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.

Designated for a Purpose

155,930 - the estimated number of new cancer cases in 2012 in the southeastern states of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and South Carolina, according to the American Cancer Society. In that six-state region, The UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center is the only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated comprehensive cancer center. It provides care for more than 20,000 patients, with more than 5,000 new cancer cases evaluated each year.

We diagnose and treat patients from all areas of the United States, as well as from different countries around the world. However, many of our patients come from Alabama and the five surrounding states to seek the care and counsel of one of only 41 NCI-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the country. Because of the number of new cases each year in these states, the UAB cancer center strives to offer the best treatment to its patients, as well as advance the world's understanding of cancer.

If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with cancer, let us take this journey with you. If you would like to learn more, or donate to advance our cutting-edge research and treatment, visit our website.

-Ed Partridge, M.D.

Clearing the Air

If you don't think policy and excise taxes on cigarettes don't make a difference, I encourage you to check out an article recently published online in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

In recent years, the state of California has systematically imposed excise taxes on cigarettes, banned smoking in public places through clean indoor air laws and helped residents of the state to stop smoking. Meanwhile, Alabama has done very little as a state to address these issues. In this article, entitled "Why Are Women More Likely to Die from Lung Cancer in Alabama?," researchers found that for Caucasian women born since 1933 lung cancer death rates in California have dropped by more than half while in Alabama they have more than doubled.

The evidence of policy impact could not be clearer! While Birmingham has recently taken a stand to enforce clean indoor air laws and tighten regulations on smoking in public spaces, the entire state of Alabama must continue to advocate for stricter policies across the board. Otherwise, I fear that we will continue to pay the price.

-Ed Partridge, M.D.

Developing Cutting-Edge Therapies to Offer More Clinical Trials

Did you know that our physicians and scientists at the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center are on the cutting-edge of breakthrough therapies? This team of more than 350 physician-scientists is committed to developing and discovering the best therapy treatments possible for our cancer patients. In fact, many clinical trials offered at UAB use treatments that were created right here. When you come to our Cancer Center, you're often in the capable hands of the very doctors who developed your specific therapy.

We currently offer more than 120 clinical trials, many of which have led to the approval of cancer drugs, including Erbitux, Avastin, Rituxan, Herceptin, Zevalin and Bexxar. Millions of people benefit from the discovery of these leading-edge monoclonal antibodies. They not only help patients at the UAB Cancer Center, but those in hospitals and cancer centers all over the nation. Although our physicians and scientists have taken great strides in the race against cancer, they continue researching every day to discover new clinical trials that will help cancer patients around the world.

If you would like to learn more or get involved, visit our website at http://www3.ccc.uab.edu/.

-Ed Partridge, M.D.