personalized medicine: creating a precision paradigm · personalized medicine: creating a precision...

A Publication of The Cancer Institute of New Jersey Summer 2013

Imagine being told as a cancerpatient that your disease is notresponding to the standard ther-

apy usually given for your type ofcancer, but that because of a particu-lar genomic mutation, a clinicaltrial may offer some hope with adrug designed specifically to tar-get that abnormality. Investiga-tors working on the precisionmedicine initiative at the CancerInstitute of New Jersey have un-dertaken a genomic analysis study

which could illuminate more optionsin developing personalized and pre-cise treatments for cancer patients.It is believed that some rare and poorprognosis cancers that currently havelimited treatment options may har-bor genomic changes that can po-tentially be treated with specific tar-geted therapies. Through Next Gen-eration Sequencing and data analy-sis of DNA in tissue samples,researchers aim to identify thesechanges in order to guide treat-ment. Instead of a “one size fits all” ap-

proach, precision medicine drillsdown to the tiniest of details when itcomes to examining molecular andgenomic information. The aim is toidentify changes and patterns in in-dividual cancers that may influence

therapy outcomes. The study is anoption for patients for whom stan-dard therapy is not effective. In thisstudy, a genomic analysis of thepatient’s tissue samples is conductedto determine exact gene abnormali-ties potentially responsible for theirparticular cancer. The goal is to pin-point what drives the growth of can-cer cells. Shridar Ganesan, MD, PhD, asso-

ciate director for translational sci-ence at the Cancer Institute of New

Jersey, is heading the research. “Inrecent years we have learned thatcancers that arise in one organ, suchas breast cancer or lung cancer, arenot just one disease, but rather a col-lection of distinct diseases withvarying responses to different treat-ment strategies. We therefore needto examine many features of eachcancer to better classify it and iden-tify effective treatment,” notes Dr.Ganesan, who is an associate profes-

— Continued on Page 3

Personalized Medicine: Creating a Precision Paradigm

A New Look!

Beginning July 1, a new visual identity will be associated with the

Cancer Institute of New Jersey as we integrate with Rutgers, The State

University of New Jersey. While we will have a new look to our signage,

educational materials and more, patients and families can be assured of the

same excellent care and other services to which they are accustomed. Our

location, contact information and website address will remain the same. And

you may still donate to the Cancer Institute of New Jersey to support our

programs (see page 15).

1Go to Contents Page

Research

Treatment

Prevention

Summer 2013

Education

Inside the Cancer Institute of New Jersey

Cancer Institute of New Jersey Foundation News

s the Cancer Institute of

New Jersey officially integrates withinRutgers University on July 1, the publicwill see a new visual identity for ourcenter. Most importantly, the July 1 date also will mark the begin-ning of enhanced collaborations and relationships that will greatlybenefit our patients, our state and the field of cancer research.

As outlined in our cover feature, our precision medicine team isengaged in cutting-edge research that examines genomic changes inindividual cancers with the aim of identifying patterns that could help inbetter personalizing the type of treatment given. As investigators fromthe Cancer Institute of New Jersey begin to collect, analyze and storethis data, Rutgers researchers are partnering with us and will play anintegral role in genomic analysis and computational biology for thisendeavor.

We continue to build upon our existing collaborations with Rutgers.Through the Cancer Institute of New Jersey Foundation, RutgersProfessor of Cell Biology and Neuroscience Dr. Lori Covey wasrecently awarded one of the first Century for the Cure Research Grantsto further pursue study of new therapies for chronic lymphocyticleukemia. Dr. Covey’s work builds upon a foundation of research involv-ing laboratory models from the Cancer Institute of New Jersey. It is thissharing of knowledge and resources that will continue to move cancerresearch forward resulting in more rapid discoveries.

Along with research, promoting cancer prevention and education arepart of our core mission at the Cancer Institute of New Jersey. Theseefforts are not possible without the help of collaborations within ourgreater community. As you’ll read on pages 9 and 11, long-time supporter Johnson & Johnson continues to help make programs possible that help address health priorities impacting community residents. And as you’ll learn in our Survivor’s Corner, a father’sjourney in battling sarcoma helped inspire his teenage son to develop aunique fundraising effort to support cancer research.

As Henry Ford once said, “Coming together is a beginning, stayingtogether is progress, and working together is success.” As the CancerInstitute of New Jersey and the Cancer Institute of New JerseyFoundation come together with Rutgers University on July 1, expandedcollaborations will continue to enhance our collective progress, whichultimately will lead us along a path of success in advancing cancerresearch and delivering world-class patient care. We hope to have your support as we embark on this journey.

Sincerely,

Director’s Corner

Robert S. DiPaola, MDDirector, the Cancer Institute of New Jersey;

Associate Dean for Oncology Programs and Professor of Medicine,UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

A Nick Rom

anenko

In this Issue:

Personalized Medicine: Creating a Precision Paradigm......................

A New Look!.............................................................................................

Director’s Corner ......................................................................................

Cigarette Relighting Tied to Tough Economy.................................................................................................

Tougher Criteria May be Needed for African Americans Considering Prostate Cancer Surveillance............................................

Faculty Feature: John Langenfeld, MD...................................................

Examining Lung Cancer............................................................................

Meet Our Pharmacy and Nursing Teams:Nurses Explore Enhanced Methods of Improving Patient Care ......Pharmacy Expertise Expands ...............................................................

Clinical Trials Corner: Exploring Indicators of Early Breast Cancer Development in African American Women ...............

Let Yourself MOVE into Summer!............................................................

Language Adaptation Key in Development of Skin Cancer Interventions for U.S. Hispanics ..................................

Survivor’s Corner: Doug Susan...............................................................................................

Educating Youngsters About Dangers of Tobacco and Excess Sun Exposure .................

Systems Biologist Joins the Cancer Institute of New Jersey ....................................................................

Kudos! ................................................................................................................................................................

CINJ Network Spotlight:Welcoming a New Affiliate: Shore Medical Center ..................................................................................Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Receives Outstanding Achievement Award ....................New Medical Director for Carol G. Simon Cancer Centers .....................................................................Special Recognition ......................................................................................................................................

A New Role ...............................................................................................A New Aim for Breast Cancer Prevention............................................The Cancer Institute of New Jersey Recognized by Oncology Nursing Society ...........................................Artistic Flare .............................................................................................

Message from the Chair of the Foundation Board of Trustees .................................................................

Annual Bike Ride Supports New Hematologic Malignancies Research ...................................................

Registration Open for 9th Annual Century for the Cure....................

Everyday Heroes .......................................................................................

Sowing the Seeds of a Young Investigator ..........................................

A Clinical Research Experience for High School Students.................

Game on! ...................................................................................................

A Boost for Research ...............................................................................

1st and Goal..............................................................................................

Special Delivery ........................................................................................

Save the Date! Award of Hope Gala.....................................................

