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PAPANICOLAOU CORPS FOR CANCER RESEARCH—FYI---JULY, 2010
All doctors cited are with the UM/Miller School of Medicine
Sylvester Cancer News
The Pap Corps' $3.2 million donation to Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center this year provides the all-
important seed money for the major miracles taking place at Sylvester and, in itself, was a miracle in the present economy.
Joseph Rosenblatt, M.D., interim director of Sylvester, Jerry Goodwin, M.D., chief medical officer of Sylvester/UMHC
and Pascal J. Goldschmidt, M.D., senior vice president for Medical Affairs and dean of the Miller School of Medicine,
accepted the donation.
Rakesh Singal, M.D., associate professor of medicine and co-leader of the Prostate, Bladder and Kidney Cancers Site
Disease Group at Sylvester, led a study that discovered that measuring free circulating DNA levels could make the standard
PSA test for prostate cancer more sensitive and specific. "We found that high levels of the target DNA were significantly
associated with the presence of a cancer," Dr. Singal said. He expects in the future that men who have high PSA levels will
also have the DNA test, followed by biopsy only if the DNA levels are high; if low, they would be observed periodically.
"But for that to happen," he said, "the results of this study have to be confirmed. We hopefully will find funding for a study in
a larger set of patients."
Joseph Rosenblatt, M.D., interim director of Sylvester, fought to get Steven Guarin, a young man who was losing his
battle against non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, into a clinical trial he thought could save his life. The experimental treatment links
auristatin, a powerful chemotherapy, with SGN-35 -- an antibody developed at Sylvester - that targets the drug directly to a
protein on the surface of lymphoma cells, without harming healthy cells. "This is an emerging class of drugs in which you link
an antibody that allows you to target vanishingly small amounts of chemotherapy because it all goes to where it's supposed
to go," says Dr. Rosenblatt. Steven, the first U.S. patient in the phase II study, was in complete remission, with no side
effects, after four cycles of the new chemo. Sadly, Steven passed away just recently from complications that arose from a
"cord blood" transplant,* unrelated to this trial.
* “Cord blood" is the blood remaining in the blood vessels of the placenta and a portion of the umbilical cord after a baby is
born. It contains all the normal elements of blood - red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets and plasma - but it is also rich
in blood-forming stem cells, similar to those found in bone marrow. Most cord blood transplants have been done to treat
diseases of the blood and immune system.
Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center has launched a new website, www.sylvester.org, featuring patient stories with
video, spotlights on the latest technology available, links to its Facebook, Twitter and YouTube sites, and portals for patients
with details about its research.
UHealth/Miller School of Medicine News
Ruben Quintero, M.D., professor of obstetrics and gynecology and director of the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Division, has
developed a unique surgery to clear a urinary tract obstruction (UTO) in a fetus. Most UTOs are caused by narrowing of
the urinary tract, a condition that has a 90% death rate if left untreated. Dr Quintero has developed a thin shunt, which he
inserts inside the fetus, allowing the urine to pass. It remains in place until a few days after birth. Before Dr. Quintero's
development, the shunts used in similar surgeries failed to work up to 40 % of the time.
Ralph S. Sacco, M.D., chairman of neurology at the Miller School of Medicine, and president-elect of the American Heart
Association, says "Lack of awareness of the warning signs of stroke is the single greatest reason why people do not get
treatment in time." He notes that to provide interventional and high-tech stroke treatments to more people, stroke centers are
developing into hub and spoke networks, which help extend advanced stroke care to regions that otherwise wouldn't have
the resources
Margaret Pericak-Vance, M.D., director of the John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics and the Dr. John T.
Macdonald Foundation Professor of Human Genomics, led the Miller School team as part of an international autism genetics
research consortium co-funded by Autism Speaks, and an international public-private partnership. The study’s pooled data
indicated patients with autism had almost double the number of certain genetic mutations linked to the disease than healthy
people. However, the study The Pap Corps for Cancer Research - FYI, July 2010 All doctors cited are with the UM/Miller
School of Medicine does not rule out the possibility that in some cases factors in the environment may be needed to trigger
the condition.
Luigi Meneghini, M.D., associate professor of clinical medicine and director of clinical operations for the Division of
Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, at the Miller School of Medicine, was the lead investigator for a study at the
Diabetes Research Institute which found that type 1 diabetics who used an insulin pump and a sensor that continuously
monitored their blood sugar levels had better control over their illness than people taking insulin injections.
The University of Miami Life Science and Technology Park (UMLSTP) is taking its first step toward creating a new
biotechnology center, signing a lease to occupy 80,000 square feet of office and lab space in the park's first building. The
park is expected to become the largest facility of its kind in South Florida.
