From new immunotherapy treatments to increased care access for central Ohioans — and a lot of innovation in between — 2022 was another big year in the quest to create a cancer-free world at The Ohio State University. Cancer research breakthroughs Improved immunotherapy treatment shows promising results Ohio State doctors are turning the tables on tumors by altering cells to better detect and kill cancer. Richard Wu, MD, PhD, and his OSUCCC – James colleagues are at the forefront of a new type of cancer treatment in which lymphocytes from patients’ immune systems are removed from their tumors and then enhanced in the lab and returned to their bodies to better detect and kill cancer cells. The process, called tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy, is currently being studied in clinical trials at The James and other leading cancer centers. When the treatment is successful, millions of T cells subsequently become billions, and because they’re from the patients’ bodies, the immune systems can recognize them and maximize their cancer-killing potential. Click for more details on TIL therapy. Saving lives through groundbreaking lung cancer screening Through state-of-the-art tech, Ohio State lung cancer doctors are working to reduce deaths through early detection. Among the ways that experts are increasing access to screening is through new technologies, including The James Lung Cancer Screening Mobile Unit, which will travel Ohio screening at-risk and underserved people. The goal is to diagnosis lung cancer in its earliest stages, when it’s more treatable, which would lead to a reduction in the number of lung-cancer-related deaths in the state. “It’s the number one cause of cancer deaths for men and for women in this country, and worldwide,” says David Carbone, MD, PhD. “That’s why lung cancer screening is so important.” Click to learn more about our new mobile unit, and other lung cancer screening breakthroughs at Ohio State. Discovery could 'revolutionize' understanding of aggressive cancer growth and spread New data show that ammonia – typically known as a waste byproduct from protein degradation that is excreted from the human body through urine – plays a key role in fueling the rapid growth of certain aggressive forms of cancer. “This is a major breakthrough in our scientific understanding of how tumor cells simultaneously meet their abnormally high requirements for energy and cellular building materials by de-regulating lipid (fat and oil) synthesis, and it provides important insights to guide future targeted cancer therapies,” Chunming Cheng, PhD, says. “These findings could truly revolutionize our understanding and treatment of many cancers and metabolic disorders.” Click for the details on the possible advances that could arise from our study into ammonia's role in cancer growth. Study shows need for more breast cancer education A new national survey commissioned by OSUCCC – James found that most women are unaware of the unusual symptoms of a particularly aggressive and deadly form of the disease known as inflammatory breast cancer. The survey revealed that less than half of women would flag redness of the breast, pitting/thickening of the skin or one breast feeling warmer or heavier than the other as possible symptoms of the rare and highly aggressive form of the disease known as inflammatory breast cancer. Click for more info on our inflammatory breast cancer awareness survey Pelotonia 2022 raises $21 million for cancer research The Pelotonia community has raised more than $258 million directly supporting cancer research since the ground-breaking effort was established in 2008. The Pelotonia community raised $21,815,484 in 2022, surpassing the previous year’s fundraising by more than 10 percent and solidifying the community as one of the largest peer-to-peer fundraising organizations in the country. “Efforts like Pelotonia are crucial to closing the funding gap and advancing the future of cancer care, research and treatment,” said Raphael Pollock, MD, PhD. “One example of the community’s impact is the new Proton Therapy Center at the OSUCCC – James, which is supported in part by Pelotonia dollars. Click to learn more about Pelotonia’s impact on Ohio State’s cancer research in 2022. Increasing access to cancer care Ohio State leader working to reduce cancer care and prevention disparities Ohio State cancer doctors are teaming with colleagues and the community to work toward health equity in the Buckeye State. “Health equity is really the opportunity for everyone to attain their full health potential without impact from any socially-defined circumstances,” says Cheryl Lee, MD, the chief health equity officer at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. In her role, Lee, who also chairs the university’s Department of Urology, engage sand collaborates with faculty, staff and learners across Ohio State to reduce or eliminate disparities in health and the social determinants that adversely impact marginalized groups, with the goal of fostering more equitable care and health outcomes, including cancer care and prevention. Learn more about Ohio State’s work to reduce health care disparities. At-home screening program aims to reduce colorectal cancer rates in Black community Colorectal cancer experts have launched a new initiative aimed at improving early detection and prevention of colorectal cancer in the Black community, which has historically been placed at increased risk for colorectal cancer due to a lack of timely colorectal cancer screening and barriers to receiving health care services. Through this new initiative, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center mailed at-home colorectal cancer screening kits to 400 patients who qualify for ¬– but have not yet received – a colorectal cancer screening exam. The initiative is being conducted in partnership with the Center for Cancer Health Equity at the OSUCCC – James. “This is tragic and unacceptable in a disease with a highly effective and available screening tool for finding this disease in a precancerous and treatable stage,” said Subhankar Chakraborty, MD, PhD. “Early detection is truly a matter of life or death in some cases. We want to catch the disease at its precancerous stage.” Click for more info on our at-home colorectal cancer screening program. Ohio State Outpatient Care Dublin opens doors The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center continues to expand its care network with a new, large outpatient care facility in Dublin. The $161.2 million Wexner Medical Center Outpatient Care Dublin project constructed a new 272,000 square foot building that opened in September 2022. The new facility offers innovative cancer care and rehabilitation services, along with our world-class mammography technology. Click for more information on health care services at Ohio State Outpatient Care Dublin. The James faculty and staff achievements Legendary leader, cancer surgeon William Farrar, MD, retires After more than 46 years and 20,000 cancer surgeries, former CEO William Farrar, MD, retired from The Ohio State University in 2022. Farrar was a fixture at The James since its creation, and served as a colleague, leader and mentor for many Buckeye cancer doctors and researchers, while making an immeasurable impact on the lives of countless patients and their families. “I’m proud of our collective accomplishments, but the work to end cancer is ongoing,” Farrar says. “I’m grateful to have been a part of so many efforts to move us forward and for the opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives.” Click to learn more about Dr. Farrar’s legendary career at Ohio State. Steinhauer named chief nursing officer at The James In 2022, Corrin Steinhauer was named chief nursing offer at The OSUCCC – James. As a Buckeye, Steinhauer continues a career in oncology nursing that has been defined by relationship-based care. Her focus on communication extends beyond patient relationships to include her team’s colleagues at The James, where Steinhauer believes her primary objective is to be an advocate for the staff of approximately 1,500 nurses. “How do we continue to develop this community of nurses and make sure we remain relevant, up-to-date and are practicing with the best evidence-based guidelines? That’s our goal,” she says. Click to hear from Steinhauer about her vision for the future oncology nursing at Ohio State. Ohio State receives 3rd Magnet designation for excellence in cancer nursing practice The OSUCCC – James, for the third consecutive time, has been awarded Magnet® status from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) in 2022. This renewed status remains in place for four years. The Magnet Recognition Program® recognizes health care organizations for quality patient care, nursing excellence and innovations in professional nursing practice. “We are extremely proud of our prestigious Magnet® status and the nationally recognized excellence of our nurses,” Steinhauer says. “This third designation exemplifies our commitment to Relationship-Based Care. That our nursing team has maintained this level of professionalism – delivering high-quality patient outcomes grounded in evidence-based practice with an eye toward research and innovation while also navigating a global pandemic – is truly remarkable and a tribute to the tenacity and resiliency that they bring to the practice every day.” Click for the details of The James’ third consecutive Magnet® designation.