2024 YEAR IN REVIEW - The University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center
YEAR IN REVIEW
THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CENTER
RESEARCH 6 - 19
PATIENT FOCUS 22 - 35
YEAR IN REVIEW
THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CENTER
6 Gillette Named UNMCCC
Associate Director for Training and Education
8 Cancer Screening Rates Are Significantly Lower in US Federally Qualified Health Centers
10 Gathering STEAM
12 Amos Joins UNM Cancer Center
13 Samudio-Ruiz Named Shared Resources Associate Director at UNM Cancer Center
14 Route 66 SPORE Grant to Study Uterine Cancer
16 The Breadth of Breast Cell Types
18 Heavy Metal Gut: A $1.9 Million Study
PATIENT FOCUS
22 A Game Changer for Blood Cancer Treatment
24 Spurring Action Against Cervical Cancer
26 Sharing the Wealth
28 Living Drugs That Fight Cancer
30 Excellence in Radiation Technology
32 UNM Cancer Center Opens Ovarian Cancer Clinical Trial Using HIPEC Surgery
34 UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center Receives ThreeYear Reaccreditation from the Commission on Cancer
38 Boxing Out Cancer — Hoops for Hope
40 Lobos Slam Cancer in February
42 Starting STEM Earlier
46 Eight and Evolving — Lobo Cancer Challenge
48 Lobos Love Pink Game Continues to Bring Awareness to Breast Cancer
Research
ACROSS VARIOUS DISCIPLINES CONTRIBUTES TO ADDRESSING CANCER HEALTH DISPARITIES IN OUR DIVERSE POPULATION OF PATIENTS, FROM BENCH SCIENCE TO TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE.
— Dolores Guest, PhD, RD
Gillette Named UNMCCC Associate Director for Training and Education
Yolanda Sanchez, PhD, Director and CEO of The University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, has Announced That Effective January 1, Jennifer Gillette, PhD, Serves as the University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center (UNMCCC) Associate Director for Training and Education
Dr. Gillette is a Professor and Senior Director for Research for the UNM Department of Pathology. Angela
Wandinger-Ness, PhD, formerly held this role through the most recent Cancer Center Support Grant competitive renewal, and she will stay involved in Cancer Research Training and Education Coordination Core (CRTECC) as a senior advisor.
Gillette received her PhD in Cellular and Developmental Biology from the University of Colorado Health Science Center and completed her Post-Doctoral Fellowship at the National Institute of Health. Over the course of her career, she has received many awards, and honors. Most recently, she was awarded a UNM Health Sciences Center Regents Lectureship, and received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE).
Her current NIH and American Cancer Society funded research focuses on hematopoietic stem cell and leukemic cell signaling within the bone marrow microenvironment, focusing on the role of the regulatory scaffold proteins. Dr. Gillette is a full member of the UNMCCC and most recently served as the Faculty Director for the Flow Cytometry Shared Resource and as an advisory committee member for the Fluorescence Microscopy Shared Resource, the Animal Models Shared Resource and the Genomics Shared Resource.
Dr. Gillette is the Director of the UNM HSC Undergraduate Pipeline Network Program and the new UNM Cancer Post-Baccalaureate Research Education Program. She also serves as the Chair of the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program Admissions Committee and has served as an advisory committee member for the Cancer Research Training and Education Coordination Core under Dr. Wandinger-Ness. Over the last several years, Dr. Gillette has been collaborating with Dr. Wandinger-Ness on a number of cancer education and training initiatives, including their recent successful MPI R25 grant from the National Cancer Institute entitled
“University of New Mexico’s CURE for Cancer”, which brings new cancer research and training opportunities to Undergraduate, High School and Middle School Students across New Mexico.
Dr. Wandinger-Ness received an undergraduate degree in Biochemistry from the University of Massachusetts - Amherst. She holds a doctorate in Biochemistry from the University of California - Los Angeles. Dr. Wandinger-Ness completed postdoctoral training at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Heidelberg, Germany in 1991. Later that year, she took an appointment as Assistant Professor in the Dept. of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Cell Biology, at Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill. In 1998, Dr. Wandinger-Ness joined the UNM faculty in the Dept. of Pathology at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center.
Dr. Wandinger-Ness is passionate about science and education. She is motivated by sleuthing disease mechanisms and translating discoveries into better or new therapies. For nearly 30 years she has led a vibrant research team that includes students and fellows studying kidney disease and ovarian cancer. In the cancer arena, she and her team have identified new uses for known drugs and evaluated the benefits for ovarian cancer in patient trials.
