1959
Fox Chase doctoral student David A. Hungerford, MD (R) and Peter C. Nowell, MD (L), from the University of Pennsylvania, discovered what would become known as the Philadelphia Chromosome. It was the first conclusive evidence that cancer is a genetic disorder of somatic cells, and it was the first scientific discovery that led to the development of a targeted cancer therapy.
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PHOTO COURT ESY OF FOX CHASE CANCER CENTER ARCH IV ES
bladder and bile duct cancer, pancreatic cancer, and stomach cancer. Paula H. Finestone, PhD, is an attending clinical psychologist experienced in working with both inpatients and outpatients facing cancer and other serious diagnoses as well as providing education and support for family members and other caregivers. Christopher J. Manley, MD, is Director of Interventional Pulmonology and brings expertise in pulmonary and critical care medicine. He performs minimally invasive procedures to diagnose and treat lung cancer, benign and malignant causes of airway obstruction, and pleural disease, and provides care to patients who require the intensive care unit (ICU). Finally, Kristen J. Scully Manley, MD, joined our hospitalist service to provide care to patients requiring acute care hospitalization. In our Department of Pathology, we recruited Shuanzeng (Sam) Wei, MD, PhD, who specializes in surgical pathology and cytopathology. Rajeswari Nagarathinam, MD, who focuses on both surgical pathology and cytopathology, also joined our pathology team after finishing a surgical oncologic pathology fellowship at Fox Chase. In the Department of Surgical Oncology, Allison A. Aggon, DO, brings expertise in breast surgery, focusing exclusively on patients with breast cancer, those at high risk for it, and those with complex benign breast conditions. For several years, the Department of Radiation Oncology has helped to pioneer an advanced treatment technique called hypofractionation, or hypofractionated radiation therapy. For patients who qualify, hypofractionation significantly reduces the number of treatments needed compared to conventional radiation therapy. After extensive study, including large clinical trials at Fox Chase, it has proven to be just as safe and effective, with the possibility of fewer short term side effects and a better quality of life for our patients. This was the year in which hypofractionation truly became the standard of care for lung, breast, and prostate cancer. Fox Chase continues to be a leader in developing new cancer therapies. The department also added Krisha J. Howell, MD, who specializes in treating patients with cervical cancer, endometrial (uterine) cancer, head & neck cancer, ovarian and primary peritoneal cancer, sarcoma, uterine sarcoma, and vulvar cancer. Within our research enterprise, Joan Font-Burgada, PhD, joined our faculty as Assistant Professor in the Cancer Biology Program. A researcher who works on liver cancer and regenerative medicine, Font-Burgada is a current recip-