Cancer Featured Stories

Findings on DNA Damage Repair Published By UAMS Cancer Researcher

A UAMS research team led by Justin Leung, Ph.D., (pictured front) was published in the journal Nature Communications. Co-authors of the study are Jessica Kelliher, B.S., (left) and Kirk West, Ph.D.

Findings on DNA Damage Repair Published by UAMS Cancer Researcher

By Susan Van Dusen

June 3, 2020 | LITTLE ROCK — A research team led by cancer researcher Justin Leung, Ph.D., at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) has uncovered the role of the protein RNF168 in DNA damage repair and shown how mutations of the protein affect people with a rare genetic condition.

The study titled “Histone H2A variants alpha1-extension helix directs RNF168-mediated ubiquitination” was published in the May 18 issue of the open-access journal Nature Communications.

“Every day our cells are subjected to environmental sources of DNA damage, such as ultraviolet radiation and toxic chemical exposure. If left unrepaired, these damages can accumulate, leaving mutations in our DNA and ultimately cause cells to become cancerous,” said Leung, assistant professor in the UAMS College of Medicine Department of Radiation Oncology.

In most cases, this damage is detected and repaired by a tightly regulated method involving many proteins. To develop better cancer therapies, researchers such as Leung strive to understand the regulation of DNA damage and repair by sensitizing cells to radiation therapy and chemotherapy drugs that target DNA.

“Our lab studies the repair of double stranded breaks, where both strands of DNA are broken apart completely. When a double strand break occurs, a cascade of protein activity is set off to try to resolve the damage,” Leung said.

Mutations in one of these proteins, RNF168, have been found in patients with RIDDLE syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that increases a person’s predisposition to blood cancer and is characterized by several attributes:

Susceptibility to DNA damaging agents
Immunodeficiency, or failure of the immune system to protect the body from infection
Developmental abnormalities
Learning disabilities

RNF168 adds a small signaling molecule called ubiquitin onto a subunit of chromatin, where we store our genetic information. The ubiquitin signal brings repair proteins to DNA double strand breaks. However, exactly how RNF168 recognizes the specific target remains unclear.

Using molecular and structural analysis methods, Leung’s team uncovered crucial components of RNF168 and chromatin required for the implementation of repair pathways in response to DNA damage. Their findings suggest that a recognition between RNF168 and chromatin is required to activate the downstream DNA repair processes.

“RNF168 is a central DNA damage response protein. Understanding the precise mechanisms by which it activates its targets is essential for understanding how the DNA damage response goes awry. Our results help demystify the role of RNF168 in proper DNA damage repair and understand the implications of RNF168 mutations such as those seen in RIDDLE syndrome,” Leung said.

UAMS authors for this study included Jessica Kelliher, B.S., research assistant, and Kirk West, Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow.

UAMS is the state's only health sciences university, with colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions and Public Health; a graduate school; a hospital; a main campus in Little Rock; a Northwest Arkansas regional campus in Fayetteville; a statewide network of regional campuses; and seven institutes: the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, Psychiatric Research Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Translational Research Institute and Institute for Digital Health & Innovation. UAMS includes UAMS Health, a statewide health system that encompasses all of UAMS' clinical enterprise. UAMS is the only adult Level 1 trauma center in the state. U.S. News & World Report recognized UAMS Medical Center as a Best Hospital for 2021-22; ranked its ear, nose and throat program among the top 50 nationwide for the third year; and named five areas as high performing — colon cancer surgery, diabetes, hip replacement, knee replacement and stroke. UAMS has 3,047 students, 873 medical residents and fellows, and six dental residents. It is the state's largest public employer with more than 11,000 employees, including 1,200 physicians who provide care to patients at UAMS, its regional campuses, Arkansas Children's, the VA Medical Center and Baptist Health. Visit www.uams.edu or uamshealth.com. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or Instagram.

