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Cancer Featured Stories

Honors for Man & Woman for fighting blood cancer

Nadine Baxter has spent the last 17 of her 40 years as a nurse practitioner working with blood-cancer patients, specifically those with myeloma.

Four years ago, blood cancer hit home. Hard and fast.

“My mother developed a cough, and we didn’t know what the problem was,” Baxter recalls. She took her to a pulmonologist, and her mother had perfect lab results. That was Valentine’s Day 2013. Another round of tests less than a month later showed she was anemic.

Baxter’s mother was diagnosed with acute myeloblastic leukemia, and died within three days of her diagnosis. “Being a nurse in the middle of it, and taking care of so many patients — it was very difficult for me,” Baxter says.

Shortly thereafter, Baxter was presented with a chance to keep her mother’s legacy alive. Her daughter, Devin Henson, found out about Light the Night, a fall fundraising walk for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Henson asked Baxter if she thought the event would be “a good way to honor Nana.” Baxter agreed that it would be.

Then Baxter met Kim DuPas, manager of the society’s Arkansas division, which opened the door to participation in another society-sponsored event — the Man & Woman of the Year. Baxter captured the title in 2015 and has been involved with Man & Woman of the Year ever since.

The competition’s 2017 Grand Finale Celebration is set for Friday at the Embassy Suites Little Rock. Candidates are Jill Avery with Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System; Dow Brantley of Brantley Farming Co.; Jennifer Fitzgerald; Mike Mueller of P. Allen Smith Cos.; Charles Robbins of Data­Path Inc.; Angela Stewart of the Eleanor Mann School of Nursing at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville and Highlands Oncology Group; and Justin Thomas, a student at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.

Man & Woman of the Year is a national program for the society, taking its fourth turn in Arkansas. Baxter, who raised more than $40,000 the year she won, is now the society’s board president. This year she will be presented the organization’s Legacy Award for “just making a huge footprint for a cure here in Arkansas,” DuPas says.

Blood cancers are the number three cancer killer, according to society information. About 1.2 million people in the United States are living with blood cancer or are in remission from it. All the money raised by the Arkansas division stays in state to provide financial aid to cancer patients who must travel long distances for treatment and need help paying for gasoline, or need insurance assistance. The society also provides group support for these patients.

“A large portion of our money that we raise goes toward research,” DuPas adds. “Our main goal is to find a cure.”

Nominations are taken from all over Arkansas.

“We look for leaders in the community who have been touched by blood cancer and have the capacity to get out there and go through their network and really just give back,” DuPas says. These include cancer patients, health-care professionals who have worked with them or people who have friends or loved ones affected by cancer. They are given 10 weeks to raise money via sponsorships, donation solicitations and hosting fundraising sales and events.

“They truly are all winners. They are all one team working toward a goal,” DuPas says.

In her volunteer capacity with the society, Baxter helps to find Man & Woman of the Year candidates. She has worked to get T-shirts for a candidate, hosted meetings, donated food for a fundraising bake sale and solicited auction items.

“We should pay her,” DuPas says. “It truly would not be what it is today without Nadine.”

The 2017 finale will also include a special appeal featuring the Inspirational Boy and Girl of the Year — young patients who share their stories and motivate candidates throughout the fund drive. This year’s Boy and Girl are Will, who has survived non-Hodgkin’s T-cell lymphoma and acute myeloblastic leukemia; and Addison, an acute lymphoblastic leukemia survivor. The children will go into the audience to pick up donations.

“It’s hard to say no to them,” DuPas says.

The finale celebration — offering silent and live auctions, a dinner program presenting the candidates/winners and a donation drive — was first held at the Clinton Presidential Center but outgrew the space. The proceeds increased, too. Its first year, the society raised around $80,000. Fast forward to 2016, when event proceeds amounted to about $202,000. More than $460,000 has been raised since its inception.

The goal for this year’s campaign is $240,000. Baxter’s dream for the event would be “no less than 20 candidates, and no less than half a million dollars.”

She likes to see patients get immediate aid with the event proceeds.

“People don’t realize that it’s hard — when you have one of these catastrophic disease processes going on — to make ends meet, even if you do have a great deal of money. I’ve said a lot of times we could bankrupt the richest person in the world because it’s so costly.” The society has a $10,000 allotment per year that they’ll give to patients to help them pay their insurance premiums or make co-payments.

But there’s the big picture, too, Baxter adds. “That research is so very vital so that we can completely do away with blood cancers. If I’m unemployed, it’d be fine.”

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society 2017 Man & Woman of the Year Grand Finale Celebration begins at 6 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $100 and are available by contacting Kim DuPas at kim.dupas@lls.org or (501) 227-6416.

