Overview
The Section of Hematology / Oncology is committed to the goal of developing new approaches to cancer therapy. The Section's activities are varied, with academic pursuits in clinical trials, both basic and transitional. Basic research projects include the investigation of the cellular and humoral regulation of hematopoiesis, molecular genetics of cancer, gene therapy of malignant disorders, and detection of minimal residual disease. Studies of hematopoiesis are aimed at protecting the host from chemotherapy toxicity to the bone marrow and genetic modification of the hematpoietic stem cell.
The Section of Hematology / Oncology is a member of the Cancer and Leukemia Group-B (CALGB). This cooperative group is one of three multi-disciplinary cancer treatment groups funded by the National Cancer Institutes (NCI) that allow member institutions to collaborate in larger-scale cancer clinical trials. A clinical research office has been developed to organize the infrastructure and to facilitate and coordinate protocol development and activation. The office coordinates the conduct of 100 trials with specific responsibilities for central registration, randomization, and implementation of effective procedures for receipt and storage of the data. Current research trials include protocols developed by the faculty, cooperative group studies, NCI Phase II contract studies, and pharmaceutical trials.
Multi-disciplinary programs that aid in planning patients' treatments and in identifying appropriate clinical trials continue to evolve. These programs facilitate exchange of patient information between the disciplines, assist in evaluating the results of treatment, and contribute to the further investigation of cancer. Programs currently in existence are Head / Neck Cancer, Gastrointestinal Malignancies, Leukemia, Lymphoma, Sarcoma and Breast Cancer.
A designated inpatient unit that admits only patients with primary hematologic or oncologic diseases is part of the housestaff rotation. A clinical fellow assigned to the unit participates in the management of the patients in close association with the attending physician. A 10 bed allogenic transplant unit has been constructed and is currently operational. Investigators involved in this program focus on the development of innovative treatment strategies for cancer and congenital hematologic disorders. In additions, a new expanded outpatient facility has been renovated. This facility has led to collaboration and integration of services under the service line philosophy. The Family Center Clinic is aimed to identifying individuals who have heritable susceptibility to cancer in order to provide them with genetic counseling, recommend cancer prevention or screening, and provide DNA testing.
A large clinical and research program is devoted to the treatment of sickle cell anemia. Laboratory programs dealing with the development of compounds to augment hemoglobin F production and genetic modification of sickle cells isolated from these patient are being developed.
The Hematology / Oncology Fellowship program includes a weekly didactic series, a research conference, a protocol conference, a transplant conference, and a fellows teaching conference. In addition, the availability of elective time for laboratory and clinical research has been incorporated into this program. A monthly Journal club is held and attended by the faculty. The inclusion of training sites at affiliate community hospitals is providing experience in a private practice setting. A large grant from the W.M. Keck Foundation has been awarded to the section to establish a center for molecular hematopoiesis. The grant funds a number of post-doctoral fellowships.