Scott M. Lippman, MD, chair of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology at The University of Texas (UT) MD Anderson Cancer Center, has accepted the position of director of Moores Cancer Center at the University of California, San Diego, beginning May 1, 2012.
UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center, home to nearly 350 medical and radiation oncologists, cancer surgeons, and researchers, is one of only 41 National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the country. It is part of UC San Diego Health System, the San Diego region’s only academic health system.
“As the new director, Lippman will implement strong initiatives for ramping up the research-driven cancer therapy and prevention programs and clinical trials of the Moores Cancer Center,” said David A. Brenner, MD, vice chancellor for Health Sciences and dean of the School of Medicine at UC San Diego. “His ultimate goal, and ours, is to facilitate the translation of novel discoveries from our world-class laboratories into personalized therapies. I am confident that under Dr. Lippman’s leadership, research at Moores Cancer Center will benefit our patients and change standards of care for decades to come.” Respond and Donate

Keasha Rutledge Draft

May 13, 1973 – December 27, 2011

Lakeasha Monique Rutledge Draft passed away on Tuesday, December 27.  She courageously faced lung cancer, showing us all with every breath that we all need to hold onto life and love with both hands for as long as we can.  Not just an inspiration, but a light, and a force that led the way with a beautiful, sweet smile and bright shining eyes that both belied the pure steel of her strength and determination.

Strong is too pale, too shallow and too small of a word to describe Keasha’s vibrancy… Quite simply, she was ferocious. She fiercely held onto life, and love with a forcefulness that was absolutely awe-inspiring and completely breathtaking. Rest in peace, Mrs. Draft.

A Celebration of Keasha Rutledge Draft’s life will be held on Saturday, December 31st, 1pm at Calvary Baptist Church in Williamston, South Carolina.  She will be laid to rest following the Celebration at New Prospect Baptist Church.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for support of Team Draft, the Chris Draft Family Foundation’s tribute to Keasha.  Team Draft was created by Chris and Keasha during her year-long struggle with lung cancer in hopes that her valiant fight to live, love, laugh and smile will give hope and comfort to people across the world.  Chris and Keasha, the Draft and Rutledge families, friends and loved ones ask for your support, and love, and thank you for joining Team Draft… because it takes a Team to tackle cancer!

Donations to Team Draft can be made via the Chris Draft Family Foundation’s website or via mail to the Foundation’s Atlanta office.

Psalm 23

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

Dr. Mayfield earned his bachelor’s degree from Mercer University in Macon, Ga., and his medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta. He completed his internship and residency at the University of California, Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, and his fellowship at the University of Florida College of Medicine Shands Hospital in Gainesville.

He serves as WellStar’s chief surgical officer, leading the surgeons and clinical teams that make up WellStar’s Surgery Network. His research and development efforts have focused on thoracoscopy instruments and innovative cardiac and thoracic surgical procedures, such as Video Assisted Thoracic Surgery (VATS).

Dr. Mayfield has been a driving force for WellStar’s cancer program, as well as participation in the International Early Lung Cancer Action Program (I-ELCAP), a lung cancer screening collaborative program. He is active in the development of novel instrumentation for surgery and teaches board certified thoracic surgeons about VATS procedures.

Dr. Mayfield is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and Society of Thoracic Surgeons and is board certified in thoracic and cardiovascular surgery. Respond and Donate

Growing up it was my dream to play soccer in college. I got that chance when Coach Rob Donnenwirth asked if I would like to come to ECU to play soccer.  When I got to ECU, I bonded with my teammates, loved my classes, and met some really awesome friends. The only problem was that I wasn’t performing at the level that I needed to on the field. I failed fitness test after fitness test and I was constantly physically exhausted. I had numbness and tingling in my toes and was having some trouble breathing when I exerted myself at a high level.  Other than those little symptoms, I felt great!