High Profile on 04/16/2017

Inherited Cancer Risk Leads Travel Blogger to Choose Mastectomy

April 14, 2017 | Lesley Murphy is accustomed to waking up in exotic locations. From snow-covered Finland to the beaches of Bali, this 29-year-old professional blogger spends more than 300 days a year documenting her travels to vacation destinations around the world.

“My number one goal is inspiring travel and showing people that if they get out of their comfort zones, they can make the world a better place,” she said.

Recently, however, the Arkansas native took a detour from her globetrotting lifestyle to focus on a very different subject — her future health. About three years ago, Lesley was living in Argentina when she received the call that her mother, Martha Murphy, was diagnosed with breast cancer. With no history of breast cancer in her family, the diagnosis came as a shock.

“It was my first year living abroad, and I felt so far away,” Lesley said. “It was a wash of emotions. You never want to hear the words ‘mom’ and ‘cancer’ in the same sentence.”

Martha Murphy, who was living in Fort Smith at the time, felt a lump in her breast before scheduling a mammogram in early March 2014. After it was confirmed she had stage 1 breast cancer, Martha immediately sought the advice of her next-door neighbor, who happened to be an oncologist. He recommended genetic testing to determine if she might have a mutation of one of the BRCA genes, commonly known as the breast cancer genes.

While every person is born with the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, women who inherit mutations of the genes have up to an 80 percent chance of developing breast cancer by age 70. If Martha tested positive for a gene mutation, it would mean her three adult daughters had the potential for it as well.

“My doctor in Fort Smith ordered the genetic test on the same day I was diagnosed, but it took a few days to receive the results,” Martha said.

The morning after her diagnosis, Martha decided she wanted to seek a second opinion at UAMS, Arkansas’ only academic health sciences center. After a reassuring visit on March 21 with breast surgeon V. Suzanne Klimberg, M.D., director of the Breast Cancer Program at the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Martha scheduled a double mastectomy for 10 days later.

Her breast reconstruction surgery was completed at UAMS in August, followed by an oophorectomy to remove her ovaries in September. A BRCA gene mutation also can increase a woman’s risk of developing ovarian cancer.

“When I look back, this experience was just a blip on my radar. While it was happening, I was in the midst of helping my eldest daughter plan her wedding. I didn’t have time to focus on myself, so I’m terribly blessed that I didn’t have any complications or need any chemo or radiation,” Martha said.

Klimberg also is a professor of surgery and pathology in the UAMS College of Medicine and director of the Division of Breast Surgical Oncology.

Martha received the results of her genetic test prior to her visit with Klimberg and was surprised to discover she did indeed carry the BRCA2 gene mutation. She immediately knew that she wanted her daughters to be tested as well.

“I told them, this is what we’re going to do. They needed to know if they had the gene mutation, so they could make informed decisions about their future,” Martha said.

Each child of a parent — mother or father — who carries a mutation in one of the BRCA genes has a 50 percent chance of inheriting the mutation.

Martha’s eldest daughter, Lauren, and youngest, Jordan, both underwent testing at the UAMS Cancer Genetics Clinic and received mixed results.

“After Jordan’s test came back negative, we were hopeful they all would,” Martha said.

That would not be the case, as Lauren’s results were soon found to be positive for her mom’s BRCA2 mutation. The UAMS Cancer Institute is home to the only clinical cancer genetics team in Arkansas. Although any doctor can order genetic testing — which is conducted using a blood or saliva sample — UAMS has the only board-certified geneticists and genetic counselors in the state who can diagnose rare syndromes and manage complex cancer syndromes, of which there are more than 50.

As for Lesley, finding time for the genetic screening was a challenge in itself. Because she was living in South America, did not have domestic insurance, and was launching her career as a travel blogger, the sense of urgency wasn’t strong.

“I would be in Arkansas for two days and then gone for a month, so there was never any time to schedule it. Two years went by before I was home for an extended time. That’s when Mom encouraged me to get it done,” said Lesley, who initially gained fame as a contestant on season 17 of ABC’s “The Bachelor.”

When her genetic test came back positive for the BRCA2 gene mutation, Lesley knew she had some choices to make. She looked to Kent McKelvey, M.D., director of Cancer and Adult Genetics Services, and the UAMS Cancer Genetics Clinic staff for guidance.

“Each person ultimately has to make the choices that are best for themselves and their families. We are here to help people understand the evidence and options and guide them to make the best informed decisions,” said McKelvey, who also is associate professor in the UAMS College of Medicine Division of Genetics.