Jennifer Gillette, PhD
THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CENTER IS THE OFFICIAL CANCER CENTER OF NEW MEXICO AND THE ONLY NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE-DESIGNATED CANCER CENTER IN A 500-MILE RADIUS.
Cancer Screening Rates are Significantly Lower in US Federally Qualified Health Centers
Study Finds Breast, Cervical and Colorectal Cancer Screening Substantially Lower in Clinics Serving Underrepresented Communities Compared to Overall National and State Rates.
HOUSTON and ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.
A national study led by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and The University of New Mexico (UNM) Comprehensive Cancer Center found major gaps in breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screening use in Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) in the US, relative to overall screening rates in the country.
The findings, published today in JAMA Internal Medicine, revealed screening use in FQHCs was 45.4% for breast cancer, 51% for cervical cancer and 40.2% for colorectal cancer, compared to cancer screening rates in the general American population of 78.2%, 82.9% and 72.3%, respectively.
“FQHCs provide high-quality primary care to underserved communities in the US, which are disproportionately comprised of racial and ethnic minorities, people without health insurance, and those living below the poverty level,” said study author Jane Montealegre, PhD, associate professor of Behavioral Science at MD Anderson. “These findings highlight an urgent need to focus on scaling up evidence-based screenings in these populations to mitigate cancer disparities.”
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) offers guidance for the general population to get screened for breast, cervical and colorectal cancer based on age and family history. However, screening use remains suboptimal in many marginalized populations. About 30 million people in the U.S. who might not otherwise have access to medical services currently use FQHCs.
The study, led by postdoctoral fellow Trisha Amboree, PhD, examined screening information from the Health Center Program Uniform Data System from 1,364 FQHCs between January 1 and December 31, 2020. To understand screening in the general population, researchers evaluated data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, which includes the use of preventive health services for non-institutionalized U.S. adults over the age of 18, during the same time period.
Researchers found cancer screening use in FQHCs varied widely across states. Certain states, such as Maine and New Hampshire, achieved screening rates over 60% and others fell below 35%, including Utah, Wyoming and Alabama. Additionally, the study revealed underscreened populations served by FQHCs in specific states contributed to a large proportion of America’s overall underscreened population. Experts attribute these differences, in part, to the variability of state screening programs and policies around healthcare funding.
“FQHCs face financial constraints and staff turnover while trying to provide care in a fragmented health system. Implementing clinical preventive services such as cancer screenings will require additional support,” said corresponding author Prajakta Adsul, MBBS, PhD, assistant professor of Internal Medicine at UNM. “With investments in implementation research in FQHCs, there is potential to mitigate screening-related disparities in medically underserved populations.”
Limitations of the study include self-reporting in the datasets and potential effects from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health (R01MD013715, R01CA232888, R01CA256660).
ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO. The University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center is the Official Cancer Center of New Mexico and the only National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center in a 500-mile radius. Its more than 136 board-certified oncology specialty physicians include cancer surgeons in every specialty, adult and pediatric hematologists/medical oncologists, gynecologic oncologists and radiation oncologists. They, along with more than 600 other cancer healthcare professionals (nurses, pharmacists, nutritionists, navigators, psychologists and social workers), provide treatment to 65% of New Mexico’s cancer patients from all across the state and partner with community health systems statewide to provide cancer care closer to home. Since 2015, they have published nearly 1000 manuscripts, and promoting economic development, they filed 136 new patents and launched 10 new biotechnology start-up companies. The physicians, scientists and staff have provided education and training experiences to more than 500 high school, undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral fellowship students in cancer research and cancer health care delivery.
ABOUT MD ANDERSON. The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston ranks as one of the world's most respected centers focused on cancer patient care, research, education and prevention. The institution’s sole mission is to end cancer for patients and their families around the world, and, in 1971, it became one of the nation’s first National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated comprehensive cancer centers. MD Anderson is No. 1 for cancer in U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Hospitals” rankings and has been named one of the nation’s top two hospitals for cancer since the rankings began in 1990. MD Anderson receives a cancer center support grant from the NCI of the National Institutes of Health (P30 CA016672).
Gathering STEAM
The Southwest Transformative Educational Advancement and Mentoring (STEAM) Network Unites Resources and Mentors From Four Institutions to Nurture and Advance the Careers of Young Researchers
The University of New Mexico
Comprehensive Cancer Center has initiated a pioneering program that bridges researchers and mentors across four research institutions in the Southwest.