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UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute To Host ‘Be a Part of the Cure’ Sept. 2 on KATV

Be a Part of the Cure, UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute

UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute To Host ‘Be a Part of the Cure’ Sept. 2 on KATV

By Susan Van Dusen

June 1, 2020 | LITTLE ROCK — Arkansans are invited to “Be a Part of the Cure” on Sept. 2 when the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) hosts its first-ever televised event to raise funds and awareness for its research and treatment programs.

The event is set for 11 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. Sept. 2 on KATV, Channel 7, and will allow Cancer Institute supporters to phone or text their donations in support of the institute’s programs. Natalie and Win Rockefeller Jr. are the event chairs.

Members of the Cancer Institute’s Board of Advisors, along with other supporters and local celebrities, will answer phones throughout the event, which will air live on KATV periodically throughout the day.

To make a donation prior to Sept. 2, visit the Be a Part of the Cure webpage.

Individuals also are invited to share stories and photos about their cancer experience and how the Cancer Institute impacted their lives by visiting the Cancer Institute’s Facebook page.

“The lives of Arkansans are saved every day thanks to the world-class doctors, nurses and scientists at the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute. Unfortunately, however, we are still far from finding cures for many types of cancer,” said Win Rockefeller.

“That’s why,” added Natalie Rockefeller, “we are proud to give every Arkansan the chance to support the Cancer Institute safely from the comfort of their own home.”

The Cancer Institute’s 25^th Anniversary Gala for Life, originally scheduled for Oct. 2, has been postponed until 2021 due to safety measures related to COVID-19.

“We are grateful to Natalie and Win Rockefeller Jr. for working tirelessly to ensure that the Cancer Institute’s research and treatment programs can continue to thrive and benefit all Arkansans, especially during these challenging times,” said Michael Birrer, M.D., Ph.D., vice chancellor and director of the Cancer Institute.

Viewers also will learn about the institute’s quest to achieve National Cancer Institute (NCI) Designation, which is awarded through a highly competitive assessment process. To achieve designation, cancer centers must demonstrate outstanding depth and breadth of high-quality cancer research, including basic laboratory, patient/clinical and population-based research.

Achieving NCI Designation would provide many tangible benefits, including improved access to clinical trials and new therapies unavailable elsewhere in the state; greatly increased access to federal research grant awards; and the creation of more than 1,500 new jobs over five years.

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Developmental Therapeutics Research Program Highly Collaborative and Translational

The Developmental Therapeutics program at the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute focuses on developing hypotheses and evidence-based translational strategies for improved cancer treatment.

Hong-yu Li, Ph.D., professor in the UAMS College of Pharmacy Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, serves as program leader.

The Cancer Institute’s largest research program, Developmental Therapeutics was originally known as the Therapeutic Science program. It recently received a name change and more focused mission emphasizing technology associated with the discovery and development of small molecule drug agents and biological therapies. This discovery phase is followed by validation using preclinical and clinical models.

“Our focus is both highly translational and highly collaborative. If we want to achieve results, we must collaborate with others, not only in this program, but also across UAMS, nationally and internationally. Collaboration is a priority in our success,” Li said.

The program’s main goals emphasize the optimization of therapies that connect the bench to the bedside through the discovery and development of new drugs for new cancer targets. By establishing a Phase 1 Clinical Trial Unit at the Cancer Institute, scientists could directly connect patient outcomes to their preclinical studies.

“A Phase 1 Unit would allow us not only to take our discoveries from bench to bedside, but also from the bedside back to the bench. If we found new mutations or biological targets, we can go back to the bench and continue working on those to further develop and improve the new drugs,” Li said.

Ultimately, the program aims for its members and collaborators to translate their research into new drugs for the marketplace. This directly ties to the Cancer Institute’s quest for National Cancer Institute (NCI) Designation, as NCI requires evidence of patents received and companies formed based on research accomplished at the centers.

The fact that program members have a wide range of expertise and practical experience in developing Investigational New Drug (IND) applications and conducting IND studies and clinical trials, gives the program an advantage.

“NCI wants to see us translate our basic research into something useful for the public. That, of course, is our ultimate goal as well,” Li said.