The biggest chunk of UM's space is expected to provide a permanent home for the UM Tissue Bank, which in conjunction
with the UM stem cell institute, specializes in cutting edge use of regenerative technology to replace damaged bones and
joints. The move will allow for a dramatic expansion of the tissue bank's work. "The advanced, potentially life-saving
research performed by the University of Miami will help solidify the park asamagnet for research-based companies and
organizations around the world," said Bart Chernow, M.D., professor of medicine, vice president for special programs,
and vice provost of technology advancement at the University of Miami.
Leaders at the Miller School of Medicine in Miami created a search engine that allows patients to find their doctor and his or
her financial relationships. Richard J. Bookman, Ph.D., the school's executive dean for research and research training, and
vice provost for research at the University of Miami, said user-friendliness is an essential component.
Cancer Stories
Another study has found that a single dose of radiation, delivered directly to the site of a tumor right after a woman has a
lumpectomy, was as effective as the six or so weeks of daily radiation treatments that most women now endure. Most
Hodgkins Lymphoma patients are cured, but many years later they can be at risk of developing secondary cancers or other
late effects of their initial treatment. This is why quality follow-up care posttreatment is so important," says the principal
investigator, a radiation oncologist.
Other News
A research team has noted that men at the highest end of the testosterone spectrum had more than twice the risk for
coronary disease as men with the lowest testosterone levels. Men who use testosterone supplements for various medical
problems, including low sex drive and mood disorders that are not life-threatening, may place themselves at higher
risk for cardiovascular disease.
The FDA has approved the sale of an osteoporosis drug, Prolia, to help prevent fractures in postmenopausal
women. Prolia is given by injection every six months and provides postmenopausal women with another treatment option.
A fast, simple and non-invasive test of the ability to smell may be an important tool to screen people who are likely to
develop Parkinson's disease. Motor symptoms of the disease become evident only at a later stage.
There is growing evidence that an immune response is a major factor in spinal disc disease. It may eventually help lead to
new treatments that target a specific immune process to treat or even possibly reverse disc disease.
Researchers analyzed data from 326 patients who were examined and treated for knee injuries in 1996 and 1997. A decade
after the injuries were diagnosed, localized knee osteoarthritis (OA) was evident in the patients, regardless of whether or not
they'd had surgery to repair their injuries.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information published in Pap Corps FYI issues is excerpted from communications furnished by:
All doctors cited are with the UM/Miller School of Medicine
Sylvester Cancer News
The Pap Corps' $3.2 million donation to Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center this year provides the all-
important seed money for the major miracles taking place at Sylvester and, in itself, was a miracle in the present economy.
Joseph Rosenblatt, M.D., interim director of Sylvester, Jerry Goodwin, M.D., chief medical officer of Sylvester/UMHC
and Pascal J. Goldschmidt, M.D., senior vice president for Medical Affairs and dean of the Miller School of Medicine,
accepted the donation.
Rakesh Singal, M.D., associate professor of medicine and co-leader of the Prostate, Bladder and Kidney Cancers Site
Disease Group at Sylvester, led a study that discovered that measuring free circulating DNA levels could make the standard
PSA test for prostate cancer more sensitive and specific. "We found that high levels of the target DNA were significantly
associated with the presence of a cancer," Dr. Singal said. He expects in the future that men who have high PSA levels will
also have the DNA test, followed by biopsy only if the DNA levels are high; if low, they would be observed periodically.
"But for that to happen," he said, "the results of this study have to be confirmed. We hopefully will find funding for a study in
a larger set of patients."
Joseph Rosenblatt, M.D., interim director of Sylvester, fought to get Steven Guarin, a young man who was losing his
battle against non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, into a clinical trial he thought could save his life. The experimental treatment links
auristatin, a powerful chemotherapy, with SGN-35 -- an antibody developed at Sylvester - that targets the drug directly to a
protein on the surface of lymphoma cells, without harming healthy cells. "This is an emerging class of drugs in which you link
an antibody that allows you to target vanishingly small amounts of chemotherapy because it all goes to where it's supposed
to go," says Dr. Rosenblatt. Steven, the first U.S. patient in the phase II study, was in complete remission, with no side
effects, after four cycles of the new chemo. Sadly, Steven passed away just recently from complications that arose from a
"cord blood" transplant,* unrelated to this trial.
* “Cord blood" is the blood remaining in the blood vessels of the placenta and a portion of the umbilical cord after a baby is
born. It contains all the normal elements of blood - red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets and plasma - but it is also rich
in blood-forming stem cells, similar to those found in bone marrow. Most cord blood transplants have been done to treat
diseases of the blood and immune system.
Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center has launched a new website, www.sylvester.org, featuring patient stories with
video, spotlights on the latest technology available, links to its Facebook, Twitter and YouTube sites, and portals for patients
with details about its research.