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In this Issue:

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Research

•Research

Cigarette Relighting Tied to Tough Economy

Researchers from the Cancer Institute of New Jersey have found that an accelerating trend

of smokers relighting cigarettes is relatedto economic factors, and the practicehas implications for tobacco dependencetreatment and policy. In these difficult economic times,

increasing numbers of smokers havebeen smoking fewer cigarettes per daybut are relighting the end portion of thecigarette that is typically discarded.Investigators explored this behavior,examining a cross-sectional sample of496 smokers seeking treatment from theTobacco Dependence Program, which issupported by the Cancer Institute ofNew Jersey, the School of Public Healthand the Robert Wood Johnson MedicalSchool and provides help on quittingtobacco use through treatment, educa-tion, research, and advocacy. What researchers found was that 46

percent of the sample reported relightingcigarettes. This group was found tosmoke on average, fewer cigarettes perday – 16 versus 20 - than the group thatdid not relight. A reduction in the amount of cigarettes

smoked per day may sound positive, butthere is more to the story, according toMichael Steinberg, MD, MPH, FACP, a

member of the Cancer Institute of New Jersey and director of the TobaccoDependence Program, who is the seniorauthor of the research. “Despite thoseengaging in the relighting practicesmoking fewer cigarettes, there is noestimated reduction in their exposure totoxins,” says Dr. Steinberg. “In fact,smokers who relight cigarettes may be athigher risk of lung cancer and chronicbronchitis. That is something of whichpolicy makers need to be aware,” notedSteinberg, who is also an associate professor of medicine at Robert WoodJohnson Medical School and an associateprofessor of health education andbehavioral science at the School ofPublic Health. Significantly higher rates of relighting

were found among females, African-Americans, and smokers who aredivorced, widowed or separated. The behavior was more prevalentamong smokers who started at ayounger age, have fewer cigarettes perday, smoke menthol cigarettes and wakeup at night to smoke. Other factors significantly related to relighting includebeing unemployed, sick or disabled, orhaving a high school degree or less.

Study results were given during theAnnual Meeting of the Society forResearch on Nicotine and Tobacco

held this past spring. The research is supported

by pilot fundingthrough the Cancer Institute of New Jersey.

sor of medicine and pharma-cology at UMDNJ-RobertWood Johnson MedicalSchool. Unlike previous genomic

analysis efforts at the CancerInstitute of New Jersey,which have taken six or moremonths to complete, advancesin Next Generation Sequencingtechnology have improved turnaroundtime to one month or less. This typeof response enables investigators to put theory into practice almostimmediately. If certain biomarkers or“drivers” are identified through theprocess, the findings are discussed at a weekly meeting of the precisionmedicine tumor board, which is com-prised of clinicians, basic scientists,pathologists, systems biologists andthose with computational expertise.The team can then decide quickly ifthe sequencing results suggest newtherapy options, which could includeenrollment in a clinical trial that istesting a novel drug. “This rapid shift from laboratory

bench to patient bedside is a hallmarkof the expertise and resources foundat a National Cancer Institute-desig-nated Comprehensive Cancer Centersuch as the Cancer Institute of NewJersey,” notes Lorna Rodriguez, MD,PhD, director of the precision medi-cine initiative at the Cancer Instituteof New Jersey. “We are now trying todetermine if this approach will giveclinicians an opportunity to offer newtreatments or guided enrollment intoclinical trials in a timely fashion andultimately improve outcomes for ourpatients,” added Dr. Rodriguez, whois also a professor of obstetrics, gyne-cology and reproductive sciences atRobert Wood Johnson MedicalSchool.

Personalized Medicine:Creating a PrecisionParadigm

— Continued from page 1


•Research

Research from the Cancer Institute of New Jersey suggests that more

stringent criteria may be neededfor African American men with prostatecancer when considering active surveil-lance of the disease. The findings, published in the March online version ofUrology (doi: 10.1016/j.urology.2012.12.046) found that the prevalence ofadvanced stage cancer in AfricanAmerican men who were considered tohave a low-risk prostate cancer on initialconsultation but chose to undergo a radical prostatectomy was nearly twicethat of Caucasian men. These findings of more advanced disease, confirmedthrough analysis of tissue specimens collected during surgery, suggest that thedefinition of low-risk prostate cancershould not be the same for AfricanAmerican and Caucasian men. Recent studies have shown that

just monitoring prostate cancer without aggressiveintervention can be a viabletreatment option for menwith low risk disease.However, because AfricanAmerican men tend to havemore aggressive disease thanCaucasian men, it is unclearwhether the same criteria foractive surveillance should beapplied to African Americanpatients. Investigators at theCancer Institute of NewJersey further explored thisissue.A retrospective analysis

was performed using datafrom men who underwenta radical prostatectomyby surgeons at theCancer Institute ofNew Jersey and

Johns Hopkins medical institutionsbetween 1997 and 2011. Out of 1,536African American men identified, 320men met eligibility criteria for active sur-veillance based on University ofCalifornia – San Francisco (UCSF) andNational Comprehensive CancerNetwork (NCCN) guidelines. For com-parison, 608 Caucasian men were identi-fied, with 334 men meeting eligibilitycriteria under UCSF and NCCN guide-lines.Investigators found that the rate of

higher grade disease in African Americanmen believed at first to have very low riskprostate cancer based on the UCSF andNCCN guidelines was slightly higher(37.2 to 46.0 percent) but not signifi-cantly different from that of Caucasianmen (33.5 to 39.2 percent). However,the risk of advanced stage disease wasalmost twice as high in African

Americans (19.4 percent) as inCaucasians (10.1 percent). Advancedstage is defined as T3 or greater, whichindicates growth outside of the prostate.In other words, among patients who arebelieved before surgery to have low riskdisease, African Americans are twice aslikely as Caucasians to have what is infact advanced prostate cancer.Isaac Yi Kim, MD, PhD, chief of urologic

oncology at the Cancer Institute of NewJersey and associate professor of surgeryat Robert Wood Johnson Medical School,is the senior author. “As part of morestringent active surveillance criteria, werecommend a lower PSA cutoff and/or asingle positive biopsy core be consideredas inclusion criteria, although furtherstudy is needed,” noted Dr. Kim.

The study was supported in part by theMarion and Norman TanzmanFoundation, Jon Runyan’s Score for theCure, the National ResearchFoundation of Korea (2012-0000476)and the Rural DevelopmentAdministration, Republic of Korea(PJ0081952011).

Don’t forget! The annual ProstateCancer Screening/EducationEvent sponsored by theCancer Institute of NewJersey and Robert WoodJohnson UniversityHospital will be held September 22 – 24from 5:00 p.m. to8:00 p.m. eachnight at the Cancer Institute. To register, call 1-888-MD-RWJUH (1-888-637-9584).

Tougher Criteria May be Needed for African AmericansConsidering Prostate Cancer Surveillance

4 Go to Contents Page

Research

Sharon Pine, PhD, a researcher at the CancerInstitute of New Jersey and assistant professorof medicine at Robert Wood Johnson

Medical School has been awarded a two-year,$80,000 dollar research grant fromthe Prevent Cancer Foundation.The funding will support study onthe early detection and preventionof lung cancer.Smoking is the most common

risk factor for developing lung cancer. According to the U.S.Department ofHealth andHuman Services,the risk of devel-oping lung canceris about 23 timeshigher in malesmokers and 13times higher infemale smokers, ascompared to life-long nonsmokers. Research has shown that certaingenetic factors may predispose some individuals tobe more susceptible to developing cancer than others, particularly after being exposed to tobaccosmoke or environmental pollutants. Dr. Pine andcolleagues will explore changes in DNA – one’sgenetic code – within the energy generating por-tion of the cell, known as the mitochondria. The mitochondrial genome is highly susceptible

to DNA damage in the form of content changesand mutations, and once damaged, has limitedability for DNA repair. Recent studies suggest thatmitochondrial DNA content and mutations in-crease in some people who are exposed to tobaccosmoke, thus serving as possible markers to identifythose with higher sensitivity to cancer-causingcompounds in tobacco smoke. Pine’s team willdetermine if certain changes in mitochondrialDNA can help identify especially sensitive individ-uals in three categories – current smokers, whohave the highest risk of lung cancer overall, formersmokers and those who have never smoked.