Cancer Biology Research Program Aims to Understand Basic Science of Tumor Development and Growth

The Cancer Biology program at the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute brings together investigators studying the basic biology of cancer at the molecular, cellular and in vivo levels. Program investigators use biochemical, genetic and other methodologies to study and understand the mechanisms of malignant transformation, tumor progression and tumor metastasis.

Steven Post, Ph.D., professor in the UAMS College of Medicine Department of Pathology, serves as program leader.

“Cancer biology is very broad based as it applies to basic science discovery. However, our program focuses on understanding the basic science as it relates to tumor cell development and how a cell’s environment either supports or inhibits tumor growth,” Post said.

These types of basic science discoveries are the building blocks that scientists in other areas need to conduct their own research.

“If a basic scientist identifies a process that inhibits tumor cell growth, researchers in therapeutics, for example, could design molecules that target that process, making it more difficult for tumors to grow or spread. This could lead to clinical trials of new therapies, bringing clinical relevance to our initial laboratory discovery,” Post said.

Program members are focused in three main areas:

Viral oncology, which includes both how viruses initiate tumor formation and how viruses can be used to target tumor cells
Tumor immune response, which looks at how T cells change their behavior in a tumor and how those changes can be reverted back to the normal immune response
Vaccine targets, which examines new targets for vaccines and how to make them more effective

Since Cancer Biology was named one of the Cancer Institute’s four research programs in late January 2020, Post and his fellow members continue to solidify the program’s short- and long-term focus. A major goal includes encouraging program members to publish research and submit grants together, as well as collaborate with members of other research programs in the Cancer Institute.

“We need to have interactions across program lines where we establish co-authorships and collaborations between programs,” Post said.

After spending his early career researching cardiovascular health, Post moved into the cancer arena after discovering that the protein he studied also played a fundamental role in the microenvironment of tumors. Similarly, he said, researchers focused on other disease sites may also find unexpected connections to cancer research.

“There is a lot of overlap in biomedical research that allows people to transition their focus from other areas to cancer and bring new ideas to the table,” Post said.

Reducing Cancer Therapy Side Effects One Goal of DNA Damage and Host Response Program

The DNA Damage and Host Response program at the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute studies DNA repair and genomic instability in cancer and normal tissues, as well as various biological mechanisms of and new interventions in adverse effects of cancer therapy.

In particular, investigators are interested in genomic modifications involved in oncogenesis, resistance to therapy, and biological mechanisms such as inflammation and oxidative stress that contribute to short- and long-term sequelae of radiation and chemotherapy. The long-term goal of the program is to improve cancer treatment outcomes as well as quality of life of cancer patients and survivors.

Marjan Boerma, Ph.D., associate professor in the UAMS College of Pharmacy Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and director of the Division of Radiation Health, serves as program leader.

The program’s two components — DNA damage and host response – go hand in hand, Boerma said.

“Under the umbrella of host response falls any type of research that examines how normal or non-cancerous cells and tissues are affected by treatment, whether it be chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immune modulation or any other type of therapy,” she said.

Therapy-induced injuries in non-cancerous cells and tissues often leads to side effects, which can range from mild to severe. The response also can change the microenvironment in which the tumor is growing.

“By studying the response of normal tissue, we hope to develop methods to modify tumors by modifying the environment surrounding them. In addition, this research will also help us better understand how to reduce side effects, which will make therapy safer and more tolerable,” Boerma said.

The program’s second component examines DNA damage and repair. Understanding how these processes operate in both cancer cells and normal cells is an ideal pairing with the study of host response.

“Since DNA damage is at the basis of the tumor and normal tissue response to many cancer therapies, DNA damage and host response really do go hand in hand in my mind,” Boerma said.

In the short term, Boerma hopes that program members take the opportunity get to know each other, build new collaborations and continue existing collaborations.

“By working together, we will strengthen our program as a whole,” she said.

