Download Selected MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

Department of Communications
2016
in the news \\\ September – December
Selected MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS
A BRA M SON C ANC ER C ENT E R
Penn Medicine News
Release
POST Online Media
The New York Times
Men's Journal
Reuters via Fox News
CBS News
Yahoo! News
Philadelphia Inquirer
HemOnc Today
Homecare.co.uk
Health Medicine
Network
Patch
NJ.com
Medical Xpress
Science Blog
Medical News Today
HealthDay
Medindia
DocGuide.com
MedicalResearch.
com
\ S pecial F eature \
Dementia Risk Identified For Men Treated For Prostate Cancer
A new study by Penn Medicine and Stanford researchers found that a type of hormone therapy called
androgen deprivation therapy may double the risk of developing dementia. “We thought that these
treatments, because they lower testosterone, could negatively impact neurological health globally
and we were interested in seeing if ADT is linked with dementia,” said Kevin T. Nead, MD, MPhil, a
resident in Radiation Oncology and lead author of the study.
Early Surgery Ups Mortality Risk for Some Endometrial
Cancer Patients
An article from HealthDay's Physician's Briefing reports on recent research showing that for patients
diagnosed with endometrial cancer, surgery within the first two weeks of diagnosis is associated with
increased risk of mortality. Senior author, David I. Shalowitz, MD, a fellow in Gynecologic Oncology,
was quoted.
Physician’s Briefing
OncLive
Making Tumors Glow Shows Promise for Cancer Treatment
Research led by John Y.K. Lee, MD, and Sunil Singhal, MD, both associate professors of Surgery, about
an experimental cancer imaging tool that makes tumors glow brightly during surgery was covered by
Lancaster Online.
Lancaster Online
Beating Breast Cancer But Still Paying a Price
HealthDay reported on new research showing that 92 percent of long-term breast cancer survivors
report at least three untreated symptoms for which they need assistance. When you extrapolate these
results to the larger population of survivors, “it gets a lot worse very quickly,” said lead author Steven
Palmer, PhD, a research scientist at the Abramson Cancer Center. “You end up talking about hundreds
of thousands of people with unmet needs in the community.”
Penn Medicine News Release
HealthDay
S E L E C T E D M E D I A H I G H L I G H T S \ \ \ IN THE NEWS \ \ \ September – December 2016 \ \ \
facebook.com/pennmed \ \ \
@PennMedNews \ \ \
news.pennmedicine.org/blog/
Woman Travels from Germany to Reunite with NJ Man After
Bone Marrow Transplant
Jack Zefutie of East Windsor, NJ and Lisa Froemel of Germany were once complete strangers, but Jack
said her selflessness in donating bone marrow two-and-a-half years ago kept him alive. Lisa recently
made a trip to Philadelphia and Jack introduced her to his care team at the Hospital of the University
of Pennsylvania. Selina Luger, MD, director of the Leukemia Program, was quoted.
6ABC
Philadelphia Inquirer
The CRISPR Pioneers
Carl June, MD, a professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and director of the Center for
Cellular Immunotherapies, was named among a group of scientists doing pioneering work using
CRISPR gene-editing technology as the fifth place in Time magazine’s annual Person of the Year issue.
June and Edward Stadtmauer, MD, chief of Hematologic Malignancies and a professor of HematologyOncology in the Abramson Cancer Center, are poised to launch the nation’s first human trial using
CRISPR for the treatment of cancer, an effort the magazine notes may bear out hope for CRISPR’s
therapeutic potential for diseases of all kinds.
Time
Study Raises Questions About NLR as Bladder
Cancer Biomarker
A Penn study led by Eric Ojerholm, MD, a resident in Radiation Oncology, challenges previous research
about a blood exam that has shown promise in predicting how bladder cancer will progress and what
treatments will be most effective for a given patient.
Penn Medicine News
Release
MedicalResearch.
com
HealthMedicineNet.
com
Study Shows Posttransplant Strategies Equivalent
in Myeloma
Edward Stadtmauer, MD, chief of Hematologic Malignancies and a professor of Hematology-Oncology
in the Abramson Cancer Center, led a randomized trial comparing different treatment strategies
following stem cell transplant for multiple myeloma. Selina Luger, MD, a professor HematologyOncology and director of the ACC’s Leukemia program, is also quoted in coverage about the study,
which was presented during the annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology this week.