After several failed attempts to pass fitness test and always being tired we came to the decision that it might be a good time to run some medical test to see if we would figure out what was wrong. They found nothing. I convinced myself to think that I was just burnt out from the game.   After a year of frustration and complications I made the hardest decision of my life to stop playing soccer. I still had the same symptoms from before when I was exercising but not at the level it had been.

Two years later, in October of 2007, I presented to the emergency room with complaints of a lower abdomen pain where I thought my appendix was rupturing or having cramps but my sister insisted that female cramps were not that bad. They took me in and did a CT scan of my abdomen and my lungs showed up on the scan.
They told me that my ovaries did have some small cyst on them but that they thought that they were fine, but wanted to inform me that I had about a 3cm mass on my left lung. My heart sank!! Lung cancer runs in my family, but surely I did not have lung cancer or a tumor. I was 21 years old and a former college athlete and NEVER smoker.
After the night at the hospital I went home. The next two weeks we spent in doctors’ offices all over the state trying to see what this mass really was. No doctor thought it was possible for it to be lung cancer. After several test I finally got my answer when meeting with a surgeon. That doctor’s appointment was when I went into shock. He walked into my room and said Taylor I hear you have lung cancer. I freaked out¦ no one had said the word lung cancer yet because no one was sure.
My doctor told me that the mass was pretty large but that it was going to have to come out, but he felt comfortable that he would be able to do the small incision and get it all out. The only problem was that I was really sick.  After the first bronchoscope I developed really bad pneumonia, basically to the point that I could not walk. So we had to wait to have my surgery until I could pass a breathing test to prove that my lungs could handle the surgery.  I finally got well enough to have the surgery. On November 14, 2007, I had a VATS pneumonectomy.
After the surgery I was a mess. The chest tube was HORRIBLE!!!! I was in the ICU for 2 days and then moved to a step down unit. I had the chest tube in for about five days! They made me walk around the halls and I HATED it. It was so miserable.
I went home the day before thanksgiving, and went back to college after the New Year.  It was hard going back to school because all my friends really did not understand. It was hard for them also, because on the outside I did not look like I was sick, I looked like the normal Taylor Bell. But on the inside I was in a lot of pain.
It was also hard because it’s kind of an emotional roller coaster. I looked fine but I had just had a MAJOR surgery. I wanted to go on spring break, but I was nowhere well enough to go.  It was depressing.  I wanted to be like everyone else and have a good time, but I knew deep down my body could not handle it.
Spring break week was probably when the fact that I had lung cancer hit me. The months before it all happened so fast I did not even think about it¦ it went from diagnoses, to surgery, to recovery, to class starting. One thing after another with really no time to think about what I was going through.
I was a mess that week. I did not want my parents or my friends to see that I was upset. I think the hardest part was that I looked fine. I did not lose my hair I did not have a big scars¦ I looked normal.  I was still in a lot of pain, and I was so upset that I could not be with everyone. Cancer is kind of strange because you have a lot of thoughts that go through your head. You think a lot about it. Or what did I do to deserve this. Spring break week I thought a lot about it and that’s when I realized this happened to me because I am a strong enough person to handle it.  I made it through and I am ALIVE and that’s when I realized I HAVE to do something to speak up for everyone who has lost their life.
I now do as much public speaking and advocacy about lung cancer as I possibly can.  I am a member of Jillian’s Legacy which is an organization that was formed in honor of Jillian Costello who like me was a division 1 college athlete who was diagnosed with lung cancer at the age of 21. Jill fought with such grace and determination. When she passed away a group of friends decided that we needed to do something in her honor. She did not just want to beat lung cancer for herself but her goal was to beat lung cancer for everyone.