Long-term goals include securing new extramural funding, both for individual program members and collaborative groups. This includes groups within the DNA Repair and Host Response program and with members of the Cancer Institute’s other research programs.

“Funding is, of course, essential to our research. By working together, our projects will grow and our ability to attain funding will increase along with it,” she said.

Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences Program Addresses Entire Cancer Continuum

The Cancer Prevention & Population Science (CPPS) program at the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute conducts research to define etiologic factors underlying health disparities in the urban-rural continuum. The program’s team-oriented and translationally based approach covers the entire cancer continuum — primary prevention, early detection, laboratory research, clinical trials and applications, diagnosis and treatment, quality of life, and survivorship.

Mayumi Nakagawa, M.D., Ph.D., and Joseph Su, Ph.D., M.P.H., have served as co-leaders of the program at the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute since its formation in 2015.

In terms of the Cancer Institute’s efforts to achieve NCI Designation, CPPS is a vital program to ensure statewide efforts related to cancer prevention and screening are being met.

“The title of our program describes its focus, which is cancer prevention on the population level. In Arkansas, we have high diagnosis, incidence and mortality rates of certain types of cancer, particularly lung, breast, prostate and colorectal cancers. We are looking at the varied reasons for this and how to combat it,” Nakagawa said.

Among the areas the program examines include lack of access to services, underutilization of cancer preventative measures and screenings, and genetic, lifestyle and environmental causes of cancer.

“Cancer disparities have a lot to do with behavior-related issues, such as smoking and obesity. In terms of preventative services, Arkansas has one of the lowest rates of people receiving the HPV vaccine and one of the highest rates of cervical cancer incidence and mortality. This is preventable and a place where we as a state need to improve,” Su said.

One of the major projects underway in the CPPS are the two ongoing clinical trials for a therapeutic HPV vaccine developed in Nakagawa’s lab. One of the trials, now in Phase 2, treats women with high-grade precancerous cervical lesions by enhancing their immune response. The second trial, now in Phase 1/2, is designed to prevent recurrence of head and neck cancer in previously diagnosed patients.

CPPS also is charged by the state Legislature to study the feasibility of a statewide cancer navigation program. The effort, which would include many stakeholders from across Arkansas, would serve as a resource to help patients find the most convenient services in their community, from cancer prevention through treatment and survivorship.

“For a lot of Arkansans, poverty is a major issue. Traveling to Little Rock for medical treatment can be a challenge, so we are hoping to direct people to services in their own communities that can serve their needs,” Su said.

UAMS Employees Create Sculpture for Cancer Institute Drive

Eric Hale, Penny Talbert and Kenneth Bailey created this tree sculpture from wrought iron saved from the homes along Pine and Cedar.

UAMS Employees Create Sculpture for Cancer Institute Drive

By Yavonda Chase

Feb. 18, 2020 | For 10 years, Penny Talbert has been trying to get something to grow in a certain spot along the circle drive at the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute.

Eric Hale and Kenneth Bailey weld the wrought iron together to make the sculpture.Penny Talbert

“I finally realized that the area was too shaded and too windy for anything to thrive in that spot,” the landscape manager said. “What we needed was a sculpture.”

But sculptures don’t grow on trees. They cost money, and Talbert didn’t have the funds in her landscaping budget.

What she did have was reclaimed materials. As UAMS demolished homes along Pine and Cedar streets to make way for a much-needed power plant, Talbert and her staff saved the wrought iron from the houses’ porches.

“I thought we could use the wrought iron to make a sculpture. It seemed like a great way to fill a need I had on the campus and honor the neighborhood around UAMS,” she said.

Look closely at the tree and you’ll see decorative elements, such as these hearts, that were part of the original wrought iron.Yavonda Chase

Talbert approached Christina Clark, vice chancellor for Institutional Support Services and chief operating officer, with the idea, and quickly received the go ahead. Talbert, welder Eric Hale and landscape technician Kenneth Bailey worked on the project after hours in the sub-basement.

“At first, they thought I was completely crazy,” Talbert said with a laugh. “And after the first few days, I agreed with them. It was a hot mess.”