John Langenfeld, MD, is the

co-director of the Thoracic Oncology

Program at the Cancer Institute of

New Jersey. He is also the acting chief

of the Section of General Thoracic

Surgery and an associate professor of

surgery at Robert Wood Johnson

Medical School.

Since coming to the Cancer

Institute of New Jersey and

Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

in 1999, Dr. Langenfeld has devoted

his career to improving the survival of

patients with lung and esophagus can-

cers. Building on his clinical experience

from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer

Center he established a center of excel-

lence to treat patients with thoracic

malignancies. He says his teams’

success stems from a collaborative

effort between the Cancer Institute of

New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson

Medical School and Robert Wood

Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) –

the Flagship hospital of the Cancer

Institute of New Jersey – in providing

an outstanding thoracic surgery pro-

gram, which includes superior nursing

and a broad range of medical experts

to assist in the care of patients.

Dr. Langenfeld notes the collaborative

effort has been demonstrated in the

outstanding results he has had on his

surgical patients.

He has also dedicated himself to

improving patient outcomes through

thoracic research, which includes clini-

cal applications. The Cancer Institute of

New Jersey was part of a national trial,

which demonstrated that CT screening

for lung cancer improves survival in

smokers. Dr. Langenfeld’s recent

research shows that low-dose steroids

improve survival in patients who

develop respiratory compromise after a

pulmonary resection. Since the national

lung cancer-screening trial showed a

survival benefit to patients, there are

plans to continue this screening

program at the Cancer Institute of

New Jersey and RWJUH and expand to

RWJUH Hamilton.

In other thoracic research, the

Langenfeld laboratory identified that

the bone morphogenetic protein

2 (BMP2) is highly expressed in the

majority of lung cancers. The BMP2

protein enhances the growth, survival,

and spread of lung cancers. Dr.

Langenfeld’s recent work suggests that

novel inhibitors of the BMP signaling

pathway represent potential new drugs

to treat patients with lung cancers. His

present research aims to optimize a

strategy to use these novel agents

to treat cancer with the hope of

bringing these compounds to be tested

in clinical trials in the near future.

FACULTY FEATURE

John Langenfeld,MD

Examining Lung Cancer

Dr. Sharon Pine


6

•Treatment

They are key members ofthe healthcare team whoface ongoing challenges

on how best to provide optimumcare to patients affected by cancer.Oncology nurses at the CancerInstitute of New Jersey continuallystrive to improve patient care andhave recently explored variousmethods on how to improvepatient care. Their research waspresented earlier this spring at theOncology Nursing Society’s(ONS) Annual Congress.

Knowing that fatigue is one ofthe most common side effects ofcancer treatment, nurses identi-fied ways to improve documenta-tion of fatigue management inter-ventions. Leah Scaramuzzo, MSN,RN-BC, AOCN, associate directorof nursing and patient education,and Jane Fischer, RN, BSN, OCN,CCRC, a research nurse clinician,led the effort, which included ad-ding a specific prompt in thepatient’s chart for nurses to in-quire about fatigue, as well as theidentification of exercise resourcesto be shared with patients.

Disruption of a proper sleepregimen is common in cancerpatients (Roscoe, et. al., Oncologist,2007) with cancer patients havingtwice the incidence of sleep distur-bances experienced by the generalpopulation. Between 30 and 75percent of cancer patients reportsleep disruptions that contributenegatively to their quality of life.

At the Cancer Institute of NewJersey, modifications to the elec-tronic nursing documentationtool were made, and nurses wereeducated on the importance of

encouraging patients to completea self-assessment on current sleeppatterns as well as incorporatinginterventions into nursing prac-tice, ultimately improving patientoutcomes. Director of OncologyNursing Services Janet Gordils-Perez, MA, RN, APN-BC, AOCNP,led the effort along with col-leagues Carla Schaefer, BSN, RN,OCN, Jacquelyn Lauria, MS, RN,APN-BC, AOCNP and PatriciaDennigan, BSN, RN, OCN.

Oral chemotherapy treatments

have become more common in re-cent years due to their conven-ience for patients. But because ofthat ease of delivery, the patientmust assume a greater responsibil-ity for making sure the drugs aretaken as prescribed. To make thatprocess easier for patients and toimprove adherence to the treat-ment schedule during clinical tri-als, nurses created a patient-friendly toolkit, which includes acolor-coded pill diary, calendarsspecific to a patient’s treatment

regimen, and an education sheetthat reviews safe handling proce-dures.Yuk (Aggie) Wong, RN, BSN,

OCN, MA, led the effort along

Meet Our Pharmacy and Nursing Teams:

Nurses Explore Enhanced Methods of Improving Patient Care

One of the hallmarks of a National Cancer

Institute-designatedComprehensive Cancer Centerlike the Cancer Institute of NewJersey, is the unique oncologyexpertise exhibited by its clinicalteam – including pharmacists.As the only such center in thestate, the Cancer Institutedemonstrates this excellence byhaving four pharmacists certi-fied as Board Certified Oncol-ogy Pharmacists (BCOP). TheBCOP certification is held byonly 1,095 pharmacists in thenation – the highest concentra-tion of which (29) are fromNew Jersey.

Less than two decades old, theBCOP certification has becomethe gold standard for which tostrive for pharmacists in theoncology field. As cancer thera-pies become more personalized,

the complexities of cancer treat-ment continue to grow. Equip-ped to understand such intrica-cies, pharmacists who are BCOPcertified have an in-depth ap-preciation of clinical skills andtherapeutic management and areproficient in pharmacy guide-lines, standards and policies inthe oncology setting.

Oncology pharmacists are re-sponsible for ensuring both safetyand accuracy in administeringboth intravenous and oralchemotherapies. But their dailyschedule also involves meeting-with patients during their initialtreatment visit and during followup-visits. Along with educatingpatients about the therapy theywill receive, the pharmacists re-view the dosing schedule andprovide a comprehensive assess-ment of other medications andsupplements they may be taking.

Board certifiedoncology phar-macists are foundin different set-tings, includingcommunity hospi-tals, but their roleat an NCI-designat-ed ComprehensiveCancer Center ismore far reaching. At theCancer Institute of New Jersey,pharmacy team members haveexperience in pain managementand supportive care, and evenparticipate in research. Theyalso have the ability to interactdirectly with the patient, theirdoctor, nurse and other mem-bers of the care team about thepatient’s specific treatmentneeds.

While an important goal forthe individual pharmacist,Michael P. Kane, RPh, BCOP,

Pharmacy Expertise Expands

Go to Contents Page

Treatm

ent

with colleagues Pamela Scott, RN,OCN, and Heather Camisa, RN, BSN,OCN.

director of Oncology PharmacyServices at the Cancer Institute ofNew Jersey, says the BCOP certifica-tion is also an important reflection ofthe center. “While it is not a mandato-ry certification, we strongly encouragethose on our team to strive for thislevel of excellence. It shows our levelof commitment as an institution topatient care,” he said.

BCOP certified oncology pharmacists at theCancer Institute of New Jersey. From left: PulkitaPatel, PharmD, BCOP; Susan Goodin, PharmD,FCCP, BCOP; Michael Kane, RPh, BCOP; and StaceyLisi, PharmD, BCOP.

Above, from left: Yuk (Aggie) Wong, RN, BSN,OCN, MA, Pamela Scott, RN, OCN, and HeatherCamisa, RN, BSN, OCN

Left: Leah Scaramuzzo, MSN, RN-BC, AOCN, left,and Jane Fischer, RN, BSN, OCN, CCRC

t the

Cancer Institute

of New Jersey,

clinical research is

key to providing

comprehensive

cancer care. Cancer

clinical trials are

medical studies that

test new treatments

and new or better

ways of using

existing therapies

for cancer, although

some studies are

aimed at cancer

prevention.