Named the Southwest Transformative Educational Advancement and Mentoring Network, the program will attract cancer disparities researchers and mentors from the University of New Mexico, Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona, New Mexico State University, and the Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine, which is located on NMSU’s campus in Las Cruces. The STEAM network’s initial focus will be in New Mexico and Arizona with plans to potentially expand in the future.
“We want to support individuals in their transition to becoming established cancer health disparities researchers, particularly here in the Southwest. Our goal is to provide comprehensive support, encouraging their retention to the Southwest in this vital field,” said Dolores Guest, PhD, RD, Director of the Behavioral Measurement and Population Science Shared Resource at UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center. Guest serves as the UNM Principal Investigator for the STEAM Network.
Funded by the National Cancer Institute, this collaborative program stands as one of only two funded programs of its kind, and the only one serving multiple institutions.
Guest said the collaborative effort will offer participants opportunities to leverage the strengths of each institution, regardless of their physical location relative
“
Research
ACROSS VARIOUS DISCIPLINES
CONTRIBUTES TO ADDRESSING CANCER
HEALTH DISPARITIES IN OUR DIVERSE
POPULATION OF PATIENTS, FROM BENCH SCIENCE TO TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE.
— Dolores Guest, PhD, RD
Targeting graduate students, professional students, postdoctoral fellows, and early stage investigators, especially those from underrepresented communities, the program also welcomes medical students, residents and fellows interested in research.
Dolores Guest, PhD, RD
“The program’s emphasis on diversity extends to its recruitment strategy, leveraging the minority-serving institution status of all universities.”
to the campuses. “Some resources are readily accessible which we will be highlighting for our scholars, while others will be developed to meet their specific needs,” she said.
Mentorship stands as a cornerstone of the program, with numerous researchers already expressing interest in providing guidance and mentorship for STEAM scholars. Guest said mentor-mentee matches entail a minimum one-year commitment.
Scholars engaged in research that focuses on cancer health disparities, across all fields and disciplines, are eligible for the program.
Research across various disciplines contributes to addressing cancer health disparities in our diverse population of patients, from bench science to translational science,” Guest said.
The program’s emphasis on diversity extends to its recruitment strategy, leveraging the minority-serving institution status of all universities. Guest added that the STEAM program targets scholars who meet the criteria of the National Institute of Health’s definition of underrepresented populations in biomedical research based on race, ethnicity, gender, disability, and those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
— Dolores Guest, PhD, RD
“The primary goal is to support individuals who may face barriers to accessing such opportunities,” Guest said.
Diversifying the pool of researchers examining health disparities can ultimately enhance the quality of cancer care. “For instance, addressing cultural or regional factors influencing hesitance to cancer screening behaviors can lead to improved outcomes,” Guest said.
In addition to providing a pool of mentors, the program employs Training Champions at each campus to facilitate the program. They engage and recruit scholars, pair and support mentor/mentee matches, and identify campus resources for program utilization.
With an estimated initial capacity of approximately 30 scholars annually, Guest expressed aspirations for mentorship program expansion beyond the current campuses.
“We envision extending our reach to other institutions within and beyond our states,” she said.
Amos Joins UNM Cancer Center
Christopher Amos, PhD, Will Serve as UNM Cancer Center’s Associate Director for Population Sciences and as Director of UNM Health Sciences Center’s Data Science Initiative
Christopher Amos, PhD, will join The University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center on October 1, Yolanda Sanchez, PhD, announced. Sanchez leads the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center as Director and CEO.
Amos will serve as Associate Director for Population Sciences and Cancer Control at the UNM Cancer Center and will also serve as Director of the UNM Health Sciences Center (HSC) Data Science Initiative.
In his role as Associate Director for Cancer Control and Population Sciences, Dr Amos will assist in building the UNM Cancer Center’s research programs in cancer population sciences, cancer control, community engagement, cancer-relevant behavioral intervention, and cancer health disparities.
In his role as HSC Data Science Initiative Director, Amos will develop a cadre of data scientists, review current HSC policies, procedures and governance; develop a master’s level and other training plans; and develop a full vision, strategic plan, and aligned budget plan.
Amos joins UNM from Baylor College of Medicine, where he is a Professor and Chief of the Section of Epidemiology and Population Sciences. He also serves as Director of the Institute for Clinical and Translational Research and as Associate Director of Population and Quantitative Sciences at the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Amos holds a doctorate in Biometry from LSU Medical Center in New Orleans. His postdoctoral training included a fellowship at the National Cancer Institute, where he focused on family studies and environmental epidemiology.
Amos’ research focuses on the genetic epidemiology of cancer. His work has identified genetic factors that influence lung cancer risk and nicotine addiction, and he has published extensively on the genetic underpinnings of cancer. His work has contributed to personalized medical approaches to treating people with lung cancer.
