How cancer research could soon revolutionize patient care

The future of cancer care is taking shape at Ohio State, where researchers and patients are partnering to develop and test cutting-edge treatments and techniques.

“We’ve recruited more than 200 new members over the past four years, and that’s more that most cancer centers in the United States,” says Raphael Pollock, MD, PhD, the director of The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center. “This is the best collaborative environment for cancer research of any place I know of.”

As part of a Comprehensive Cancer Center, Pollock’s team of world-class researchers get to work directly with patients at Ohio State’s James Cancer Hospital, conducting clinical trials that pave the way for new, approved therapies.

Click here to learn about cancer clinical trials underway at the OSUCCC – James.

There are too many cancer research efforts underway at The James to list here, but read on for a few of the most promising advances that could be coming to patients in the near future.

Alternatives to cancer surgery

Roman Skoracki, MD, the medical director of the Stefanie Spielman Comprehensive Breast Center, believes the development of advanced chemotherapy and immunotherapy drugs will reduce the need for breast cancer surgery.

“We’re already seeing tremendous responses, to the point that there’s so much shrinkage of the tumor that we’re performing smaller surgical interventions,” he says. “This could put me out of business as a surgeon — happily.”

Immunotherapy

Speaking of immunotherapy, several OSUCCC – James researchers are studying potential new methods of genetically engineering patients’ immune cells to better detect and fight cancer.

“Among the benefits of utilizing the immune system are good responses that last a long time because our immune systems have good memories,” says Margaret Gatti-Mays, MD, MPH, a medical oncologist who specializes in immunotherapy. “This is already happening with limited success,” adds Marcos de Lima, MD, the director of The James Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapy Program. “It’s quite effective against some blood cancers and less effective against solid tumors, but we’re learning how to bypass the defenses of solid tumors as well.”

Click here to learn about cancer immunotherapy innovation at The Ohio State University.

Better, faster cancer diagnosis

Advances in cancer detection via sensors, along with blood draws that can identify the proteins on cancer cells, could be benefitting patients very soon.

“These are coming, and I think faster than people realize,” says James Rocco, MD, PhD, the chair of The James Head and Neck Oncologic Surgery Division.

Early detection is one of the keys to successful treatment, but it can be difficult for many types of cancer due to several factors, including late-presenting symptoms. Blood detection could be a solution for some patients by alerting doctors to potential markers.

“Looking at the circulating DNA in someone’s blood could detect head and neck cancer in the earliest stages,” Rocco says. “We’re not there yet with circulating DNA, but we’re getting close.”

Click here to learn how Ohio State experts are detecting cancer in early stages at The James Cancer Diagnostic Center.