MedPage Today
OncLive
1 Patient, 7 Tumors and 100 Billion Cells Equal 1
Striking Recovery
Carl June, MD, a professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and director of the Center for
Cellular Immunotherapies, wrote an editorial accompanying a New England Journal of Medicine
paper about a T-cell transfer treatment, which was the first to successfully target KRAS, a common
cancer mutation. If replicable, June said, the approach has great potential for patients with
pancreatic and colorectal cancers.
The New York Times
Philadelphia Inquirer
Stability of Exhausted T Cells Limits Durability of Cancer
Checkpoint Drugs
Cancer Research UK featured a study led by John Wherry, PhD, director of the Institute for Immunology
and a professor of Microbiology, which found that reinvigorating exhausted T cells in mice using a PDL1 blockade caused very few T memory cells to develop. After the blockade, re-invigorated T cells
became re-exhausted if antigen from the virus remained high, and failed to become memory T cells
when the virus was cleared.
Penn Medicine News
Release
AJMC.com
Cancer Research UK
S E L E C T E D M E D I A H I G H L I G H T S \ \ \ IN THE NEWS \ \ \ September – December 2016 \ \ \
facebook.com/pennmed \ \ \
@PennMedNews \ \ \
news.pennmedicine.org/blog/
CRISPR Gene-Editing Tested in a Person for the First Time
Carl June, MD, a professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and director of Translational
Research in the Abramson Cancer Center, was quoted in stories detailing a Chinese team's first use of
CRISPR gene editing technology to treat a cancer patient.
Nature
MIT Tech Review
Daily Mail
Popular Mechanics
Smithsonian
magazine
Wall Street Daily
US News & World
Report
Telegraph (UK)
CARs For Cancer Driving Toward Market
Researchers from Penn Medicine and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia presented the latest
findings of trials of CAR T cells for cancer during this week’s annual meeting of the American Society
of Hematology in San Diego. Results included the first look at data from the global multisite trial of the
therapy for pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients.
Penn Medicine News
Release
OncLive
Reuters
Medscape (log on
required)
Cure
Endpoints
Bloomberg
Fierce Biotech
Xconomy
Helpful Advice for Patients from an Oncology Nurse
Kristen Maloney, MSN, RN, an oncology nurse manager at the Hospital of the University of
Pennsylvania, offers tips for cancer patients. Among other advice, Maloney said it’s important to get
to know your care team, make communication a priority, and understand your medications.
Philadelphia Inquirer
Preventative Antibiotics May Prevent C. diff Infection for
Some Blood-cancer Patients
Research led by Alex Ganetsky, PharmD, a clinical pharmacist in the Blood and Bone Marrow
Transplantation Program, and David Porter, MD, director of the Blood and Marrow Transplantation
Program, shows C. diff may be preventable in allogeneic stem cell transplant patients.
Penn Medicine News Release
Philadelphia Inquirer
CAR T Cells: Progress, but Questions Remain
A HemOnc Today article examines progress in the field of CAR T cell research to treat blood cancers.
Stephan Grupp, MD, PhD, director of the cancer immunotherapy program and director of translational
research for the Center for Childhood Cancer at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and a professor of
Pediatrics at Penn, and David Porter, MD, a professor of Hematology-Oncology and director of Blood
and Marrow Transplantation in Penn’s Abramson Cancer Center, are highlighted.
HemOnc Today
Cancer Survivor Defies the Odds, Serves Up
Thanksgiving Meals
The Abramson Cancer Center partnered with HEADstrong to serve Thanksgiving Dinner to patients.
The effort was led by Joseph Cliffor, a former patient who was treated for leukemia at the Abramson
Cancer Center in 2008.
Delaware County Daily Times
S E L E C T E D M E D I A H I G H L I G H T S \ \ \ IN THE NEWS \ \ \ September – December 2016 \ \ \
facebook.com/pennmed \ \ \
@PennMedNews \ \ \
news.pennmedicine.org/blog/
New Tricks in Canine Cancer Research May Improve
Treatments for Humans, Too
A Washington Post article profiled the work of Penn Vet and Penn Medicine researchers in the
burgeoning field called “comparative oncology,” which focuses on finding new ways to treat cancer in
pets, mostly dogs, in an effort to develop innovative treatments for people and animals.