But with a little time and a lot of work, the sculpture came together.

“I had never done something like this before,” Talbert said. “But I had a vision in my head that this could be something truly special. I’m really grateful to Eric and Kenneth because I couldn’t have done this on my own.”

A beautiful wrought iron sculpture greets patients at they drive up to the Cancer Institute.

Now, an iron tree that shows off the talent and creativity of Team UAMS greets patients pulling up to the Cancer Institute. Soon, rocks from the Pine and Cedar houses will surround the sculpture, including one bearing a plaque that reads, “Integrating our past into plans for the future.”

“I am amazed at what Penny and her team were able to create,” said Clark. “It just goes to show that our amazing employees can really do anything they put their minds to.”

Recovery from Acute Leukemia Gives Teacher Something to Celebrate

Allogeneic stem cell transplant recipient Dottie Lobbs (center) joined her physician, Muthu Veeraputhiran, M.D., (left) and husband Mike Lobbs at the first-ever UAMS Cancer Institute's Celebration of Life.

Dottie Lobbs (center) joins her physician, Muthu Veeraputhiran, M.D., (left) and husband Mike Lobbs at the first-ever UAMS Cancer Institute’s Celebration of Life. Lobbs underwent an allogeneic stem cell transplant at UAMS after being diagnosed with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia-2 .

Recovery from Acute Leukemia Gives Teacher Something to Celebrate

By Susan Van Dusen

May 31, 2018 | It was the summer of 2015 and Dottie Lobbs should have been enjoying her summer break. Instead, Lobbs, a special education teacher at Glen Rose High School in Malvern, was experiencing such severe fatigue that she knew something was wrong.

It was probably bronchitis or some other easily treatable condition, her doctor said. But the antibiotics she was prescribed did not make a difference. As the first day of the new school year rolled around, Lobbs went back to the doctor and was quickly hospitalized. Still, however, no one could not determine the cause of her fatigue or abnormal blood work.

That’s when she asked for a referral to UAMS.

Within three days of her first appointment she was diagnosed with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia-2 (CMML-2), a type of cancer that starts in the blood-forming cells of the bone marrow and spreads to the blood.

Allogeneic stem cell transplant patient Rhonda Young was joined at the event by Lane Johnson, her unrelated stem cell donor. Johnson traveled from Houston to attend the celebration.

“It was totally out of the blue,” she said.

While some other types of cancer are staged by the size of the tumor, CMML is split into two groups based on the percentage of immature cells, called blast cells, in the blood and bone marrow. In healthy people, blast cells make up 5 percent or less of normally developing marrow cells. In CMML-2, the percentage of blast cells is between 5 percent to 20 percent in the blood and 10 percent to 20 percent in the bone marrow.

With a team led by Muthu Veeraputhiran, M.D., director of the UAMS Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplant Program, Lobbs was admitted to the UAMS hospital Jan. 8 where she spent about the next 25 days undergoing her first round of chemotherapy.

“For patients who are diagnosed with acute leukemia and have high-risk features, we use chemotherapy to get them into remission while we search for a suitable stem cell donor,” said Veeraputhiran, who also is an associate professor in the UAMS College of Medicine Department of Internal Medicine.

An allogeneic stem cell transplant is the only curative treatment for CMML and requires a donation of blood-forming stem cells from another person. The first allogeneic stem cell transplant in the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute’s program was conducted May 13, 2015. “Our first transplant patient is still doing amazingly well today,” Veeraputhiran said.

UAMS has the only adult allogeneic stem cell transplant program in Arkansas and performs about 20 transplants per year for patients with acute leukemia and relapsed lymphoma. Veeraputhiran was named director of the program in February 2017.

About 60 guests attended the UAMS Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplant Program’s first-ever Celebration of Life on May 11.

Luckily for Lobbs, her brother was a suitable match and agreed to undergo the process to donate his stem cells to her.