With more than

140 active clinical

trials, the Cancer

Institute of

New Jersey is

leading the way

toward uncovering

new methods

of cancer treatment

and prevention.

The Cancer Institute of New Jersey is working together with its System PartnerMeridian Health on a non-therapy research

study that examines factors related to the early devel-opment of breast cancer in AfricanAmerican women.Investigators willexplore how thesefactors compare tothose in Caucasianwomen.

Compared to Caucasian women, African American women are morelikely to be diagnosed with breast cancer at a youngerage and at a later stage, and often have more aggressivefeatures associated with a poor outcome. The reasonsfor these differences remain unknown. Through theWomen’s Circle of Health Study, investigators areexploring the influence of health and lifestyle factorson the early development of breast cancer in AfricanAmerican women through interviews with study volunteers from nine counties across the state. AfricanAmerican women aged 20 to 75 who are newly diagnosed with breast cancer are eligible to participate,though other criteria must also be met.

Women meeting the eligibility criteria will be askedto give demographic and medical information, as wellas reproductive, lifestyle and diet histories. A salivasample will be also collected for genetic analyses.

The study is being offered at the Cancer Institute ofNew Jersey and Meridian Health facilities. It is beingconducted in collaboration with the New JerseyState Cancer Registry and Roswell Park CancerInstitute and is supported by the National CancerInstitute (P01CA151135-01 – Ambrosone, Bandera).

For more information on how to take part in the Women’sCircle of Health Study call 732-235-8806 or e-mail [email protected].

Exploring Indicators of Early Breast CancerDevelopment in AfricanAmerican Women

A


mailto:[email protected]

he many health benefits of exercise are proven and well-known. But did you knowthat studies done over the last 10 years have

also shown that exercise reduces the risk of cancer? Scientists are looking into why physicalactivity helps and what kind of exercise makesthe biggest difference. But why wait for thesedetails when the beauty and wonder of summeris before us? The season provides so manyopportunities to move!

• Prevention

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Let Yourself

Into Summer

Go to Contents Page

Prevention

9

“

Go to Contents Page

Howmuch and

what kind of exercise?

• 30 to 60 minutesa day, five days a

week is recommended

• It is best to mix it up.Use your muscles

(strength training) and get your heart and lungs working hard (cardiovascular exercise)

• Some activity is betterthan nothing so don’t letthe details stop you!

But I don’t exercise!”

oing to the gym andrunning? Sure, they are

great for someone else,but not you. But you can

still get fit! Just expand yourthinking – you can incorpo-rate exercise into almost any-thing you do. Use the stairs,pull weeds using your triceps,move quickly when cleaning,go up and down on your toeswhile waiting in line, standstraight and tighten your bellymuscles when talking with

neighbors. Of course, havingfun is the best way to exercise.Take a walk, go swimming,shoot baskets, and hit a tennisball. These are fun and easythings to do that are nearlyfree in many communities.

Strategies for success

• Schedule exercise into yourweek. You may think youdon’t have any time but lookcarefully and you will find it.

• Set a goal and then cut thegoal into small pieces.

A big goal makes most of usstop in our tracks but feelsmore manageable when it isbroken down.

• Find an exercise partner,whether family, friend or awork buddy. It is someoneto answer to, get supportfrom and celebrate successwith.

While you are out there,don’t forget to put on sunscreen and carry it with you soyou can reapply. Drink a lotof water to replace lost fluids.Eat enough to take youthrough the activity but don’tuse it as an excuse to overeat.Moving your body improves

overall health, reduces the riskof cancer and lifts your mood.You deserve good care and it isyours to take!

— Barbara Hale,MSW, LCSW, is

the manager of theSocial Work

Department at theCancer Institute of New Jersey.

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U.S.Hispanics who speakEnglish are less likely to engage inskin cancer prevention practices andmore likely to put themselves at riskfor skin cancer as compared toSpanish-speaking Hispanics wholive in this country. Investigatorsfrom the Cancer Institute of NewJersey say their findings show aneed to consider linguistic accultur-ation – the way one adapts to themultiple languages to which he orshe is exposed – in developinginterventions for this population.The study, led by Elliot J. Coups,

PhD, a behavioral scientist at theCancer Institute of New Jersey,appeared in the April print editionof JAMA Dermatology (doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2013.745). U.S. Census figures show that

Hispanics are the fastest growingracial/ethnic group in the country.Even though Hispanics have a lowerincidence of melanoma skin cancerthan non-Hispanic Caucasian indi-viduals, they are more likely to bediagnosed with melanoma at anearlier age and at an advanced stage,according to the National CancerInstitute. Researchers say for thosereasons it is important to targetHispanics for skin cancer preven-tion interventions. The study participants were

788 Hispanic adults residing inArizona, California, Florida, New Mexico or Texas who weredrawn from a nationally representa-tive panel of individuals known asKnowledgePanelLatino,SM which isadministered by the research com-pany GfK Custom Research, LLC(GfK). The participants completed anonline survey in English or Spanishabout skin cancer prevention andrisk behaviors, and provided infor-mation on how often and how wellthey speak English and Spanish.

Demographic information also wascollected.Overall, as compared to Spanish-

speaking Hispanics, English-acculturated Hispanics reportedbeing more likely to engage inbehaviors that put them at a high-er risk for developing skin cancer(sunbathing, indoor tanning) andless likely to protect themselves byseeking shade and wearing protec-tive clothing. Hispanics with a strong command

of both languages were found toengage in skin cancer preventionbehaviors at a lower level thanSpanish-speaking Hispanics, but ata higher rate than English-accultur-ated Hispanics. But with regard torisk behaviors, bicultural partici-pants were found to engage inthese practices at levels similar toEnglish-speaking Hispanics.Along with consideration of lin-

guistic acculturation in developinginterventions, Dr. Coups, who isalso an associate professor of med-icine at Robert Wood JohnsonMedical School, says the resultsalso highlight the need to includeissues related to culture, race andethnicity in dermatology trainingprograms. To further address the needs for

this population, Coups and col-leagues are embarking on a projectto develop and test a program topromote sun-safe behaviors amongHispanic outdoor laborers – a projectmade possible with the commitmentof Johnson & Johnson to helpaddress health priorities impactingcommunity residents.

The study was supported by fundingfrom the Cancer Institute of New Jersey(Coups) and the National CancerInstitute: K07CA133100 (Coups) andK01CA131500 (Hudson).

Language Adaptation Key in Development of Skin CancerInterventions for U.S. Hispanics

You were very activewith your family prior to learn-ing you had cancer. How muchof an adjustment did you haveto make with those activitiesduring treatment and how didyou keep your spirits up?

A:Having been acompetitive ath-

lete in my youth, I alwaysenjoyed participating with myson Stephen and his friends ininformal sports activities(pickup games of basketball,football and baseball). I alsoassisted coaching his youthteams. During treatment,some physical limitations andfatigue prevented me fromparticipating in strenuousactivities or attending most ofhis sporting events and karatepractices. However, Stephenalways made some time eachday so that we could bondover video games. Since myremission, some physical limi-tations still exist. However, Itake great joy in being able tosee him participate in sportingevents such as football andtrack and field.

Through all this,Stephen (now in high school,but was 11 when you werediagnosed) said he learned that“life is fragile” and started acampaign collecting video gamesto raise money for research atthe Cancer Institute of NewJersey (see page 18). How doesthat make you feel to know thathe was moved in this way?

