into clinical settings, as well as to determine the biological basis for observations made in individuals with cancer or in populations at risk for cancer," according to the National Cancer Institute.

Principal investigator Donald J. Buchsbaum, Ph.D., director of radiation biology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, leads the SPORE program in pancreatic cancer. Support from the NCI was granted because of the Cancer Center's expertise in tumor biology, virology/gene therapy, immunobiology and targeted immunotherapy. Current research projects stem from previously established efforts that showed the most promise.

Kirby I. Bland, M.D., chair of the department of surgery at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, is the principal investigator of the SPORE program in breast cancer. In order to best accomplish the goal of prevention, detection, prognosis and therapy development, this project assembled many basic and clinical scientists, including molecular/cell biologists, pathologists, medical/surgical oncologists, experts in the development of new technologies, and biostatisticians.

There are currently 62 grants across 23 states in the country. UAB claims Alabama's only SPORE grants. Just another example of what sets the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center apart.

-Ed Partridge, M.D.

A Comprehensive Mission

The UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center was one of the original eight comprehensive cancer centers designated by the National Cancer Act in 1971. The bill was enacted on December 23, 1971, and strengthened the National Cancer Institute’s effort against cancer by creating the National Cancer Program. Although the number of NCI-designated comprehensive centers has increased since 1971, the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center remains the only NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center in the Deep South including Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, South Carolina and Georgia.

As of 2012, the Cancer Center is one of only 41 National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the United States, and is home to more than 330 of the nation’s most recognized physicians and researchers for their expertise and advancement in oncology treatment and research. With our state-of-the-art technology and outstanding staff, we are able to treat approximately 5,000 new patients each year.

For more than 40 years our oncology team has proven to be among the best in the country, and we hope to continue to conduct research and provide unique treatment for our patients. Much of our success depends on the support of our community, for which we are incredibly grateful. We are confident that one day soon we will accomplish our mission of eliminating cancer as a major public health problem.

-Ed Partridge, M.D.