Finding a stem cell donor is not always that easy, although research is improving the odds, Veeraputhiran said. Siblings have only a 25 percent match rate, and often people must turn to the national Be the Match stem cell donor registry to search for an unrelated donor.

A new process, however, can use donors who are a half-match, by incorporating novel combinations of therapies that minimize the rejection process.

For racial minorities, this is an especially important breakthrough, as African-Americans and Hispanics have less than a 30 percent chance of finding an unrelated donor through the national registry.

“The number of racial minorities in the registry is not as high as we would like it to be,” Veeraputhiran said. The unrelated match rate for whites is 60 percent to 70 percent due to higher rates of participation in the registry.

To prepare for his donation, Lobbs’ brother underwent four days of stem cell stimulating shots and had a port inserted into his chest for the blood to be drawn. Most stem cell donations are done through a blood draw.

While her brother was undergoing his preparation for the donation, Lobbs’ process was much more intense. After her first 25-day stay in the hospital, she went home for five days before returning to UAMS for 25 more. A 10-day round of outpatient chemotherapy followed, and, another 10-day stint in the hospital, culminating with her stem cell transplant on April 20.

Merchel Moore (center) brought guests to help celebrate her treatment and recovery.

After another 20 days in the hospital, she was released, but still had daily appointments at UAMS that required a one-hour drive back and forth from her home in the Brush Creek community outside Malvern.

Finally, on the 100^th day after her transplant, Lobbs was declared cancer free. After easing back into the regular routine, she returned to work full time in December 2016.

“I had the most positive experience at UAMS that I possibly could have had. Dr. Veeraputhiran and his team were so wonderful. I am so grateful,” she said.

Even after having spent so much time at UAMS, Lobbs did not hesitate to accept an invitation to return on May 11, 2018, for an event honoring all of the patients who have undergone allogeneic stem cell transplants at UAMS, along with their donors and loved ones.

The program’s first-ever Celebration of Life welcomed about 70 people to the UAMS Cancer Institute to reminisce and reconnect over their shared experiences.

“I made a lot of friends while I was undergoing treatment, and it was good to see them,” Lobbs said, adding that visits from former transplant patients while she was hospitalized gave her hope that she would make it through as well. She hopes someday to pay it forward by volunteering with the program and offering living proof to patients that their disease can be overcome.

“Cancer is always scary, but acute leukemia and recurrent lymphoma are life-threatening emergencies. These patients beat the odds. We had this event to tell them we are honored to be part of their journey, and we believe their recovery is worth celebrating,” Veeraputhiran said.

In addition to Veeraputhiran, the transplant team includes physicians Pooja Motwani, M.D., and Appalanaidu Sasapu, M.D., both assistant professors in the UAMS College of Medicine Department of Internal Medicine; registered nurses, advanced practice registered nurses, case managers, social workers and staff of the UAMS hospital’s E7 wing and the UAMS Cancer Institute’s Infusion Clinic 4; and transplant coordinators.

Springdale Man Finds Personalized Care at UAMS

At UAMS, Seth Mohorn found people like Amanda Davis (left) who afforded him the opportunity to be part of the decision-making process.

Springdale Man Finds Personalized Care at UAMS

By ChaseYavondaC

May 21, 2018 | May 21, 2018 | There were plenty of reasons why Seth Mohorn would need a feeding tube for an extended period after a recent surgery, but he was determined to quell them.

It did not matter that an everyday task would suddenly require more effort from him than ever before. He wanted to continue to eat and drink as he always had.

Mohorn, 46, of Springdale, has medullary thyroid cancer.

“This is a rare form of thyroid cancer that is very aggressive,” said Mauricio Moreno, M.D., head and neck surgeon and assistant professor in the UAMS College of Medicine‘s Department of Otolaryngology. “It originates from the thyroid like other forms, but its treatment is not the same.”

Chemotherapy, radiation and surgery have all been part of Mohorn’s treatment. His most recent procedure in 2016 was the most extensive. Multiple tumors reappeared in Mohorn’s neck, including one at the base of his skull.

