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UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center
The Cancer Program of UNC-Chapel Hill & UNC Health Care
Spring 2006
UNC
N.C. CANCER HOSPITAL
LINEBERGER COMPREHENSIVE
CANCER CENTER
Developing New Ways of Treating
Metastatic Brain Tumors
Brain tumors, especially metastatic ones, are increasingly
common. In fact, there are between 125,000 and
175,000 new brain metastasis patients each year in the
United States. The most common cancers linked to these
tumors are lung, breast and melanoma.
The Neuro-Oncology Team
Seated (left to right): Patricia Cadle, oncology chaplain; Sharon Cush,
nurse clinician; Dr. Lester Kwock, radiology. Standing (left to right):
Dr. Julie Shaipless, pituitary tumor specialist; Dr. David Morris,
program co-director; Dr. Fran Collichio, medical oncology; Dr. Samer
Elbabaa, neurosurgery resident; Dr Matt Ewend, program co-director;
Dr.J. Keith Smith, neuroradiology. Not pictured is Dr. Elizabeth Bullitt,
professor of neurosurgery.
"Our work and many others' has shown that as
treatment of cancer has improved the incidence of
metastasis has increased," explains Matt Ewend, chief of
neurosurgery and co-director of Lineberger's Neuro-
Oncology Program. "Many treatments, particularly new
targeted treatments, don't get into the brain well, so
it acts as a sanctuary for tumor cells. Alternatively,
patients who may not have lived long enough to
develop brain tumors in the past may now be living
longer and the brain disease is becoming more
evident."
That's why this multidisciplinary team of
researchers and clinicians is working to provide
better diagnosis and treatment of metastatic tumors.
"This draws on the strengths of our cancer center
and focuses our attention on the large group of
patients with brain metastases," Ewend notes.
Adds David Morris, assistant professor and co¬
director of the Program, "Unlike many places, UNC
has tried to individualize care to the patient. If you
have lung cancer with brain metastases, you should
not necessarily be treated in the same manner as a
breast cancer patient with brain metastases."
The program is doing groundbreaking work in two
areas: radiation therapy and chemotherapy.
Radiation Oncology
"The key to radiation treatment is targeting the tumor in
continued on page 5
Hammonds Make Generous Gift for Pediatric Oncology
When the internationally revered childhood cancer
expert, Dr. Denny Hammond, and his wife Polly,
decided to make a $1.3 million planned gift, they chose
the place where his career began: UNC-Chapel Hill. In
the 1940s when Hammond graduated from
undergraduate school and attended the medical school,
the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center was
only a dream. But now, with the tremendous boost of
the generous couple's planned gift, the nationally
prominent cancer center and its pediatric oncology
program can make larger strides in research to
understand better these cancers that affect the smallest
and most vulnerable of our population.
As H. Shelton Earp, Director of UNC Lineberger
Comprehensive Cancer Center said, "Denny and Polly
are committed to our vision to have UNC Lineberger
become a national leader, seeking to cure and prevent
childhood cancer. Denny knows from firsthand
experience that we have made great progress, but there
are still critical issues in pediatric-age cancers. Even in
childhood leukemias where cure rates are high, too
many patients are not cured. Forward looking research is
the answer and the Hammonds’ generous planned gift
will help make this happen."
Dr. Denny Hammond ; Dr Julie Blatt, chief, UNC Pediatric
Hematology/Oncology; Dr Shelley Earp, UNC Lineberger director
continued on page 2