I think one of the greatest obstacles with lung cancer is getting people to break the stigma. Every time I say that I had lung cancer the first words I hear are Oh you smoked?”  Well no actually I have not, and I have never been around second hand smoke either. Then their next question is a oh it must run in your family then and then my answer is well yes it does, but there is very little funding to do research to tell if there is a genetic link.
Breaking that stigma is hard. When someone tells you the have breast cancer or they had brain cancer they donate ask any questions as to how they got it. Why do they do it with lung cancer? No one deserves this disease whether they smoked or not and everyone deserves the same compassion.
My main goal is to get the message out that this can happen to young people and people who have never smoked, it can happen to anyone. Lung Cancer does NOT discriminate. And even if they have made the choice to smoke at some point in their life they still deserve the same compassion as anyone who is fighting for their life.  And that lung cancer deserves way more funding than what it gets right now!!
When I was first diagnosed I used to think “why me” now I think “why not me?”   My diagnosis has shaped me into such a strong person and has given me the avenue to make a difference in people’s lives that have to fight this battle as well.

On July 4, 2007, Leah’s doctor announced that she had Stage IV lung cancer. It sent my mind into a tailspin – Leah never indulged in cigarettes! Her response to the diagnosis was a simple question to the doctor, asking when she could go back to work. I looked at my daughter with amazement and hope. In the beginning, Leah stayed in survival mode, showing signs of strength and endurance, while suffering the effects of potent chemotherapy treatments and a host of other medications. Doctors beamed with amazement at her early positive response. I was sure it was a miracle and it increased our hope for her survival. Leah lost her battle with lung cancer on Sunday, March 29, 2008 at the age of 41 years. She is an inspiration to me. Her strength encourages me to focus on my commitment to support a memorial in her name, raising funds for lung cancer research to help increase the survivor rate.

Note: The affects of tobacco smoke on our health remains an ongoing issue because second hand smoke can cause more harm than direct smoking. Scientific research informs us about this danger and tells us what to do about it. Knowledge is power! This is a step toward preventing illnesses like lung cancer.

Our son was diagnosis with Osteosarcoma (form of soft tissue and bone cancer) back ’05 he has gone through chem and above the knee amputation.  Last year it was discovered in his left lung. He has had three surgeries to remove but on the fourth surgery it was discover he has cancer between his chest cavity and his left lung. The doctor said there was nothing he could do at this point because of the scar tissue and bleeding. He has gone through 4 weeks of radiation to kill one area in the lungs but know we are waiting on a Phase 1 study at John Hopkins to open up.  Osteosarcoma doesn’t get the same attention as other high profiled cancers we are fighting to change this.

We are standing on God’s decision that he will be healed, He give us the promise last year but this year we are standing firm on His decision.

Chris our family is standing with your family to find a cure for cancer no matter what type of cancer it is.

God Bless you and your family!!

Ramaswamy Govindan, MD is the director of the thoracic oncology program at Washington University School of Medicine. He is the principal investigator of several institutional, cooperative group, and other multicenter studies. One of his main areas of research is to use genomics to predict outcomes in non-small cell lung cancer. He has authored and coauthored more than 100 publications in peer reviewed prestigious journals. He is the editor of the ASCO Educational Book, Washington Manual of Oncology, and the Review Book based on DeVita’s Cancer Principles and Practice of Oncology. Dr Govindan received his medical degree at the University of Madras, Madras, India, completed an internship and residency in internal medicine at Michael Reese Hospital and Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois, and was a fellow in hematology/oncology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri. He is board certified in medical oncology. Respond and Donate

As the Rams welcome newly drafted Louisiana State defensive tackle Michael Brockers to the fold today, we welcomed former Rams linebacker Chris Draft to our Siteman Cancer Center this morning. Draft visited with lung cancer expert Ramaswamy Govindan, MD to learn more about targeted therapies for cancers.

It’s important to Draft as he started the Chris Draft Family Foundation after the passing of his wife Keasha last year to lung cancer. While the vast majority of lung cancers are directly tied to cigarette smoking, Keasha had never smoked.

Draft was very much part of the community when he played for the Rams and as an asthmatic, he was a big part in getting across the message that smoking is dangerous.

It’s also the message of Team Draft. According to his website, “Team Draft was created by Chris and Keasha during her year-long struggle with lung cancer in hopes that her valiant fight to live, love, laugh,and smile will give hope and comfort to people around the world. Team Draft is working to save lives by changing the face of lung cancer, but it takes a team to tackle cancer, and we need your help.” Respond and Donate

For more about Draft and his visit to Siteman, watch this interview with John Pertzborn from this morning’s FOX2 News.