For Lesley, those choices were to undergo breast cancer screenings every six months in an attempt to catch any tumors in their earliest stages or have a preventive double mastectomy, followed by reconstruction. With her travel career in full swing, Lesley said the choice was clear.

“Because of my schedule, I didn’t foresee the twice-yearly screenings as a realistic option. While it may sound drastic to some people, having the surgery was definitely the best option for me,” she said.

The fact that Lesley was able to learn about her gene mutation and make the best choice for herself provides a sense of freedom and empowerment, McKelvey said.

“Given her active career and the fact that she gave this decision serious consideration, her choice to have elective surgery makes perfect sense,” he said.

Following the double mastectomy with UAMS breast surgeon Daniela Ochoa, M.D., Lesley’s risk of developing breast cancer will be reduced by about 95 percent. Nothing can eliminate the risk entirely, McKelvey said, however, surgery is the most effective strategy to dramatically reduce her risk of breast cancer and eliminate any future need for screenings. Ochoa is a professor of surgery in the UAMS College of Medicine Division of Breast Surgical Oncology.

Because of her public image and large social media following, Lesley chose to document her experience on social media channels including Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat.

“I saw this as a way to educate people and encourage them to be more knowledgeable about their own personal health decisions,” she said.

After a four-week break from traveling following her April mastectomy, Lesley will hit the road again in May, this time with Mom by her side.

“The doctors think I’ll be fine to travel by then, but she’ll be there for support if I need it,” Lesley said.

She will return to UAMS in late summer to complete her breast reconstruction process under the direction of plastic surgeon Eric J. Wright, M.D., associate professor in the UAMS College of Medicine Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

Then, it’s back on a plane to her next destination. “I will always travel. I don’t know what my career will eventually evolve into, but travel is definitely what I’m passionate about and what makes me happy,” Lesley said.

Proteomics Workshop Facilitates Sharing Resources Across Nation

April 12, 2017 | Technology? Check. Expertise? Check. Leadership? Double check.

The UAMS Proteomics Core Facility has been diligently amassing the technology needed to make it a leader in its field, which is studying the many functions of proteins. And now it’s taking that leadership role a step further by facilitating the exchange of ideas among core directors and staff from across the nation.

The first IDeA (Institutional Development Award) National Resource for Proteomics Workshop for Core Directors and Staff was held April 3-6 at UAMS. It featured training and networking opportunities and attracted 17 attendees from 11 states and Puerto Rico.

Alan Tackett, Ph.D. – co-director of the Proteomics Core, director of the IDeA National Resource for Proteomics and professor in the College of Medicine Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology – hopes to make the workshop an annual event.

“For proteomics, there’s really nothing else out there like this, and so it’s tremendously beneficial for us to share best practices and really learn how to synergize and share resources,” Tackett said.

The Proteomics Core is part of UAMS’ Core Facilities and Technical Services, where technology, tools and collaborative services are pooled together and made available on a pay-per-use basis to investigators both within and outside of UAMS who may otherwise not have access to them in their individual laboratories.

At the Proteomics Core, staff use mass spectrometry to help researchers identify proteins. The core is a one-stop-shop, where staff not only process the samples, but can help researchers design experiments and analyze results. It houses about $2.5 million in mass spectrometers.

Funding for the workshop came from a supplemental grant to the Arkansas INBRE (IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence)program, which is directed by Lawrence Cornett, Ph.D., vice chancellor for research.

“Protein mass spectrometry provides methods that help investigators understand cellular mechanisms that underlie human disease processes,” Cornett said. “Keeping up with the rapidly evolving technology is a challenge, and this workshop gave participants from institutions in the IDeA network an opportunity to learn new analytical approaches that they will be able to offer the users of their proteomic core facilities.”

The IDeA National Resource for Proteomics, which organized the event, is a partnership between the Arkansas and Oklahoma INBRE programs, specifically the UAMS Proteomics Core and the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation Multiplexing Protein Quantification Core.

Workshop participants came from the 23 IDeA states and Puerto Rico, which have been identified by the National Institutes of Health as receiving less grant funding for biomedical research than other states. The IDeA program aim to rectify this imbalance.

“There is a big push from NIH not to duplicate resources and to make better use of the resources already available, so that is a big component of this,” Tackett said. “We took what we do very well here – which is discovery-based proteomics – and we took what they do very well in Oklahoma – which is targeted proteomics, and brought those together, and now we provide that for everybody. So we’ve invested heavily in the high-end machines needed to do this work, and a lot of the other IDeA states don’t necessarily have all of the equipment that we do, but now they can access it through us. This is especially important for IDeA states, where resources can be more difficult to come by.”