A:I was extremelytouched by

Stephen’s actions, particularlysince I had no prior knowl-edge that he was engaging inthe fundraising activity. Hiscampaign serves as a fineexample of assisting in a chari-table endeavor and an easymeans for other youth todonate to a worthy cause.Stephen learned that “life isfragile.” We both have learnedthat love is strong.

You have been cancer free for nearly five yearsnow. What life-lessons did youwalk away with from havinghad this experience?

A:I have come tomore fully treasure

that the great things in life, thethings that are most important,are simple; the love of familyand friends, the ability to getup in the morning and see asunrise, the ability to care foroneself and others.

Doug Susan

•Education

10

Each issue we share

the inspirational story of a

cancer survivor. For this

edition, we are pleased to

profile 50-year-old

Doug Susan, an attorney

and compliance director, who

was diagnosed with sarcoma

in 2008. As part of his

treatment, Doug underwent

surgery, which was followed

by brachytherapy and

chemotherapy for about six

months. He has been cancer

free ever since.

Follow us on Facebook: “Like Us” at

www.facebook.com/TheCINJor go to www.cinj.org

and click on the Facebook icon to get started!

Doug credits his family as aconstant source of inspirationand notes the doctors and staffat the Cancer Institute of NewJersey and Robert WoodJohnson University Hospitalare a continuing motivation inhis recovery. A long-timeRutgers University football season ticket holder, Doug isglad to be back enjoying someof the simpler pleasures of life,including attending sportingevents and engaging in weightlifting, tai-chi, poetry andreading. He is especially looking forward to celebratinghis 20th wedding anniversarywith wife Jamie in 2015,Stephen’s graduation from highschool, and “the privilege ofgrowing older.”

Doug (left) with wife Jamie and son Stephen.

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www.cinj.org

www.facebook.com/TheCINJ

•Inside the Cancer Institute of NewJerseyI

nsidethe Cancer Institute of N

ew Jersey

11

Expanding a vital compo-nent of its research enter-prise, the Cancer Institute

of New Jersey is welcom-ing systems biologist Elke K. Markert, PhD, toits Center for SystemsBiology. Dr. Markert,who has an extensivemathematics background,was most recently at theSimons Center for SystemsBiology at the Institute forAdvanced Study in Princeton.

Systems Biology is a compre-hensive approach to examininglarge data sets that range fromsingle cells to the patient and his or her disease as a whole.With large quantities of thisgenetic information gathereddirectly from clinics and labora-tories at the Cancer Institute of New Jersey, researchers con-tinually collect, package, store

and analyze these data. The ultimate goal in interpreting the information is to identify

patterns that might shedlight on how cancerdevelops – which inturn can help scientistsidentify novel treatmentoptions. This is donethrough a variety ofmeans including com-

putational science. Markert, an assistant professor

of medicine at Robert WoodJohnson Medical School, com-plements these extensive researchefforts. Along with cancer geneticsand the development of cancer,her focus includes comprehen-sive analysis of how gene expres-sion translates into operationalstructures within the cell and howthat information is integratedwith other types of genetic andmolecular data.

Educating YoungstersAbout Dangers of Tobaccoand Excess Sun Exposure

T he Cancer Institute of New Jersey Office of Com-munity Outreach is working to deliver a cancerawareness and prevention curriculum to pre-teens

and teens in the greater New Brunswick area. The CancerAwareness Youth Educator Badge Program, an innovativecurriculum made possible in partnership with Johnson &Johnson, aims to educate more than 600 children about thedangers of tobacco use and excesssun exposure and how they canreduce their cancer risk. Edu-cator teams of two will en-gage in group activities withchildren aged 11 to 14, whileusing tailored lesson plans,visual aids and age-appropriatehandouts designed by science andeducation experts at the Cancer Institute of New Jersey andin the greater community.Amanda Medina-Forrester, MA, MPH, a program

development specialist at the Cancer Institute of New Jerseysays it is critical to reach this age group. Skin cancer is themost commonly diagnosed cancer and research shows thatexposure to ultraviolet radiation as a child or teen canincrease a person’s risk for developing skin cancer in adult-hood. Cigarette smoking is the number one risk factor forlung cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control andPrevention. The 2010 New Jersey Youth Tobacco Survey indi-cated that 14 percent of high school students were smokers,with evidence suggesting that many of these students mayhave started tobacco use in middle school.

“It is during the middle school years where youngstersstart to become more independent and start making theirown decisions, some of which may put them at risk. Some ofthese decisions could be influenced by peer pressure or simplya lack of knowing the harms and effects of their actions,” saidMedina-Forrester. “Through this program, we can help equipyoung people with the information they need so that they canmake better choices and learn to lead a cancer preventativelifestyle.” Medina-Forrester was part of the team that devel-oped the “train-the-trainer” curriculum. Volunteer trainershave been sharing the program with area youth throughoutthe spring and will continue through the fall.

Community organizations interested in delivering the program to their youth are welcome to apply to serve as host sites. To learn more, contact Amanda Medina-Forrester at 732-235-9571or at [email protected].

Kudos!

Congratulations to Dr. Darlene Gibbon, chief of gynecologic oncology at theCancer Institute of New Jersey, who was named as one of the “2013 Women of Excellence” by the Union County Commission on the Status of Women.

Dr. Gibbon was recognized by members of the Union County Freeholder Board at a recent event for her expertise in the field of medicine. From left: Freeholders Bette Jane Kowalski and Vernell Wright, Dr. Gibbon, Freeholder Vice ChairmanChristopher Hudak and Freeholder Chair Linda Carter.

Elke K. Markert, PhD

Systems Biologist Joins the Cancer Institute of New Jersey

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Shore Medical Center hasbecome the latest affiliateto join the Cancer

Institute of New JerseyNetwork of hospitals. Shore andits nationally-recognized CancerCenter become the first inAtlantic County to providepatients facing a cancer diagno-sis with access to the CancerInstitute of New Jersey’s state-of-the-art clinical and researchcapabilities.

As an affiliate, Shore Medicalis able to offer its patients enroll-ment in Cancer Institute of NewJersey clinical trials while havingthem receive care and treatmentlocally at the Somers Point facili-ty. Shore’s patients also willreceive access to community education, outreach and otherservices provided by the Cancer

Institute of New Jersey that complement themedical center’scomprehensivecancer program.

“Shore is proudto become anaffiliate of theCancer Instituteof New Jersey,” said ShorePresident and CEO RonJohnson. “This groundbreakingorganization has a demonstratedhistory of clinical and researchexcellence, so members of ourcommunity can feel confidentthat they are receiving the verybest in cancer care. This part-nership represents the naturalevolution of Shore as the premiercancer care provider in southernNew Jersey.”

Welcoming a New Affiliate: Shore Medical Center

•Inside the Cancer Institute of NewJersey

Robert Wood Johnson

University Hospital’s

(RWJUH) Cancer Pro-gram, in partnership with theCancer Institute of New Jersey,the Robert Wood JohnsonMedical School and privatephysicians in the community,has received the OutstandingAchievement Award from theAmerican College of Surgeons(ACS) Commission on Cancer.

RWJUH, which is the flag-ship hospital of the Cancer Insti-tute of New Jersey, is one of onlytwo National Cancer Institute-designated cancer programs inthe nation to achieve this honor.