Washington Post
In the War Against Cancer, Modesty is Not an Ally
The Toronto Star profiled Steven Narod, MD, FRCPC, FRSC, director of the Familial Breast Cancer
Research Unit and a senior scientist at the Women’s College Hospital in Toronto, whose seminal work
on BRAC 1 and 2 breast cancer genes earned him this year's Basser Global Prize. Narod is the first
Canadian to receive the annual recognition from The Basser Center for BRCA at Penn’s Abramson
Cancer Center.
Toronto Star
Pricey New Treatment Roils Issues Of How To Treat
Prostate Cancer
High-intensity focused ultrasound, often not covered by insurance, leads to discussions about which
patients benefit in the real world, reported Kaiser Health News. Justin Bekelman, MD, an associate
professor of Radiation Oncology, was quoted.
Kaiser Health News
Gene Pioneers Share Philly Science Award for CRISPR
The Philadelphia Inquirer reported Carl June, MD, a professor of Immunotherapy in Pathology and
Laboratory Medicine, will receive a John Scott Medal, an annual award that has been given since 1822.
Philadelphia Inquirer
Treatment Not Tied to Prostate Cancer Survival
In the first study to compare active monitoring, surgery and radiation for prostate cancer, researchers
found no differences in death rates. Additional results found that contrary to many previous
studies, radiation therapy had a better side effect profile than surgery in terms of urinary and sexual
dysfunction. Neha Vapiwala, MD, an associate professor of Radiation Oncology who was not involved
in the research, was quoted.
Philadelphia Inquirer
Penn Physician, Patient Support Free to Breathe Event for
Lung Cancer Awareness
Tracey L. Evans, MD, an associate professor of clinical medicine in Hematology-Oncology, appeared on
Good Day Philadelphia and with NBC10’s Vai Sikahema, along with two of her patients, to talk about
the 11th Annual Free to Breathe Run and Walk to raise awareness for lung cancer.
Good Day Philadelphia
NBC10
Liquid Biopsy Can Noninvasively Detect, Monitor NSCLC
For patients with advanced lung cancer, a non-invasive liquid biopsy may be a more effective and
suitable alternative to the gold standard tissue biopsy to detect clinically relevant mutations and help
guide their course of treatment, according to a recent Penn study. Erica L. Carpenter, PhD, MBA,
director of the Circulating Tumor Material Laboratory, and Jeffrey C. Thompson, MD, a Pulmonary,
Allergy and Critical Care medicine physican with Penn, were quoted in HemOnc Today.
Penn Medicine News
Release
HemOnc Today
Oncology Times
Real World Health
Care
Genetic Engineering
and Biotechnology
News
MedDevice Online
MedResearch.com
Philadelphia Inquirer
S E L E C T E D M E D I A H I G H L I G H T S \ \ \ IN THE NEWS \ \ \ September – December 2016 \ \ \
facebook.com/pennmed \ \ \
@PennMedNews \ \ \
news.pennmedicine.org/blog/
Tech Giant Sean Parker Launches Penn’s Cancer
Immunotherapy Center
Sean Parker, the Napster founder and former Facebook president turned philanthropist, visited Penn
to celebrate the launch of Penn’s Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy. Parker was joined
by scientists including the center’s leader, cellular therapy pioneer Carl June, MD, a professor of
Immunotherapy in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. ABC News Chief Health and Medical Editor
Richard Besser, MD, a Perelman School of Medicine graduate, moderated a panel discussion during
the event.
Philadelphia Inquirer
6ABC
Philly Voice
Adding PD-1 Inhibition to Chemotherapy Boosts Response
in Untreated NSCLC
Corey Langer, MD, director of Thoracic Surgery, was featured in OncLive for his research showing the
addition of pembrolizumab (Keytruda) to frontline platinum-based chemotherapy for advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer almost doubled the response rate compared with chemotherapy alone.
OncLive
Abramson Cancer Center: Philly Fights Cancer Round 2
More than a thousand people attended last year’s Philly Fights Cancer fundraiser for the Abramson
Cancer Center. Lionel Richie, Jennifer Hudson, and Tig Notaro performed at the event, which raise $5.4
million to support research and clinical trials.