Part of the purpose of the workshop was to familiarize researchers with the capabilities available at UAMS and the other states represented. Tackett said after the event that he had already been contacted by several researchers looking for collaborative opportunities.

“We’re getting it out there that UAMS is a national contender in the proteomics world,” Tackett said. “We’re showcasing the abilities that we have here that can help the IDeA states contribute to the advancement of science as a whole.”

Additionally, the workshop was intended as an opportunity for participants to learn about the latest advances in the field. Topics included sample preparation, data collection, bioinformatics and programming.

“There were a lot of people – not just interacting with us but interacting with each other – so the networking was huge as well and something that they all really appreciated and benefitted from,” Tackett said.

Looking ahead to next year, Tackett said that, based on participant feedback, organizers plan to include more information about informatics. There is also already talk of a spin-off symposium specifically about coding.

Other upcoming IDeA National Resource for Proteomics events include:

  • Proteomics Student Workshop, May 17-19 at UAMS

More information is available at http://idearesourceproteomics.org/.

NFL Players Pay Surprise Visit to UAMS Cancer Patients

APRIL 12, 2017 | Giving back to his home state is a goal Clinton McDonald takes seriously. For the fifth straight year, the Jacksonville native and Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle returned to Arkansas for a week of activities aimed at lifting up the community that gave him his start.

“Every time I come home, I get a certain feeling in my heart,” McDonald said. During his annual trips, one of his top priorities is spending an afternoon visiting with patients at the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute.

“We want to let them know that we’re thinking about them and praying for them. They are in a hard fight, and we’re here to give them a thumbs up and offer encouragement to keep going,” he said.

Accompanying McDonald on his visit were fellow Jacksonville native and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Demetrius Harris; Pine Bluff native and retired Carolina Panthers and Detroit Lions cornerback Dante Wesley; Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Michael Johnson; and Seattle Seahawks defensive end Lazarius Levingston.

“It’s easy to forget the struggles that other people are facing, but coming here and sharing some smiles is always a blessing,” said Johnson.

The patients agree that getting a surprise visit from NFL players is a boost to their spirits. Kansas City native Daniel Favela was shocked to have a member of his favorite team – the Kansas City Chiefs – stop by to shake his hand. “I couldn’t believe it when I saw Demetrius Harris. It made my day,” he said.

Patient John Stults Jr. also was surprised to meet McDonald, who happens to be the son of one of Stults’ coworkers and friends. “I’ve known Clinton’s dad for years, so it was exciting to finally get to meet him,” he said. Stults also found common ground with Johnson, who graduated from Georgia Tech, the same college Stults’ sons attended.

For Wesley, the visit was a personal one as his mother worked as a nurse at the Cancer Institute prior to her death in 2008. “I haven’t been back here in a long time, and it’s been nice talking to some of the nurses who remember my mom,” he said, taking the time to let some patients and staff members try on his two Super Bowl rings.

While in Arkansas, McDonald also hosted the fifth annual Arkansas Iron Sharpen Iron Youth Cheer and Football Camp at Jacksonville High School for more than 700 student athletes ages 6-17. His fellow players assisted with the camp, which is conducted by McDonald’s nonprofit foundation McDonald Association Collective Collaboration – Light Into Darkness (MACC-LID).

To view more photos of the players’ visit, go to facebook.com/uamscancerinstitute.

UAMS to Offer Free Estate Planning Assistance for Cancer Patients April 20

LITTLE ROCK — Cancer patients and survivors are invited to receive free legal assistance on important personal documents April 20 at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS).

The estate planning clinic will be held at the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute as a free service by local attorneys. It is open to anyone in cancer treatment or who has completed treatment, based on financial need. One-hour appointments are available at either 4:30 p.m. or 5:30 p.m. April 20. Attendees will meet individually with licensed attorneys to prepare wills, living wills and powers of attorney and will receive notarized copies of their documents.

Advance reservations are required by contacting the UAMS Cancer Institute Social Work Department at 501-603-1612 or wilsonavisf@uams.edu. The event will take place in the Patient Support Pavilion on the first floor of the UAMS Cancer Institute. Free parking is available in parking deck 3 at the corner of Cedar Street and Capitol Avenue.

UAMS to Offer Free Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Screening April 21

LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) will offer free oral, head and neck cancer screenings from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. April 21 on the sixth floor of the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute.

Screenings are noninvasive, take about 10 minutes and are conducted by the UAMS Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery under the direction of  surgical oncologist Mauricio Moreno, M.D., and resident physician Juliana Bonilla Velez, M.D.