“Earning this national dis-tinction is clear evidence that thisremarkable cancer team offersresidents of our state and regionthe finest cancer treatment avail-able anywhere in the United

States,” says RWJUH andRobert Wood Johnson HealthSystem President and CEOStephen K. Jones, FACHE.Molly Gabel, MD, chair of

the RWJUH Cancer Commit-tee, director of the Cancer Insti-tute of New Jersey Network andassociate professor of radiationoncology at Robert WoodJohnson Medical School adds,“We are proud to be part of an

academic medical campus thatexcels in several key cancer pro-gram standards and offerspatients groundbreaking cancertreatment innovation, technolo-gy, research and clinical trials.”

Established in 2004, the Out-standing Achievement Award isdesigned to recognize cancerprograms that strive for excel-lence in providing quality careto cancer patients.

12

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Receives Outstanding Achievement Award

etworkSPOTL IGHT :

NThe CancerInstitute ofNew Jersey

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Insidethe

CancerInstituteofN

ewJersey

Welcoming a New Affiliate: Shore Medical Center

13

“The Cancer Institute of New Jersey is proud to welcomeShore Medical Center into ourstatewide network of hospitalsthat provides patients access tothe very latest clinical trials andcancer care right in their owncommunities,” said CancerInstitute of New Jersey DirectorRobert S. DiPaola, MD. “Shore’sCancer Center has distinguisheditself as a leader in providingexceptional cancer care, and we look forward to workingclosely with the Shore team indelivering cutting-edge therapiesto patients in southern NewJersey and beyond.”

“Through this affiliationwith the state’s National CancerInstitute-designated Compre-hensive Cancer Center, I ampleased that we are expandingour exceptional cancer resourcesto the southern part of ourstate,” said New Jersey HealthCommissioner Mary E.O’Dowd, MPH. “By pairingShore’s cancer program with the Cancer Institute of NewJersey’s vast clinical and researchcapabilities, residents in this

New Medical Director for Carol G. Simon Cancer Centers

Eric Whitman, MD, hasbeen promoted andselected to serve as

medical director of AtlanticHealth System’s (AHS) CarolG. Simon Cancer Centers andthe oncology service line.

In this role, Dr. Whitman willprovide physician leadership toimprove quality, expand thedepth and breadth of servicesand improve efficiencies inoncology services at all AHS campuses. Whitman and Lydia

Nadeau, director,OncologyServices,AHS, willwork togetherto build on a

strong foundation for oncologyservices. They will be supportedin this endeavor by StevenPapish, MD, medical director,Morristown Medical Centercampus, and Dennis Lowenthal,MD, medical director, OverlookMedical Center campus, andwill continue to collaboratewith Newton Medical Centerand Michael Gallagher, MD,director, Sparta Cancer Center.

Whitman articulated a compelling vision to unify thecancer centers and create trulydifferentiated services.

“I plan to continue to developour cancer center into a world-class institution,” Whitman said.“Amid the opportunity andchallenge of implementing theAffordable Care Act, our cancercenters will become leaders inthe adoption of evidence-based,cost-effective, personalized cancer care.”

Since joining AHS in 2004,Whitman has served as thefounding director for theAtlantic Melanoma Center andthe medical director for theAtlantic Center for Research.He will remain in these rolesand will continue as actingresearch officer for AHS.

Eric Whitman, MD

As New Jersey’s only National Cancer Institute-designated

Comprehensive Cancer Center,the Cancer Institute of NewJersey is committed to deliveringcutting-edge therapies in theform of clinical trials statewideand beyond. One of the waysthis is accomplished is throughthe Cancer Institute of New Jersey Oncology Group

(CINJOG), which is comprisedof physicians from our Networkof hospitals throughout thestate. While the latest trials areoffered at the Cancer Instituteof New Jersey, many of ourNetwork hospitals also accruepatients to these studies. In 2012CINJOG accrued 800 patientsto clinical trials – doubling theamount from 2011.

Special Recognition

Special recognition goes outto the top four accruing hospitals:

• Cooper University Hospital:198 patients

• Somerset Medical Center: 176 patients

• Jersey Shore UniversityMedical Center (JSUMC): 103 patients

• Ocean Medical Center: 103 patients

JSUMC and Ocean MedicalCenter are part of MeridianHealth, which is a SystemPartner of the Cancer Instituteof New Jersey. As a System,Meridian Health enrolled 300patients to clinical trials in2012.

region will now have access to awider array of cancer careresources.”

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The Cancer Institute ofNew Jersey has beennamed as the recipient of

the 2013 Oncology NursingSociety’s (ONS) EmployerRecognition Award in the medi-um size employer category. Thehonor acknowledges institutionsthat support the vision, missionand values of the nursing organi-zation. “As a National Cancer Institute-

designated ComprehensiveCancer Center, the CancerInstitute of New Jersey is dedicat-ed to research, treatment, prevention andeducation. From being on the front linesof patient care to helping drive clinical dis-coveries and beyond, our oncology nursesplay a critical role in upholding each oneof those pillars every day, and we areproud to support them,” said Robert S.DiPaola, MD, director of the CancerInstitute of New Jersey. “Our team is dedicated to excellence and

is able to provide that distinct level ofservice in part thanks to the support andcommitment of the Cancer Institute of

New Jersey,” notedDirector of OncologyNursing Services

Janet Gordils-Perez, MA, RN, APN-BC,

AOCNP. “Our center’s leadership recog-nizes the value and expertise of theresources and training opportunitiesoffered through ONS, and because of thissupport, our nurses continue to excel indelivering quality programs and care,which ultimately translate into improvedoutcomes both for our patients and thecommunity at large.”

The Cancer Institute of New JerseyRecognized by Oncology Nursing Society

The nursing team atthe Cancer Institute of

New Jersey

14

A New Role

Cristine Delnevo,

PhD, MPH, direc-tor of the Center forTobacco Surveillance &Evaluation Research atthe School of PublicHealth, was recentlynamed as co-leader of

the Cancer Prevention and Control Program atthe Cancer Institute of New Jersey. A nationally-recognized expert in tobacco control, Dr. Delnevowill be responsible for developing population-based research that fosters collaborative, multi-disciplinary and translational research to reducethe burden of cancer and improve the quality oflife for cancer patients, survivors and those whoare at risk for developing cancer. Delnevo, who isalso a professor and chair of health education/behavioral science at the School of Public Health,is author or co-author of numerous publicationsand serves on the editorial board of the AmericanJournal of Health Behaviors.

A New Aim for Breast CancerPrevention

Vladimir Belyi, PhD, a systems biologistat the Cancer Institute of New Jersey and

an assistant professor of medi-cine at Robert Wood JohnsonMedical School, along with a colleague at the University ofLouisville, was awarded$200,000 from the NationalBreast Cancer Coalition to studywhether breast cancer may becaused by a virus. Dr. Belyi notesthat about eight percent of cancersare caused by a virus. He wantsto take a closer look at breastcancer. Belyi will examine DNA inhundreds of breast cancer tissuesamples for irregularities thatcould indicate the presence of avirus. If such a link can be estab-lished, the aim is to create a vaccine that would halt the virus.

Artistic Flare

A special thanks to the Art Department faculty at East Brunswick High School and Churchill Junior High School for sharing someof their student’s artwork earlier this spring at the Cancer Institute of New Jersey. From painted self-portraits, charcoal drawings, silk screening, ceramics and other mixed mediums, more than 60 pieces were showcased throughout the center.