To reach it, Moreno had to cut through layers of muscle and nerves, as well as Mohorn’s jaw bone. The incision started under Mohorn’s ear, extended to the middle of his neck and up through the middle of the jaw. Moreno dissected muscles and nerves in the area to lift the bone and access the tumor.

Mohorn left the hospital with a feeding tube. At his first post-operative visit two weeks later, he was ready for its removal.

Amanda Davis, UAMS Speech Pathology Program manager and Mohorn’s speech pathologist, explained to him the long-term swallowing issues he would have as result of his surgery.

Ordinarily, the throat squeezes to push the food down into the stomach. The airway briefly closes to ensure no food falls through and into the lungs. Mohorn’s would not, Davis said, because many of the muscles that complete those tasks were involved in his surgery. He would have swallowing issues and be at risk of aspirating food into his airway, said Davis.

The result of a thyroidectomy in 2014, also done by Moreno, would also provide a stumbling block. The surgery included the removal of one tumor that encompassed Mohorn’s left vocal cord. That left his vocal cord paralyzed.

“The vocal cords are a protection,” said Davis. “If food gets in the airway, they will close off and induce a cough. With a paralyzed vocal cord, Seth would not be able to do this.”

After the type of surgery Mohorn endured, Moreno said it is common for his patients to be on a feeding tube for an extended period of time.

“The speech and swallowing impediments are pretty significant and we see it immediately after the procedure,” said Moreno. “The patient wants to be able to eat normally and swallow, but they just cannot because so many nerves and muscles are involved with that procedure.”

Davis recommended Mohorn move forward with a feeding tube while he recovered from surgery; however, Mohorn was adamant he could do without the tube with the support of his family and friends.

“We had a conversation about his wishes and he did not want a tube,” said Davis. “We struck a deal and told him to try it for two weeks and come back to see us.”

If he came back with other issues or significant weight loss, he would have to have a feeding tube inserted.

Davis walked Mohorn through the steps he would need to take. To start off, his food would need to be blended and his liquids thickened to the consistency of honey. Every bite would need to be consumed in teaspoon sizes alternating between food and drink each time.

Mohorn was invited to the state Capitol to see Gov. Asa Hutchinson sign a proclamation declaring May to be Better Hearing and Speech Month.

To properly digest his food, Mohorn tucked his chin and swallowed three, four and five times for each bite. He was taught certain techniques to make sure his throat was clear. One was the supraglottic swallow. It required him to swallow, hold his breath, cough and swallow again.

“When we swallow, the airway closes so food can pass, but without proper control, you start breathing again,” said Davis. “If food or liquid is still there, it is likely to go in your airway, so this method acts as a precaution in case something does pass into the airway.”

At his first follow-up visit, he was progressing well, said Davis.

Davis recommended exercises Mohorn could complete at home to strengthen his muscles. With each return visit, he was better. Slowly, modifications were made to return him to a normal diet.

“The last time I saw him I walked in and he was eating a bag of chips,” said Davis. “I said, ‘I think you’re fine.’”

Moreno and Davis said they were both impressed by Mohorn’s drive.

“He was one of those patients with specific goals and willing to do what it took to get there,” said Davis.

“He’s a go-getter,” said Moreno.

Mohorn was thankful to be part the decision-making process in his treatment.

“Amanda was the greatest advocate,” said Mohorn. “She knew me far beyond what the folder said about me. She went and fought on my behalf to give me a chance.”

Mohorn was recognized by the Arkansas Speech-Language-Hearing Association in 2017 as its Adult Poster Ambassador. In his acceptance speech, he challenged the room full of audiologists and speech pathologists to be an advocate for their patients and develop relationships with them.

“Know their needs and know their characteristics and qualities,” said Mohorn. “In doing so, you push them to greater heights.”

He acknowledged that his cancer has put him “in the fourth quarter of life.” But Mohorn said he refuses to be driven by fear or anger. He said he’s learned to be content in the year since his cancer diagnosis. He is focused on his family and advocating for change.