Christopher Amos, PhD
Samudio-Ruiz Named Shared Resources Associate Director at UNM Cancer Center
Sabrina Samudio-Ruiz, PhD, Begins New Role as Shared Resources Associate Director on September 16
Yolanda Sanchez, PhD, CEO and Director of The University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, has announced that Sabrina SamudioRuiz, PhD, will begin her new role as Shared Resources Associate Director on September 16.
The UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center offers its scientists the use of eight shared resources that provide advanced technologies to conduct their research. These technologies, and the service contracts to maintain them, are often too expensive for any single research laboratory to purchase.
And Samudio-Ruiz adds, “Sharing the state-of-the-art equipment stimulates scientific interaction and collaboration.”
The UNM Cancer Center offers machines for next-generation gene sequencing and the data analysis and statistical support to make sense of the huge amounts of data that are generated.
It also offers sophisticated microscopes to study cell and tissue structure, dynamics, function and mechanical force. It offers tools to measure cell characteristics and to sort cells by those characteristics. And it provides resources for preclinical drug testing; a library of biospecimens; tissue analysis services; and support for cancer-focused population science.
As associate director, Samudio-Ruiz will oversee the development of all eight shared resources, set the direction for new technological acquisitions, and help to procure new equipment to carry out UNM Cancer Center research initiatives.
Before taking her current role as the Senior Lab Operations Manager at the UNMCCC Cancer Research Facility, Samudio-Ruiz served as a Research Assistant Professor in the UNM College of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology from the University of Colorado Boulder and a doctorate in Biomedical Sciences from the University of New Mexico. Her research focused on cancer epigenetics, particularly epigenetic alterations associated with the development of platinum resistance in ovarian cancer.
Samudio-Ruiz’s work secured her a prestigious NCI funded career development K01 grant, and she was a full scientific research member of the UNM Cancer Center. She also served as a guest lecturer for Pharmacy students and taught cancer chemotherapy.
As Senior Lab Operations Manager, Samudio-Ruiz oversaw the day-to-day operations of the Cancer Research Facility on UNM’s North Campus. She managed the shared equipment, oversaw shared resource billing, led the centralized purchasing team, coordinated facility issues, and assisted research laboratories within the building in many other efforts.
“Dr. Samudio-Ruiz has a diverse skill set and experience,” says Sanchez. “Her background uniquely positions her for the role of Shared Resources Associate Director at our Center.”
Sabrina Samudio-Ruiz, PhD
Route 66 SPORE Grant to Study Uterine Cancers
UNM Cancer Center is One of Three Cancer Centers Awarded an $11 Million Federal Grant to Study Treatments and Biomarkers for Uterine Cancers
“I
feel a great responsibility,” Kimberly Leslie, MD, says about her uterine cancer grant.
A research professor at The University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, Leslie leads the UNM portion of the Route 66 Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) grant. The $11 million grant is the only SPORE grant among the 65 National Cancer Institute’s SPORE grants to focus on uterine cancers.
Uterine Cancer Survival Rates
Over the past 50 years, cancer survival rates have increased considerably for most types of cancers. But survival rates for uterine and endometrial cancer have stubbornly remained constant.
“We have a huge increase in the [incidence] rate of these cancers, endometrial cancer in particular,” Leslie says.
The endometrium lines the inside of the uterus and is shed every month during a woman’s fertile years. Too much bleeding or bleeding at the wrong time is an early sign of endometrial cancer. Women should have abnormal bleeding checked immediately, Leslie says.
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Collaboration Between the Three Institutions
The grant comprises three projects, two of which focus on high-risk cancers that arise from mutations, or changes, in cellular DNA. These uterine cancers are often found at late stages and are very hard to treat. The scientists at Siteman Cancer Center and Stephenson Cancer Center will focus on these projects.
Leslie’s team at UNM Cancer Center will focus on the third project, which will study treatments for early-stage uterine cancer. The incidence of this cancer has been increasing because of the obesity epidemic.
We’re seeing YOUNGER HISPANIC WOMEN GETTING UTERINE CANCER. [THESE ARE] WOMEN WHO NORMALLY WOULD WANT TO HAVE FAMILIES AND NOT WANT TO UNDERGO HYSTERECTOMIES.”
— Kimberly Leslie, MD
The Route 66 SPORE grant aims to improve uterine cancer survival. The work is a collaboration between scientists at UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center, Siteman Cancer Center at Washington University in St. Louis, and Stephenson Cancer Center at University of Oklahoma. All three universities lie along Route 66, giving the grant its name.