•Inside the Cancer Institute of NewJersey

Andrew

Hanenberg

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Cancer Institute of N

ew Jersey Foundation N

ews

Robert S. DiPaola, MDDirector

Susan Goodin, PharmDDeputy Director and Assistant Director for Clinical Science

Edmund C. Lattime, PhDDeputy Director and Associate Director for Education and Training

Joseph Aisner, MD Associate Director for Clinical Science

David A. August, MD Chief, Surgical Oncology

Linda Barker Chief Administrative Officer and Associate Director for Administration and Planning

Joseph R. Bertino, MDChief Scientific Officer

Kevin CoyleExecutive Director of Finance

Richard Drachtman, MDInterim Chief, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology

David J. Foran, PhDChief Informatics OfficerExecutive Director, Bioinformatics and Computational Imaging

Darlene Gibbon, MDChief, Gynecologic Oncology

Bruce G. Haffty, MD Chair, Radiation Oncology

Isaac Yi Kim, MD, PhD Chief, Urologic Oncology

Sharon Manne, PhDChief, Population Studies

Lorna Rodriguez, MD, PhDDirector, Precision Medicine

Karen Shapiro, MBA, MPHAssociate Director of Operations

Roger Strair, MD, PhDChief, Hematologic Malignancies/Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

Deborah L. Toppmeyer, MD Chief Medical OfficerChief, Solid Tumor Oncology

Eileen White, PhDAssociate Director for Basic Science

Helmut Zarbl, PhD, ATSAssociate Director for Public Heath Science

Q:After July 1, can I still designate my giftfor the Cancer Institute of New Jersey?

A:Yes! You can certainly still designate yourgift for the Cancer Institute of New Jersey asyou have in the past. The Cancer Institute ofNew Jersey continues its dedicated mission ofimproving the prevention, detection, treatment,and care of patients with cancer.

Q:What happens to the donation I alreadymade to the Cancer Institute of New Jersey?

A:Your past gift will continue to support the Cancer Institute of New Jersey and itsamazing work.

Q:After July 1, to whom will I make mychecks payable, and where will I send them?

A:Checks can be made payable to: CINJ at RUF. Checks can be sent to:

Rutgers University Foundation Accounting Offices120 Albany Street, Tower 1, Suite 201New Brunswick, NJ 08901

Q:Will community events still be part of the Cancer Institute of New Jersey’sfundraising efforts?

A:Yes. Community events will continue to becentral to the Cancer Institute of New Jersey’sfundraising efforts, including our gala in October!

Q:How will my gift to the Cancer Instituteof New Jersey be stewarded in the future?

A:You will continue to receive communica-tions and regular updates on the critical work theCancer Institute of New Jersey performs.

Q:If I am a patient of the Cancer Instituteof New Jersey, how do I support its work?

A:Visit cinj.org/giving to learn how youcan help.

Q:With whom will I work to continuemy support for the Cancer Institute of NewJersey?

A:You will continue to work with the sameindividuals you have in the past.

Q:How do I contact the Cancer Instituteof New Jersey’s fundraising office?

A:The Cancer Institute of New Jersey’sfundraising address and phone numbers will not change. Email addresses will change. After July 1, please send emails to [email protected] for more information or call 732-235-8614.

Message from the Chair of the Foundation Board of Trustees

15

is published by the Cancer Institute of New Jersey’s Office of Communications. If you wouldlike to be added to or removed from the mailing list please contact us at 732-235-9871 or [email protected].

Candace E. Botnick, MS Director of Communications and Public AffairsCopy: Michele FisherDesign: Barbara Walsh Graphic Design

•Cancer Institute of NewJersey Foundation News

Ever since its incep-tion, the CancerInstitute of New

Jersey Foundation has part-nered with dedicated individu-

als and organizations to build a strong fundrais-ing program to support the research and clinicalwork at the Cancer Institute of New Jersey.We are well positioned to seize the new andexpanded philanthropic opportunities createdwith the integration of the Cancer Institute ofNew Jersey and Rutgers University. To createthe best synergies, the Cancer Instiute of NewJersey Foundation will be merging with theRutgers University Foundation effective July 1.With this change, the Cancer Institute willestablish a development office and continue tohave a fundraising staff dedicated solely tosecuring philantropic support for the prioritiesof the Institute and stewarding our donors andfriends. Below are answers to some of the com-monly asked questions our team has received. Ifyou have additional questions, please feel free tocontact our office.

On behalf of the Board of Trustees of theCancer Institute of New Jersey Foundation, I thank our donors, volunteers and friends fortheir incredible generosity and commitmentover the years to building a world-class cancercenter in New Jersey. Your continued supportwill ensure we remain at the forefront of cancerresearch, treatment, prevention and education.

Subha V. Barry

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The annual Century for theCure bike ride that has raisedmore than $1 million over

the past eight years for research at theCancer Institute of New Jersey is mak-ing it possible for new scientific explo-ration in the area of hematologic malig-nancies. The inaugural ‘Century for theCure Research Award’ was created toenhance basic and translational researchnot previously focused on in the area ofblood cancers. Each award is funded at$50,000 for one-year with an option torenew at that level for the followingyear. The initiative is also supportedthrough the Cancer Institute of NewJersey’s National Cancer InstituteCancer Center Support Grant.

Following a com-petitive review pro-cess of submissionsfrom researchersfrom the CancerInstitute of NewJersey; Rutgers, TheState University of New Jersey; andPrinceton University,two awards weregiven this year. Oneof the grants wasawarded to ShridarGanesan, MD, PhD,associate director fortranslational scienceat the CancerInstitute of NewJersey and associate professor of medicine and pharmacology at RobertWood Johnson Medical School, andJohn Glod, MD, PhD, pediatric oncologistat the Cancer Institute of New Jerseyand assistant professor of pediatrics andpharmacology at Robert Wood JohnsonMedical School.

Drs. Ganesan and Glod are exploringthe role of abnormalities in the mixedlineage leukemia (MLL) gene in thedevelopment of infant leukemia. In thistype of leukemia, which occurs in veryyoung children, a segment of the MLLgene is fused with another partner gene.This abnormal fusion of two genes thenleads to the production of a fusion pro-tein made of parts of each normal pro-tein. MLL fusion partners have beenshown to participate in the repair ofdamaged DNA, and work done in theGanesan laboratory suggests that theabnormal MLL fusion proteins alsoincorporate into the DNA repair com-plex. Through the use of cell models,Ganesan and Glod will examine theeffect of MLL fusion proteins on therepair of DNA damage.


Annual Bike Ride Supports New Hematologic Malignancies Research

Registration Open for 9th Annual Century for the Cure

16

“Theleukemias thatdevelop as aresult of abnor-malities in themixed lineageleukemia gene aretypically poorprognosis can-cers, whichunfortunatelyhave limitedresponse to cur-rent therapies. Byfurther under-standing themolecular path-ways behindthese leukemias,

we have an opportunity to developmore effective therapies for thesepatients,” noted Ganesan.

The other project, undertaken byLori Covey, PhD, professor of cell biology and neuroscience at RutgersUniversity, focuses on further classifyingand developing new therapies for chroniclymphocytic leukemia (CLL) - a cancerthat targets white blood cells. CLL,which specifically affects the B cells inthe blood, is the most common adultleukemia in the United States.Symptoms of this disease can be less-ened with chemotherapy, but currentlyno established cure exists. Dr. Covey’swork specifically examines the role ofCD40, an important B-cell marker thatplays a critical role in allowing B cellsand CLL to grow.