UAMS Scientist Crooks Honored by Cancer Institute Auxiliary

Peter Crooks, Ph.D., D.Sc., was honored by the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute for his achievements in drug development.

UAMS Scientist Crooks Honored by Cancer Institute Auxiliary

By Susan Van Dusen

May 25, 2018 | The process of creating new drug therapies is completely foreign to most people. But for UAMS’ Peter Crooks, Ph.D., D.Sc., it’s just another day at the office.

In honor of his many contributions to the field of drug discovery, Crooks was named the 2018 Distinguished Honoree by the volunteer auxiliary of the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute. The award was presented May 17 at a luncheon hosted at the home of auxiliary member Martha Murphy.

Crooks, who serves as chairman of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences in the UAMS College of Pharmacy, was presented the award by Laura Hutchins, M.D., professor of medicine in the UAMS College of Medicine and associate director of clinical research at the Cancer Institute.

Peter Crooks, Ph.D., D.Sc., (center) is joined by Interim UAMS Chancellor Stephanie Gardner, Pharm.D., Ed.D., (left) and Laura Hutchins, M.D., prior to his introduction as the 2018 UAMS Cancer Institute Auxiliary Distinguished Honoree.

“Dr. Crooks’ extensive career had led to improved therapies for patients with complex medical conditions, including cancer. We are privileged to have him and his research team at UAMS and to be witness to these extraordinary and life-changing discoveries,” Hutchins said.

Among Crooks’ most significant accomplishments is the fact that five drugs discovered in his lab have made it into clinical trials, a years-long, highly regulated process in which people participate as patients or healthy volunteers to determine the safety and effectiveness of new drugs.

“The stars aligned when we recruited Dr. Crooks to bring his drug development program to UAMS. Getting one new drug into clinical trials is a significant accomplishment for any scientist. Dr. Crooks has achieved this milestone five times, which truly deserves recognition and appreciation,” said Stephanie Gardner, Pharm.D., Ed.D., interim UAMS chancellor, senior vice chancellor for academic affairs and provost.

Hutchins described for the crowd of about 60 guests the five drugs Crooks’ team has translated into clinical trials or had approved by the FDA for widespread use:

• Valchor, an anticancer drug approved by the FDA in 2013 to treat early-stage cutaneous T-cell lymphoma
• A drug for treatment of acute myeloid leukemia, currently in phase 1 clinical trials
• Two drugs developed to treat methamphetamine abuse and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
• A drug for treatment of early onset Alzheimer’s disease

His lab is now working on a development of a drug to treat neuropathy, which is the weakness, numbness and pain often experienced by people undergoing cancer treatment.

“I am optimistic for the future. In the next few years, I believe you will find drugs developed at UAMS, patented by UAMS, and used clinically for UAMS patients,” said Crooks, who holds the Simmons Endowed Chair in Cancer Research.

In addition to his clinical trials, Crooks also is a fellow of the U.S. National Academy of Inventors, holds more than 80 issued drug discovery patents and has 103 patent applications pending. His entrepreneurial activities have led to the founding of seven start-up drug discovery companies during the past 30 years.

Crooks’ role as professor of pharmaceutical sciences also has had a significant influence on the future generation of scientists. During his career, he has mentored more than 90 graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.

“Dr. Crooks creates magic in the classroom and excites students in ways that no one else can,” Gardner said.

Crooks has authored more than 600 peer-reviewed research articles and 700 symposium abstracts. He serves on the editorial board of several prominent science journals, is a Fellow of the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and a Fellow of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain.

The Cancer Institute Auxiliary is one of Arkansas’ largest volunteer organizations with almost 500 members dedicated to providing information, service, compassion and hope to those whose lives are touched by cancer. Each year, the auxiliary selects a faculty or staff member at the Cancer Institute to honor for his or her dedication to the institute’s mission.

Janie Lowe serves as director of the UAMS Cancer Institute Department of Volunteer Services and Auxiliary. Tara Smith was the auxiliary’s 2017-2018 president.