We are proud to be the No. 1 preferred provider for cancer care in the region. Here are some of the notable moments from the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center over the past year.

John C. Byrd, MD, Joins UC Health, Brings Precision Medicine for Leukemia to Cincinnati

John C. Byrd, MD, the former D. Warren Brown Chair of Leukemia Research at the Ohio State University College of Medicine, joined UC Health on July 1, 2021, as professor and chair of the UC College of Medicine Department of Internal Medicine.

Dr. Byrd, who also holds the Gordon and Helen Taylor Professor of Medicine and endowed chair, is a board-certified hematologist specializing in the care of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). He is an active researcher who has received more than $28 million in basic and clinical research grant support during his career.

Clinical Research at the Cancer Center

Currently, the Cancer Center has over 130 clinical trials dedicated to clinical research, including one led by Dr. Byrd. Here are just a few of the trials underway:

• Beat AML: Studying personalized treatment for patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML).

  • John C. Byrd, MD, UC Health physician and the Gordon and Helen Hughes Taylor Chair of Internal Medicine at the UC College of Medicine, is the national principal investigator for this trial.

• Cesium-131: Evaluating the effectiveness of immune checkpoint therapy with a focal, short-acting form of brachytherapy for head and neck cancer.

  • Chad A. Zender, MD, UC Health associate chief medical officer, head and neck surgeon, and professor in the Department of Otolaryngology at the UC College of Medicine, is the lead researcher for this trial.

• TMIST: Studying whether 3D breast imaging is superior to standard 2D mammography in detecting life-threatening cancers.

  • Lawrence Sobel, MD, UC Health physician and associate professor and section chief of Breast Imaging Radiology at the UC College of Medicine, leads the trial at UC.

• Pancreatic cancer: Studying if “orphan” drug that has shown promise in treating lung and uterine cancer can be effective when used to treat pancreatic cancer.

  • Davendra Sohal, MD, UC Health hematology oncologist and associate professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at the UC College of Medicine, director of experimental therapeutics, clinic medical director in UC’s Division of Hematology Oncology and co-chair of the Pancreas Subcommittee of the SWOG Cancer Research Network, leads this national study, with UC as the lead institution.

Cincinnati Children’s/UC Health Proton Therapy Center Complete Enrollment of First Human Clinical Trial of FLASH Therapy for Cancer

In October 2021, the Cincinnati Children’s/UC Health Proton Therapy Center completed enrollment in FAST-01 (FeAsibility Study of FLASH Radiotherapy for the Treatment of Symptomatic Bone Metastases), the first human clinical trial of FLASH therapy.

The FAST-01 trial, which is evaluating clinical workflow feasibility of the FLASH therapy and treatment-related side effects, met its enrollment target of 10 participants with bone metastases in the extremities. The clinical trial, informed by years of preclinical work, was designed by experts at Varian and multiple centers in the FlashForwardTM Consortium, including Cincinnati Children’s/UC Health Proton Therapy Center and the New York Proton Center.

The FAST-01 trial is led by John C. Breneman, MD, principal investigator, medical director of the Cincinnati Children’s/UC Health Proton Therapy Center, UC Health radiation oncologist and professor emeritus at the UC College of Medicine. The trial is also supported by Emily Daugherty, MD, UC Health radiation oncologist and assistant professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the UC College of Medicine, and Anthony Mascia, PhD, DABR, director of medical physics at the Cincinnati Children’s/UC Health Proton Therapy Center and adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the UC College of Medicine.

Transforming Cancer Survivorship

A transformational gift is having a dramatic impact on cancer survivorship across the region. The Robert and Adele Schiff Family Foundation made a $10 million gift to the Cancer Center Survivorship Program in fall 2020. Funds from this gift are now enhancing clinical offerings, expanding avenues for research and growing training for the next generation of cancer survivorship specialists.

One example of the gift’s impact is the expansion of our survivorship care services. Now open for two years, the UC Health Oncology Primary Care Clinic treats patients with a history of cancer. Clinic physicians monitor patients for treatment-related effects, manage comorbid conditions and continue risk-based screenings specific to cancer survivors.

“Each cancer diagnosis brings its own set of unique health impacts to every individual, requiring a subspecialized care approach,” said Melissa Erickson, MD, family medicine physician at UC Health, clinical director of the Cancer Center’s Cancer Survivorship Program and an adjust assistant professor at the UC College of Medicine. “Our goal at the Oncology Primary Care Clinic is to manage any long-term effects from cancer treatment while maximizing patients’ overall wellness through proven expertise and compassionate care.”

Future plans for the gift include supporting faculty recruitment, research and education initiatives, including an endowed chair in cancer survivorship research and a cancer survivorship programming in the UC College of Medicine and future residency and fellowships.