Philadelphia Inquirer
Fox 29
Philadelphia
magazine
Philly.com
Metro
NBC10
The Role of Prognostic Signatures Based on CCP in
Lung Cancer
Corey Langer, MD, director of Thoracic Surgery, participated in a Q & A about the use of data to
determine risk in patients with early-stage non-small stage lung cancer.
Targeted Oncology
Are You Diagnosed with DCIS?
Carmen E. Guerra, MD, associate director for diversity and outreach at the Abramson Cancer Center,
was featured in an El Diario article about non-invasive breast cancer.
El Diario (1)
El Diario (2)
Breast Cancer Runs in This Family, but So Do Strength
and Love
The Philadelphia Inquirer profiled Penn patient Maria Gentile, who has known she has a 50 percent
chance of carrying the BRCA mutation for nearly 10 years. The genetic mutation is also carried by her
mother and other family members, several of whom also receive care at the Basser Center for BRCA
at Penn's Abramson Cancer Center. Angela Bradbury, MD, an assistant professor of Hematology/
Oncology and Medical Ethics & Health Policy, was quoted on recent research showing that young
women from families with a history of breast cancer do not have higher rates of psychological
problems such as depression and anxiety.
Philadelphia Inquirer
S E L E C T E D M E D I A H I G H L I G H T S \ \ \ IN THE NEWS \ \ \ September – December 2016 \ \ \
facebook.com/pennmed \ \ \
@PennMedNews \ \ \
news.pennmedicine.org/blog/
What to Expect at the 2016 ‘FFANY Shoes on Sale’ Gala
In a preview of the 23rd annual QVC Presents “FFANY Shoes on Sale” fundraising gala, Footwear News
reported on the nine beneficiaries, which includes the 2-Prevent Breast Cancer Translational Center
of Excellence at Penn's Abramson Cancer Center. Angela DeMichele, MD, MSCE, co-leader of Penn's
Breast Cancer Research Program, said funding received from Shoes on Sale over the years “has been
instrumental” in developing the research center.
Footwear News
Merck Tops as Lung Cancer Treatment Moves Past
Chemotherapy
Corey Langer, MD, director of Thoracic Oncology, was quoted in a Bloomberg report that lung
cancer treatment is moving beyond chemotherapy, with Merck setting the pace in a new category of
therapies that harness the body’s immune system to fight tumors.
Bloomberg
First-line Pembrolizumab Plus Chemotherapy Improves
Response Rates
Corey Langer, MD, director of Thoracic Oncology, was the keynote speaker at the European Society
for Medical Oncology Congress over the weekend. He presented his findings on the addition of
pembrolizumab to standard first-line chemotherapy.
HemOnc Today
Germline Mutations Uncovered Through Tumor Sequencing
Present Challenges for Providers
Clinicians and genetic counselors are coming up with triage strategies for cancer cases in which
medically actionable germline mutations are suspected. Jennifer Morrissette, PhD, clinical
director of the Center for Personalized Diagnostics, and genetic counselor Dana Farengo Clark
commented in Genomeweb.
Genomeweb
The Changing Field of Lung Cancer Care
From promising new therapies to risk prediction, the field of lung cancer care is rapidly evolving. Corey
J. Langer, MD, a professor of Hematology/Oncology and director of the Thoracic Oncology Program in
Penn’s Abramson Cancer Center, was quoted on the latest developments.
CURE
Special Guest Bethenny Frankel Shines at Evening of Giving
to Benefit Abramson
The King of Prussia Mall opened its doors after-hours for a special benefit for Penn Medicine’s
Abramson Cancer Center. The Town Dish covered the event.
The Town Dish
Novel Pancreatic Cancer Trial Aims to Give Patients
More Options
A $35 million bid to test precision therapy for pancreatic cancer will let patients shift to a new
experimental treatment if the first fails. Robert Vonderheide, MD, DPhil, associate director for
Translational Research at the Abramson Cancer Center, was interviewed as an expert.
STAT
S E L E C T E D M E D I A H I G H L I G H T S \ \ \ IN THE NEWS \ \ \ September – December 2016 \ \ \
facebook.com/pennmed \ \ \
@PennMedNews \ \ \
news.pennmedicine.org/blog/
U.S. University Doing Clinical Studies on Autophagy
Ravi Amaravadi, MD, an associate professor of Medical Oncology, appeared as a guest on Radio
Times to discuss this year's Nobel Prizes and how they are influencing his own research in autophagy.
