FACULT Y ACHIE VEMENTS
Landrum also educated congressional members about a pending guideline within the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Called “step therapy,” it is problematic for patients, especially those fighting cancer, she said. The plan would require doctors to prescribe the least expensive drugs first, then prove patients had failed those therapies before advancing to a different, more expensive drug that is known to be more effective. “For example, I would be required to use cheaper anti-nausea medication first, knowing it would fail for my patients,” she said. “I understand that cost is a concern, but physicians have a significant amount of knowledge about which drugs a patient needs to manage nausea while undergoing specific chemotherapies. It’s cruel to make a patient take a less-effective drug. For some patients, their experience with chemo and nausea is so bad that they’re unwilling to even try again. That’s the kind of situations we risk encountering if physicians aren’t allowed to make the best choices for their patients.”
Urology Department Chair Elected to National Leadership Role
Michael Cookson, M.D., chair of the Department of Urology, was recently elected president of the Society of Urologic Oncology.
Lisa Landrum, M.D., Ph.D.
Cookson holds the Donald D. Albers Endowed Chair in urology, and he sees urologic cancer patients at Stephenson Cancer Center at OU Medicine. He was installed in his new role at the society’s annual meeting Dec. 3 in Washington, D.C., and will serve a one-year term.
Gynecologic Oncologist Honored for National Advocacy
Gynecologic oncologist Lisa Landrum, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, has been honored for her national advocacy work on behalf of her patients with gynecologic cancers. Landrum was presented the Ambassador Award from the Society of Gynecologic Oncology. As one of two winners across the United States, Landrum was recognized for educating Oklahoma’s congressional delegation about several issues of great importance to women who are fighting gynecologic cancers and the physicians who treat them. Landrum’s efforts began with a “Legislative Fly-In” organized by the Society of Gynecologic Oncology. Landrum joined her colleagues from around the nation in educating their congressional leaders and staff about several timely concerns. One was to encourage Oklahoma’s members of Congress to sponsor requests for more federal funding for gynecologic cancer clinical trials. In Oklahoma, gynecologic cancers affect a large number of women, and ovarian cancer is particularly difficult to treat.
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“I am indeed honored to lead one of the most significant international organizations that advocates for urologic cancer care,” Cookson said. “SUO strives to bring together distinguished experts whose work is entirely or primarily focused on malignant diseases of the urinary tract that include prostate and bladder cancer. In this way, we harness our experience and expertise to conquer urologic cancers.” SUO offers members a forum for discussion, development and implementation of ideas to improve care for patients with malignant genitourinary diseases. Key objectives are to stimulate research and teaching in urologic oncology, disseminate principles of urologic oncology to the medical profession at large and to standardize fellowship training in urologic oncology. In addition, Cookson said SUO is spearheading efforts with the American Board of Urology to develop a new Focus Practice Designation in Urologic Oncology for those physicians immersed in the care of urologic cancer patients. “The goal of this initiative will be to allow patients to identify doctors who are experts in the field with the ultimate goal of improving patient outcomes for those diagnosed with prostate and urologic cancers,” he said.
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