Dr. Kolesar is the Director of the Analytical Instrumentation Laboratory for Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamcis and Pharmacogenetics (3P) at the University of Wisconsin Comprehensive Cancer Center and an Associate Professor (CHS) at the University of Wisconsin School of Pharmacy. She completed a specialty practice residency in oncology/hematology and 2 year fellowship in molecular oncology pharmacotherapy at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. Dr Kolesar joined the UW faculty in 1996.
Dr. Kolesar’s research includes the use of biomarkers and pharmacokinetics to predict response and monitor efficacy of drug and gene therapy, population genotyping for cancer susceptibility and the regulation of gene expression of the two electron reductases. She holds two patents for developing novel technologies for evaluating gene expression and point mutations. She is currently a member of the National Cancer Institutes’s Adult Central IRB, chairing the adverse events subcommittee and is a member of the Board of Regents of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy. In addition, Dr. Kolesar chairs the Lung Cancer Biology Subcommittee for the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group as well as serving on the core committess for the Thoracic and Developmental Therapeutics Committees of ECOG.
Dr. Kolesar teaches in the area of oncology and pharmacogenomics and is a co-editor of the textbooks, “Pharmacogenomocs Handbook”, ” Pharmacotherapy Essentials” and Pharmacogenomics: Applications to Patient Care. Respond and Donate

Minesh P. Mehta, M.D., FASTRO, is professor of Radiation Oncology at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Board-certified in Radiation Oncology, Dr. Mehta specializes in the management of patients with benign and malignant tumors, vascular malformations, and other brain conditions such as trigeminal neuralgia, as well as in the area of thoracic tumors. He maintains an active interest in radiation-drug interactions, amelioration of radiation toxicities, incorporation of advanced radiation and imaging technologies, and is keenly interested in expanding the frontiers of personalized care in radiotherapy.
Dr. Mehta received his medical degree with highest honors from the University of Zambia, School of Medicine, in Lusaka, Zambia, where he received numerous awards through the course of his medical education. His radiation oncology training was completed at the University of Wisconsin Hospital in Madison in 1988.
Following his training, Dr. Mehta was appointed assistant professor of Human Oncology at the University of Wisconsin and joined the staff of the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, and served as a consultant at 10 area hospitals. In 1997 he was appointed as the Chairman of the Department of Human Oncology at the University of Wisconsin, and was promoted to Professor with Tenure. He was also appointed as the Chair of the Brain Tumor Committee of the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group. During this timeframe, he led the Imaging and Radiation Sciences Program of the University of Wisconsin Comprehensive Cancer Center, was the PI for a Program Project Grant and led the University of Wisconsin as the PI for the Brain Tumor Consortium Grant. He developed robust clinical research programs in thoracic and neuro-oncology, and also developed a state-wide network of Radiotherapy centers. In 2007, after 10 years as Department Chair, Dr. Mehta stepped down from administrative responsibilities while devoting time to national leadership efforts at the American Board of Radiology, the FDA Radiological Devices Panel, the American Society for Radiation Oncology, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the International Stereotactic Radiosurgery Society, and the Society of Neuro-Oncology. In 2010, Dr. Mehta accepted the position of Professor of Radiation Oncology at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
During his academic career, Dr. Mehta has lectured all over the world (over 500 presentations), and has authored more than 700 manuscripts, abstracts and book chapters. In 2010, as editor-in-chief, he published what is regarded as the definitive textbook in neuro-oncology. He has also provided leadership for over 100 clinical trials through clinical trials cooperative groups such as ECOG, CCG, COG, RTOG, NABTC, and ABTC, and has also led international, randomized multicenter clinical trials.
Dr. Mehta is a fellow of the American Society of Radiation Oncology. He is a member of several national and international medical societies, having provided a leadership role in several of these organizations. Respond and Donate