The UNM Cancer Center project addresses the rise of early endometrial cancers or precancers among the younger New Mexico population. The treatment for early-stage uterine cancer has been removal of the uterus, which is called a hysterectomy, and it has long been considered a cure. But many women may not want a hysterectomy.
“In our populations at the University of New Mexico, we’re seeing disparities. We’re seeing younger Hispanic women getting uterine cancer. [These are] women who normally would want to have families and not want to undergo hysterectomies.”
The UNM Cancer Center project will offer a clinical trial in which some women will be given the option of non-surgical treatment. These women will be treated with hormonal therapy in the hope of preserving their ability to have a family in the future.
The UNM Cancer Center Route 66 SPORE Clinical Trial
Non-surgical treatments could not only help younger women preserve their ability to bear children but also could be easier on older women who might struggle to recover from a surgery.
“[We] can reverse approximately 70% of these cancers just with the correct hormone therapy,” Leslie says, adding that the UNM Cancer Center Gynecologic Oncology team are experts in hormone therapy for treating early-stage uterine cancer.
Leslie will work with Andrew Sussman, PhD, also at UNM Cancer Center, to address any diversity issues while recruiting New Mexico women for the clinical trial in a culturally appropriate way.
One goal of the clinical trial is to look for biomarkers that could allow doctors to know which women will respond to hormone therapy and which need surgery right away. Right now, doctors cannot know which women will respond to hormone therapy and which will not.
ABOUT THE ROUTE 66 SPORE GRANT.
The National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health supported the research reported in this publication under Award Number 1P50CA265793-01A1, Principal Investigators: Mutch, David G; Benbrook, Doris Mangiaracina; and Leslie, Kimberly K. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
Leslie’s team includes gynecologic oncologists Carolyn Muller, MD, and Sarah Adams, MD, who will collect biological samples from the women in the UNM clinical trial; oncology pathologist Edgar Fischer, MD, PhD; and biostatistician, Jianrong Wu, PhD.
The teams at Washington University and University of Oklahoma will also collect samples from the women in their clinical trials. Leslie’s lab will then work with the UNM Human Tissue Repository to test all the samples.
Another goal of the clinical trial is to study other non-surgical ways to treat the uterine cancer. Leslie explains that studies have shown intensive exercise and diet control to have a positive effect on treatment outcomes. The clinical trial will hire a specialist to consult with the enrollees on these lifestyle choices.
The UNM Cancer Center clinical trial will include about 25 women; altogether, the three Route 66 SPORE projects will include more than 100 women. Leslie says that the clinical trials will follow up with the women for at least three years.
“I, personally, would like to thank all the administration at the UNM Cancer Center for helping us [support this SPORE grant at UNM],” Leslie says. “We’ve brought a lot [to this SPORE grant], and we want to help New Mexico a lot.”
Kimberly Leslie, MD
The Breadth of Breast Cell Types
UNM Cancer Center Scientist Publishes a Comprehensive Analysis of Breast Cell Types to Better Understand How Breast Cancers Start, Grow and Spread
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and fittingly, University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center biologist Curt Hines, PhD, has published a pair of papers that comprehensively describe the twelve major types of cells in the human breast.
“We are trying to understand all the different cell types that are collaborating and coordinating to make a tissue function,” he says, “and how these processes can go awry in a tumor.”
Over the past several decades, breast cancer has become a leading cause of cancer deaths among women, second only to lung cancer. Of all cancer types diagnosed in women each year, a third will be breast cancer—and there is a 1 in 8 chance that a woman will develop breast cancer over her lifetime.
According to the National Cancer Institute, between 75% and 80% of breast cancer cases have features of luminal epithelial cells, which are a special cell type that forms the milk ducts of the breast. Cancers of this type are called ductal adenocarcinomas.
Organs and tissues comprise different types of cells that work together to form a functional unit. This normal balance of cell types is disrupted in tumors. These other non-cancerous cells influence how tumors behave.
“You need to know all the cell types in a tissue,” Hines says. “Tumors are diseases of the tissue. You really need to understand all the players.”
For the past 10 years, Hines’ laboratory has been compiling information about the types of cells in human breast tissue. Recently, he and his team published a pair of papers about their work.
The first paper, published this month, describes the process they used to identify, purify, and grow every major cell type in the human breast. The second paper, in press at PLOS Biology, describes in great detail each of the twelve major types of cells in a human breast.
Hines used non-diseased breast tissue that was discarded in breast reduction surgeries. He then used two different technologies — flow cytometry and RNA sequencing — to find, select and describe the cell types in those tissue samples.