One measure of CLL severity is howwell the cells grow when CD40 is trig-gered. Abnormal activation of this pro-tein’s pathway can enhance cell growthand cancer. Using cell models, Coveyand colleagues aim to identify whetherclassification of the CD40 pathway canbe further broken down based on iden-

Dr. Lori Covey

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Gifts up to $50,000:• Jattrude Fogarty Trust, Long Branch• Quotes for a Cure, Allstate New Jersey InsuranceCompany

Gifts up to $35,000:• The Power of Pink campaign, BJ’s Charitable Foundation

• AHEPA Fifth District Cancer Research Foundation, The Order of AHEPA and The Daughters of Penelope

• Night of Irish Fun and Feasting, Ed McKenna, Jr., Esq., Red Bank

Gifts up to $15,000:

• Care to Walk, North BrunswickTownship High School Care to Walk Club, North Brunswick

• Guiness Oyster Festival, Red BankDevelopment Corp, Red Bank

Gifts up to $1,500:

• “A Power of One” Walk-A-Thon,Chubb Personal Insurance,Whitehouse Station

• Fundraising Events by 12 High School Gymnastics Teams,North Jersey Gymnastics League,Bergen, Passaic, Morris and EssexCounties. Member schools: Butler,Clifton, Indian Hills, Montclair,Pascack Regional, Passaic Valley,Ramapo, Randolph, Ridgewood,Wayne Hills, Wayne Valley and West Milford

Gifts up to $1,000:

• Walk for Life, Middlesex CountyCollege Muslim Student Association,Edison

Gifts in Kind:

• Patient Comfort Bags, Janssen Global Services, LLC, Raritan

• Patient Comfort Bags, Bristol-Myers Squibb OncologyDivision, Plainsboro



ews

Above: The North Brunswick Township HighSchool Care to Walk Club raises $12,000 forthe Cancer Institute of New Jersey.

Everyday Heroes

Aspecial thanks to our generous donors throughout New Jersey whoseefforts highlighted below resulted in more than $200,000 in support for cancer research, patient care and community outreach.

tification of biomarkers. “Further sub-classification of this signaling pathwaycould lead to more precise clinical stag-ing and better prognostic indicators, aswell as the development of novel thera-pies designed to block this pathwayand ultimately cancer growth,” notedCovey. Scott Glickman, founder of the

Century for the Cure bike ride, knowsthe importance of cancer research, ashe was treated at the Cancer Instituteof New Jersey for stage four non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma more than 15years ago. “Tomorrow’s advanced can-cer treatments depend on the researchbeing done right now. There are stillmany mysteries when it comes tohematologic malignancies. That is whymy wife Aileen and I are more thanpleased that through the annualCentury bike ride, there is an opportu-nity to support innovative scientificexploration in this area.”

Bratati Ganguly, PhD wasrecently named the Hugsfor Brady Pediatric Young

Investigator. The competitive two-yeargrant, funded by a $100,000 giftfrom the Hugs for BradyFoundation, was awarded to Dr.Ganguly for her exceptional abili-ty and promise in conducting in-novative pediatric cancer research.Sherrie and Michael Wells found-ed the Hugs for Brady Founda-tion after the death of their 23-monthold son Brady Michael in July 2010. “Icouldn’t be more pleased with the nam-ing of Dr. Ganguly as the first Hugs forBrady Pediatric Young Investigator,”

noted Sherrie Wells. “Michael and Ibelieve that supporting a young researcherwith her talent, intelligence and passionis an important investment that will help

develop an independent scientistof the future whose work willadvance science and benefit chil-dren. It is especially meaningfulto us that coincidentally the re-search that Bratati chose is focus-ed on undifferentiated acuteleukemia, the disease that took

Brady’s life.” The Hugs for Brady Found-ation is dedicated to bringing aboutawareness of childhood cancer, helpingchildren with cancer and their familiesand finding a cure for pediatric cancer.

Bratati Ganguly, PhD

Sowing the Seeds of a Young Investigator


Building off the success of itsContinuing Umbrella for

Research Education (CURE)

Program that encourages underrepre-sented minority undergraduate and highschool students to pursue careers inhealthcare, the Cancer Institute of NewJersey is offering a related programfocusing on clinical research. TheClinical Research Experience for High

School Students (CREHST) program,funded by a generous grant from the

Rita Allen Foundation,aims to expose students tothe clinical aspect of cancerresearch and careers avail-able in what is known asSTEM (Science, Tech-nology, Engineering, andMath) fields.

The CREHST programwas developed with thegoal of achieving diversityin the biomedical researchworkforce. Select highschool juniors and seniorswho met application criteria and were acceptedinto the program soon will begin to train along-side physician-scientists atthe Cancer Institute ofNew Jersey. The aim is tomotivate them to pursue college degreesin STEM areas and ultimately choose acareer in biomedical research.Sunita Chaudhary, PhD, director of

research education at the CancerInstitute of New Jersey, leads the


A Clinical Research Experience for High School Students

18

CREHST program. “Through the generous support of the Rita AllenFoundation, we are able to provide ourmentoring faculty with additional toolsand resources to provide a comprehen-sive clinical research experience for

During a visit to theCancer Institute ofNew Jersey, AHEPA

Fifth District CancerResearch Foundation ChairAndrew Zachariades (cen-ter) and Board memberspresent a check to CancerInstitute of New Jerseyinvestigators Drs. VassilikiKarantza and John Glod.The Order of AHEPA andThe Daughters of Penelopelead various fundraisingefforts that have provided$237,000 in cancer researchfunds at the CancerInstitute of New Jersey.

Game on!

Instead of beating animated war-locks, best driving times and sportsgames, Edison teen Stephen Susan

is asking his friends and the communityto help beat cancer by donating old

video games to support research at theCancer Institute of New Jersey. Asyou’ll read in this edition’s ‘Survivor’sCorner’ (page 10), Stephen was inspiredto start the ‘Game on!’ campaign fol-lowing his dad’s battle with sarcoma.Games donated to the cause are tradedin at a local gaming store for cash,which is then donated to the CancerInstitute of New Jersey Foundation. Sofar, Stephen’s efforts have resulted inmore than $3,500 raised!

A Boost for Research

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1st and Goal

Area women came out for a day of fun on the gridiron during the Princeton

Football Women’s Clinic with a goal ofraising awareness and funds for breast

cancer programs at the Cancer Instituteof New Jersey. Led by Head Coach BobSurace and his staff, the ladies took partin drills and a friendly skills competi-tion to raise $4,500.

these students. And most importantly,this funding helps the Cancer Instituteof New Jersey in fulfilling its educationmission in training the next generationof scientists,” she noted.

Some of the research projects the students will work on includeexamining combination therapies forvarious hematological malignancies,exploring new genetic approaches tothe treatment of patients with non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas, and looking atsignaling pathways in prostate cancer,among others.

Selected students will spend 40hours per week at the Cancer Instituteof New Jersey for the summer, followedby one afternoon per week during the upcoming academic year. Traineeswill spend 80 to 90 percent of theirtime on their research project and take part in additional enrichmentactivities that focus on general cancerknowledge, the nature of oncologyresearch, experimental design,bioethics, protection of human subjectsand scientific writing.

Aspecial thanks to Stop andShop and Peapod Delivery, which donated hundreds

of toys and games for some of ouryoungest patients. The items will be distributed to children being treated in

the Pediatric Hematology/OncologyProgram, helping to bring smiles year-round. Stop and Shop is also a supporter of the Employee WellnessProgram at the Cancer Institute of New Jersey.

Special Delivery



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UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School125 Paterson StreetNew Brunswick, NJ 08901

The Cancer Institute of New Jersey195 Little Albany StreetNew Brunswick, NJ 08901

Non-Profit Org.US Postage

PAIDPermit No. 920

Visit www.cinj.orgfor updates on this year’s honoreesand details on aspectacular eveninghighlighting 20 years of patientcare at the Cancer Institute ofNew Jersey.

Save the Date

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