Radio Times
Knowing Their Breast Cancer Risk May Empower Teens
A new study from researchers at Penn shows that knowing they have a family history of breast cancer
or a high-risk gene mutation doesn't lead to increased anxiety or depression in teen girls. Lead author
Angela Bradbury, MD, an assistant professor of Hematology/Oncology and Medical Ethics and
Health Policy, was quoted.
Health Day via Philadelphia Inquirer
Couture for a Cure
A runway show last week at the King of Prussia Mall’s Neiman Marcus, featuring fall fashions
from renowned fashion designers Badgley Mischka, benefitted the Abramson Cancer Center’s
lymphoma program.
6ABC
Physicians and Physicists Join Forces to Fight
Pancreatic Cancer
Jeffrey Drebin, MD, PhD, chair of the department of Surgery, was quoted in a Wall Street Journal
article about a new Stand Up to Cancer “convergence” team he is part of which brings physicians and
physicists with diverse expertise together to develop new strategies to attack pancreatic cancer, one
of medicine’s most lethal malignancies.
Wall Street Journal
Cancer-Risk Genetic Testing Reports Can Vary From
Lab to Lab
Testing for gene mutations linked to cancer risk may guide how a patient is treated, but the
determination of whether a mutation is dangerous or benign can vary from lab to lab, according to a
recent study. “As we do testing on more and more genes that we didn’t use to test for there is more
uncertainty,” said senior author Susan M. Domchek, MD, executive director of the Basser Center for
BRCA at Penn's Abramson Cancer Center.
Reuters
Melanoma Patient's Legacy Lives on in $450,000 Gift to
Penn Research
The Philadelphia Inquirer's Diagnosis: Cancer blog reported on an event earlier this week, in which
the Tara Miller Melanoma presented Penn Medicine's Abramson Cancer Center with a check for
$450,000, bringing the total it has donated to Penn to $1.1 million. The foundation honors Tara Miller
who created the foundation before passing away from Melanoma in 2014. Lynn Schuchter, MD, chief
of Hematology/Oncology and Tara’s medical oncologist, was quoted.
Philadelphia Inquirer
PHL17
S E L E C T E D M E D I A H I G H L I G H T S \ \ \ IN THE NEWS \ \ \ September – December 2016 \ \ \
facebook.com/pennmed \ \ \
@PennMedNews \ \ \
news.pennmedicine.org/blog/
Finding Moments of "Extraordinary Happiness"
In a piece posted to the Philadelphia Inquirer's Diagnosis: Cancer blog, Penn patient Diego Luzuriaga
talked about finding moments of happiness after being diagnosed with metastatic cancer. Luzuriaga
was diagnosed with metastatic Nasopharyngeal cancer in 2015. Today, he is part of the workshop
Writing for Life at Penn Medicine's Abramson Cancer Center.
Diagnosis: Cancer blog
“Moonshot” Group Has 10 Ways to Speed Up Search for
Cancer Cures
Chi Dang, MD, PhD, director of the Abramson Cancer Center, was quoted in a Philadelphia Inquirer
article detailing the new recommendations in a report from Vice President Joe Biden’s cancer
“moonshot” blue ribbon panel. Breaking down barriers is crucial to speeding up breakthroughs, said
Dang, who serves on the panel. “How do you get the full picture? By shifting the culture of how we do
science to collect the right kind of information and be willing to share it,” he said.
Philadelphia Inquirer
Dr. DeMichele on Importance of Neoadjuvant Care in HER2+
Breast Cancer
In a video interview with OncLive, Angela DeMichele, MD, MSCE, a professor of Medicine &
Epidemiology and co-leader of the Breast Cancer Program at the Abramson Cancer Center, discussed
the importance of neoadjuvant treatment for patients with HER2-positive breast cancer.
Penn Medicine News Release
OncLive
S E L E C T E D M E D I A H I G H L I G H T S \ \ \ IN THE NEWS \ \ \ September – December 2016 \ \ \
facebook.com/pennmed \ \ \
@PennMedNews \ \ \
news.pennmedicine.org/blog/