Hines began his work using tissue staining and flow cytometry, which can analyze hundreds of thousands of cells by their specific traits, utilizing the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Flow Cytometry Shared Resource. After unlocking the combination of specific antibodies required to detect all cell types, he and his team used flow sorting to isolate the different breast cell types. They then used RNA-sequencing to analyze the RNA transcripts made by each cell type.
RNA sequencing determines the sequences of all the different ribonucleic acid (RNA) transcripts in a cell. RNA transcripts are molecules that are copied from the DNA genome. These transcripts carry the code for the proteins that accomplish the cell’s processes; they define the nature and properties of that cell type.
“Every cell in an individual has the same DNA,” Hines says, “but they don’t have the same RNA. And it’s the RNA that tells the cell what to do, what their function is.”
ABOUT: CURT HINES, PhD, is an associate professor at The University of New Mexico School of Medicine Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. He is the Faculty Director of the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center Flow Cytometry Shared Resource and Director of the Undergraduate Honors Research Program for Biochemistry majors.
“
You need TO KNOW ALL THE CELL TYPES IN A TISSUE. TUMORS ARE DISEASES OF THE TISSUE. YOU REALLY NEED TO UNDERSTAND ALL THE PLAYERS.”
— Curt Hines, PhD
Curt Hines, PhD
Flow cytometry enabled Hines to identify the twelve different cell types composing the breast. He and his team purified each cell type to study them in greater detail. Guided by the differences in the RNA transcripts, they closely examined the biological nature of each cell type
The resulting information was immense, as each cell type was found to express more than 20,000 individual genes. Among their findings, Hines and his team discovered a rare epithelial cell type which appeared to have stem cell properties. Stem cells have the ability to mature into an array of different cell types and serve as part of the body’s repair systems.
To further explore how the cells function, it was necessary to keep the cells alive in the laboratory—by growing them in plastic tissue dishes with cell medium—a mixture of sugars, amino acids, vitamins, and serum.
Hines and his team created cell models from nearly every cell type, expanding on the two to three that are commonly used in breast research. Their cell models are grown in the laboratory, and these cells retain the defining characteristics that they exhibit in the body. These cell models will enable scientists to study the behavior of the different cell types and explore how each cell type may contribute to the malignant process of tumor formation.
The cell types and their descriptions are summarized in the published papers, and full data about each type is available online.
“We were really trying to get to the essence of each cell type,” Hines says. “There’s so much information.”
Hines says that the reference can help biologists who want to understand what all the different types of cells in a human breast do and how a disturbance in the balance of these cells can lead to cancer.
Hines and his team are now studying pericytes and how these cells may influence the growth of breast tumors. They are also using the breast cell reference to study how breast cells influence their microenvironment and how their microenvironment influences them.
The single-cell RNA sequencing capabilities at UNM Cancer Center’s Analytical and Translational Genomics shared resource have permitted Dr. Hines to explore the heterogeneity within the breast’s pericyte population. Their next grant proposal aims to elucidate the pericyte’s contributions to breast malignancies.
“We know that disturbing the microenvironment can propel tumor growth,” Hines says, but he also marvels that many cancer cells do not turn into tumors. “It’s amazing that our tissues work in the way that they do.”
Heavy Metal Gut: A $1.9 Million Study
UNM Cancer Center Scientist Awarded $1.9 Million Over 5 Years to Study Impact of Uranium Exposure on Intestinal Lining
Julie In, PhD, received a $1.9 million grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to study the impact of uranium on the cells that line the intestines.
In, an associate professor at The University of New Mexico and a scientist at the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center, will study the molecular changes that take place within these intestinal lining cells when they are exposed to uranium dust. The work could be applied to several gut diseases, including irritable bowel syndrome and colon cancer.
Uranium and other heavy metals, such as arsenic and vanadium, can get into groundwater and air from abandoned uranium mine sites. Of the more than 1,600 such sites scattered throughout the western United States, at least 500 lie within the Four Corners region.
Many tribal and rural communities in New Mexico are located near abandoned uranium mine sites, and dust containing uranium is ubiquitous in these communities. The dust can get into the lungs and also accumulate in the colons of the people living there.
“Approximately 60% of what we inhale we also ingest,” In says.
“We don’t think OF THE GUT AS AN ENDOCRINE ORGAN, BUT DUE TO THE PRESENCE OF ENTEROENDOCRINE CELLS AND THE CUMULATIVE AMOUNT [OF HORMONES PRODUCED], THE GUT IS ACTUALLY THE LARGEST ENDOCRINE ORGAN IN OUR BODY.”