UHealth/Miller School of Medicine News
Ruben Quintero, M.D., professor of obstetrics and gynecology and director of the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Division, has
developed a unique surgery to clear a urinary tract obstruction (UTO) in a fetus. Most UTOs are caused by narrowing of
the urinary tract, a condition that has a 90% death rate if left untreated. Dr Quintero has developed a thin shunt, which he
inserts inside the fetus, allowing the urine to pass. It remains in place until a few days after birth. Before Dr. Quintero's
development, the shunts used in similar surgeries failed to work up to 40 % of the time.
Ralph S. Sacco, M.D., chairman of neurology at the Miller School of Medicine, and president-elect of the American Heart
Association, says "Lack of awareness of the warning signs of stroke is the single greatest reason why people do not get
treatment in time." He notes that to provide interventional and high-tech stroke treatments to more people, stroke centers are
developing into hub and spoke networks, which help extend advanced stroke care to regions that otherwise wouldn't have
the resources
Margaret Pericak-Vance, M.D., director of the John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics and the Dr. John T.
Macdonald Foundation Professor of Human Genomics, led the Miller School team as part of an international autism genetics
research consortium co-funded by Autism Speaks, and an international public-private partnership. The study’s pooled data
indicated patients with autism had almost double the number of certain genetic mutations linked to the disease than healthy
people. However, the study The Pap Corps for Cancer Research - FYI, July 2010 All doctors cited are with the UM/Miller
School of Medicine does not rule out the possibility that in some cases factors in the environment may be needed to trigger
the condition.
Luigi Meneghini, M.D., associate professor of clinical medicine and director of clinical operations for the Division of
Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, at the Miller School of Medicine, was the lead investigator for a study at the
Diabetes Research Institute which found that type 1 diabetics who used an insulin pump and a sensor that continuously
monitored their blood sugar levels had better control over their illness than people taking insulin injections.
The University of Miami Life Science and Technology Park (UMLSTP) is taking its first step toward creating a new
biotechnology center, signing a lease to occupy 80,000 square feet of office and lab space in the park's first building. The
park is expected to become the largest facility of its kind in South Florida.
The biggest chunk of UM's space is expected to provide a permanent home for the UM Tissue Bank, which in conjunction
with the UM stem cell institute, specializes in cutting edge use of regenerative technology to replace damaged bones and
joints. The move will allow for a dramatic expansion of the tissue bank's work. "The advanced, potentially life-saving
research performed by the University of Miami will help solidify the park asamagnet for research-based companies and
organizations around the world," said Bart Chernow, M.D., professor of medicine, vice president for special programs,
and vice provost of technology advancement at the University of Miami.
Leaders at the Miller School of Medicine in Miami created a search engine that allows patients to find their doctor and his or
her financial relationships. Richard J. Bookman, Ph.D., the school's executive dean for research and research training, and
vice provost for research at the University of Miami, said user-friendliness is an essential component.
Cancer Stories
Another study has found that a single dose of radiation, delivered directly to the site of a tumor right after a woman has a
lumpectomy, was as effective as the six or so weeks of daily radiation treatments that most women now endure. Most
Hodgkins Lymphoma patients are cured, but many years later they can be at risk of developing secondary cancers or other
late effects of their initial treatment. This is why quality follow-up care posttreatment is so important," says the principal
investigator, a radiation oncologist.
Other News
A research team has noted that men at the highest end of the testosterone spectrum had more than twice the risk for
coronary disease as men with the lowest testosterone levels. Men who use testosterone supplements for various medical
problems, including low sex drive and mood disorders that are not life-threatening, may place themselves at higher
risk for cardiovascular disease.
The FDA has approved the sale of an osteoporosis drug, Prolia, to help prevent fractures in postmenopausal
women. Prolia is given by injection every six months and provides postmenopausal women with another treatment option.
A fast, simple and non-invasive test of the ability to smell may be an important tool to screen people who are likely to
develop Parkinson's disease. Motor symptoms of the disease become evident only at a later stage.
There is growing evidence that an immune response is a major factor in spinal disc disease. It may eventually help lead to
new treatments that target a specific immune process to treat or even possibly reverse disc disease.
Researchers analyzed data from 326 patients who were examined and treated for knee injuries in 1996 and 1997. A decade
after the injuries were diagnosed, localized knee osteoarthritis (OA) was evident in the patients, regardless of whether or not
they'd had surgery to repair their injuries.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information published in Pap Corps FYI issues is excerpted from communications furnished by:
| HEALTH NEWS |
Director of Media Relations Office of Communications University of Miami Miller School of Medicine * * * Ann Stern, Education Vice President minalmol@comcast.net |