To make an appointment, call (501) 603-1212 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. April 17-20. Walk-ins are welcome but may experience a short wait. Free parking is available in Parking Deck 3, located at Cedar Street and Capitol Avenue.

Oral, head and neck cancers include those that arise in the nasal cavity, sinuses, lips, mouth, thyroid glands, salivary glands, throat or larynx (voice box). In 2017, there will be an estimated 106,540 new cases of cancer of the thyroid, oral cavity and pharynx cancers in the United States, and approximately 11,710 deaths from these cancers.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) has recently emerged as a leading cause of tonsil and base of tongue cancer, particularly in nonsmokers and younger age groups. While the majority of all head and neck cancers are linked to tobacco and alcohol use, more than half of tonsil and base of tongue cancers are linked to HPV.

Signs and symptoms of oral, head and neck cancer include sores in the mouth that do not go away, a growth or swelling in the neck, persistent sore throat, trouble swallowing or voice changes.

UAMS Cancer Researcher Awarded $1.7 Million NIH Grant to Study Prevention of Radiation-Induced Cancer

LITTLE ROCK — A $1.7 million grant from the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will allow a University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) researcher to study a potential new therapy to reduce the risk of blood cancer caused by ionizing radiation.

Daohong Zhou, M.D., was awarded the grant for his research team’s work addressing whether the ability to restore the fitness of a person’s blood cell-generating cells — called hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) — after they undergo radiation can prevent blood cancers such as leukemia or bone marrow disorders known as myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), all of which are induced by ionizing radiation.

“Earlier this year, we published a study showing that chemotherapy induces cellular aging, also called senescence, in normal tissue and promotes adverse effects such as fatigue, cancer relapse and metastasis. Now, we will test whether restoring fitness to blood cell-generating stem cells by selectively eliminating old and damaged HSCs after ionizing radiation exposure has the potential to prevent MDS and leukemia from occurring,” said Zhou, associate director for basic research in the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute.

To eliminate the old or senescent cells, Zhou’s team will use a senolytic drug discovered by his research group a year ago. Senolytic drugs selectively kill old or senescent cells.

Out of all cases of MDS and leukemia, up to 20 percent are considered to be caused by ionizing radiation exposure and chemotherapy. These therapy-related diseases also represent the most serious long-term complications for patients with Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma and several other cancers.

The incidence of ionizing radiation-induced blood cancers is on the rise due in part to the increased life span of both pediatric and adults cancer survivors who require not only radiation therapy to treat their initial cancer diagnosis, but also multiple CT scans over their lifetime to monitor for a possible recurrence. Cancer patients may undergo several types of treatment and testing that uses ionizing radiation, including radiation therapy, CT scans, PET scans and X-rays.

The team of research includes staff member Jianhui Chang and postdoctoral fellow Yingying Wang, Ph.D., in Zhou’s lab, and Zhou’s collaborators, Martin Hauer-Jensen, M.D., Ph.D., and Rupak Pathak, Ph.D., at UAMS and Michael Thirman, M.D., and Roger Luo, Ph.D., at the University of Chicago.

Zhou is hopeful that his research may also have other applications.

“Cellular senescence not only occurs due to radiation exposure; it occurs when a person undergoes chemotherapy and as part of the normal aging process. We hope to show the potential of senolytic drugs to reduce malignancies of the blood caused by chemotherapy or new cancers caused by aging,” said Zhou, who holds the Distinguished Winthrop Rockefeller Endowed Chair of Leukemia and Lymphoma Research at UAMS.

Zhou is also a professor of pharmaceutical sciences and deputy director of the Division of Radiation Health in the UAMS College of Pharmacy’s Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Nonsecretory Multiple Myeloma: New Options in Assessment and Treatment

Hallmark of most multiple myeloma cases is the persistent production of some form of immunoglobulins, a phenomenon that brings the disease to attention. However, there is a subset of multiple myeloma patients who do not secrete immunoglobulin or its component parts into either the blood or urine, hence called non-secretory myeloma. Some non-secretory myeloma patients may produce the immunoglobulin proteins but they have defects in secretion. Due to lack of these protein biomarkers in blood and urine, it may be difficult to assess and treat the disease. Our myeloma panel is talking to Dr. Frits Van Rhee about latest developments and new options available in assessment and treatment of nonsecretory myeloma.  Listen to podcast.

Faces of UAMS: Brian Walker, Ph.D.

Brian Walker is the director of research for the UAMS Myeloma Center. March is Multiple Myeloma Awareness Month, and Walker discusses what that special focus on myeloma means, his research and how the UAMS Myeloma Center’s world-leading status for the research and treatment of it drew him to accept his position here more than a year ago.