—
Julie In, PhD
In will use colonic organoids, which are miniature models of a colon, to study how uranium affects the cells that line the colon. She grows the organoids from cells taken during routine diagnostic or screening colonoscopies or during endoscopies.
The organoids contain the different kinds of cells found in the lining of the colon — called the colon epithelium — and they produce mucus and hormones and otherwise behave as if they are within a living colon. They enable In to study changes in the colon epithelial cells when uranium dust settles on them.
One of the important changes that In observed in her preliminary studies was a decrease in the amount of mucus that the colon epithelium produced. The mucus protects the colon epithelial cells from the bacteria and digestive fluids in the colon.
In’s preliminary studies found that some enteroendocrine cells increased in number, and this increase resulted in an imbalance of hormones. Using the organoids, In will closely measure the molecular changes that occur in the enteroendocrine cells after being exposed to uranium dust.
“Having this increase in these hormone-producing enteroendocrine cells with [this organoid] model using uranium-bearing dust could help us understand a whole cohort of other diseases and other therapeutics,” she says.
INGEST
In will use the grant to study the effects of a thinner mucus and how this thinning affects the colon epithelial cells. She’ll also study the molecular changes in goblet cells, which produce the mucus, when they are exposed to uranium dust.
The other important change In observed was in the balance of hormone-producing enteroendocrine cells.
“We don’t think of the gut as an endocrine organ,” she says, “but due to the presence of enteroendocrine cells and the cumulative amount [of hormones produced], the gut is actually the largest endocrine organ in our body.”
In explains that in many diseases of the colon, epithelial cells show the same responses early in the disease evolution. The molecular work she plans could therefore benefit research in colon cancer, irritable bowel syndrome and other colonic diseases and could lead to drugs that help fight all these diseases.
In is particularly interested in studying colon cancer. She says that while the total number of colon cancer cases has decreased in the United States, it has skyrocketed in younger people.
“I’m hoping,” In says, “that we can be one of many studies that helps to understand these early molecular changes that happen within our gut epithelia, that drives these diseases particularly among young people.”
We are committed TO BUILDING ON A 50 YEAR LEGACY OF DEEP ENGAGEMENT WITH NEW MEXICO COMMUNITIES TO MAKE CANCER PREVENTION, SCREENING, TREATMENT, AND SURVIVORSHIP SERVICES MORE ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE IN OUR STATE.
A Game Changer for Blood Cancer Treatment
UNM Cancer Center Successfully Completes First Allogeneic Transplant in New Mexico to Treat Blood Cancers
For the first time ever in New Mexico, doctors at The University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center have treated blood cancer patients by transplanting cells from a donor.
Late last year, Matthew Fero, MD, FACP, and the Stem Cell and Bone Marrow Transplant team at UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center completed the first procedure, known as an allogeneic stem cell transplant. The first patients successfully completed their 90- to 100day checkup, which is an important milestone in stem cell transplantation treatment.
“The patients completed their check-ups with flying colors,” says Fero. “The ability to conduct allogeneic transplantation fills a large gap that previously existed in the care of patients with blood cancers in New Mexico. Together, with other advanced therapies at UNM, we should be able to treat nearly every type of [blood] disease.”
Allogeneic stem cell transplants are an approach to treating leukemia, and other cancers of the blood. Transplants aim to cure the disease, using blood and bone marrow stem cells from a donor.
In the procedure, patients begin with chemotherapy that, along with destroying the cancer cells in their bloodstream, also strips away other blood-forming
cells. Blood and bone marrow stem cells are then collected from a donor and infused into the patient to jump-start the process of rebuilding the immune system.
The procedures take time, and patients often need to stay in the hospital for several weeks because of their vulnerability to infection. After they are released from the hospital, they still have to stay near the transplant center for several more months to make sure their bodies don’t reject the transplanted stem cells.
“Because of family obligations it would have been a tremendous hardship for our patients to travel out of state,” says Fero. “We were happy to be able to provide this treatment and let our first patient return to his own home immediately after being released from the hospital.”
Until last year, the stem cell transplants performed at the UNM Cancer Center had been autologous transplants.
In autologous transplants, the patient’s own stem cells are coaxed into the bloodstream, harvested and frozen before the chemotherapy treatment. After chemotherapy, the stem cells are carefully thawed and injected back into the patient’s body, where they migrate to the bone marrow and regrow the immune system.
“The availability of these haploidentical transplants greatly increases the opportunity of New Mexicans to access this therapy.”
