One evening several years ago, MiKaela Olson, D.N.P., sat on her porch with a neighbor and spoke firmly and frankly to her as both a friend and a professional. Olsen, a Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center clinical nurse specialist, was concerned. The neighbor, a mother of two young children, had breast cancer and was strongly(...)
precision medicine
Leading the Gene Team
Posted by | precision medicine, Research, treatmentNew faculty member directs tumor board that matches drugs with patients’ genetic targets At its core, precision medicine’s focus on finding the right treatment for the right patient at the right time is about harnessing the power of each individual’s tumor genetic information. The unique anomalies buried in each patient’s tumor are particularly important in(...)
Giving Patients Better Results With Fewer Treatments
Posted by | precision medicine, Research, Survivorship, treatmentAs our knowledge of breast cancer has grown, so have the number of therapy modalities and protocols used to treat this disease, from combinations of chemotherapy to targeted treatments that attack malignant cells carrying specific genetic variations. Overall, these developments have been positive, offering patients more and better options to fight their cancers, says breast(...)
Helping Patients Stay on Hormone-Blockers? There’s an App for That
Posted by | precision medicine, Research, Survivorship, treatmentOf the more than 300,000 cases of breast cancer diagnosed in the U.S. every year, about two-thirds are hormone receptor-positive, meaning a patient’s cancer is fueled by estrogen. That’s made hormone-blocking drugs a powerful weapon against this disease. However, explains breast cancer expert Karen Smith, M.D., these drugs can have significant side effects—some so uncomfortable(...)
Helping Breast Cancer Survivors Reach Their Weight-Loss Goals
Posted by | Issues & Perspectives, precision medicine, Prevention/Screening, Research, SurvivorshipNumerous studies have shown that even a modest amount of weight loss can improve a variety of health-related metrics and quality of life for those who are overweight or obese. Attaining a healthy weight is important for breast cancer survivors, says new Kimmel Cancer Center breast cancer expert Jennifer Sheng, M.D. Studies have shown that(...)
A Model for Breast Cancer Care and Wellness
Posted by | precision medicine, Research, treatmentNew Clinical Director for Under Armour Breast Health Innovation Center is working to make care more efficient for patients Early in Mary Wilkinson’s training, she was drawn to medical oncology because of the special relationships doctors in this specialty have with patients. Instead of patients passing quickly through her care, she formed long-term relationships with(...)
Pancreatic Cancer Matters: Right Treatment at the Right Time
Posted by | Issues & Perspectives, pancreatic cancer, precision medicine, Research, treatmentOur collaborative team of scientists, physicians and allied health workers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center specialize in translating science learned in the laboratory into exceptional clinical care. The Skip Viragh Center for Pancreas Cancer Clinical Research and Patient Care is a world leader in the diagnosis and management of pancreatic cancer, leading all(...)
Jaffee looks to the future of checkpoint immunotherapy for cancer treatment
Posted by | Issues & Perspectives, precision medicine, Prevention/Screening, treatmentCombinations strategies involving checkpoint immunotherapies were approved as first-line options in two cancer types and showed promise in clinical trials for several hard-to-treat cancers. Important advances were also made with respect to immune-related biomarkers, cellular immunotherapies, and personalized vaccines. Elizabeth Jaffee, M.D., deputy director of the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, is focusing her research(...)
“SEEK” and You May Find Cancer
Posted by | precision medicine, Prevention/Screening, Research, treatmentThe team of cancer genetics experts that deciphered the genetic blueprints of cancer, have developed two new screening tests that have the promise to detect cancer in an early and curable stage. As the names of the tests indicate PapSEEK and UroSEEK, they seek out and find genetic evidence of cancer by detecting DNA released(...)
The Promise of Precision Medicine
Posted by | precision medicine, ResearchAll cancers are fundamentally disorders of acquired defects in genes. The genes serve as blueprints for all of the components of cells and tissues in the human body. In cancers, faulty blueprints lead to malfunctioning cells that grow uncontrollably, spread throughout the body and overwhelm normal organ functions to threaten life itself. Full realization of(...)