— Matthew Fero, MD, FACP
THE PATIENT RECEIVES AN ENTIRELY NEW IMMUNE SYSTEM THAT CAN ATTACK THE TUMOR CELLS AND HELP TO ERADICATE THE REMAINING BITS OF RESIDUAL DISEASE. THIS IMMUNE RESPONSE DECREASES THE RISK OF THE DISEASE COMING BACK.
— Matthew Fero, MD
Allogeneic transplants differ from autologous transplants in that stem cells are harvested from a donor. The procedure is used to treat certain blood cancers when an autologous transplant isn’t as helpful.
”Using bone marrow stem cells from a donor ensures that they will not be contaminated with leukemia cells — like they might be if they were harvested from the patient,” says Fero. “But this is not the only benefit. The patient receives an entirely new immune system that can attack the tumor cells and help to eradicate the remaining bits of residual disease. This immune response decreases the risk of the disease coming back.”
In allogeneic transplants, because the stem cells do not come from the patient, the immune system markers must be carefully tested. Donors are matched according to their immune systems’ unique “barcode” in a process called Human Leukocyte Antigen typing, or HLA typing.
HLA typing goes much deeper than evaluating a standard blood type: it identifies the exact HLA markers found on our bodies' cells, from over a million different possible combinations. The immune system relies on these markers to determine which cells belong in the body, and which to fight to stave off infections.
Fero describes another major advance in the field of stem cell transplantation: the ability to use donors whose HLA type is only half-matched.
“The availability of these haploidentical transplants greatly increases the opportunity of New Mexicans to access this therapy,” Fero says. “While there is only a 25% chance that a brother or sister is fully matched, 50% of siblings and 100% of children and parents are haploidentical.”
Fero explains that haploidentical transplants make treatment possible for many New Mexican patients, who because of their rich and mixed ancestry, might not find matched donors in the registries of unrelated donors.
"We recently completed a haploidentical transplant from a young woman with relapsed leukemia, and are thrilled about how well she has done," Fero says.
Until now, New Mexicans had to travel out of state and live away for months when their treatment plan called for an allogeneic stem cell transplant. With the new allogeneic capability at UNM Cancer Center, they don’t have to.
Spurring Action Against Cervical Cancer
Prajakta Adsul, PhD, From UNM Cancer Center Attended the White House Cervical Cancer Forum Focused on Education, Prevention, Early Detection and Treatment
During the last days of January, which is Cervical Cancer Awareness month, Prajakta Adsul, MBBS, PhD, MPH, headed for Washington, D.C. Adsul had been invited to participate in the Inaugural White House Cervical Cancer Forum hosted by the Office of Science and Technology Policy, through the Biden Moonshot Initiative.
Adsul is a global leader in cervical cancer prevention and implementation research. She and her team conducted the largest study of cervical screening among LGBTQIA+ individuals in the United States, and they published their research results last year in Frontiers in Oncology. The team continues to evaluate the study data with several publications planned.
The Forum at the White House began with a public session in which survivors and advocates for cervical cancer shared their experiences.
Thus grounded in priorities, the forum attendees heard remarks from Kimryn Rathmell, Director of the National Cancer Institute, and Danielle Carnival, PhD, Deputy Assistant to the President for the Cancer Moonshot.
Carnival told the attendees, “We are here today united by a commons mission … to get us on a path to virtually eliminate this disease which, today, impacts more than 600,000 people around the globe each year.”
The Forum ended with several sessions aimed at generating new ideas, actions and collaborations to combat cervical cancer worldwide.
In New Mexico, 100 women are expected to receive a diagnosis of cervical cancer in 2024, according to American Cancer Society estimates. The vast majority of cervical cancers — 91% — are caused by Human Papillomaviruses (HPVs). Three vaccines have been approved in the US for use against HPV.
ABOUT: Prajakta Adsul, MBBS, PhD, MPH, is an Assistant Professor in the UNM Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Preventive Medicine and is a full member of the Cancer Control and Population Sciences research group at the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center. A primary care physician by training, Dr. Adsul received her doctorate in Public Health and more recently completed a Cancer Prevention Fellowship with the Implementation Science team at the National Cancer Institute.
Sharing the Wealth
New UNM Cancer Center Program Reduces the Burden of Care by Bringing New Mexico’s Community Providers and Cancer Experts Together Virtually
Acancer diagnosis scares most people. Those outside of large population centers like Albuquerque have the additional concern of having to travel to get timely, specialized medical treatment.
Now, a new program at The University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center aims to streamline the process for all New Mexicans, regardless of where they live in the state.
The program is currently focusing on those diagnosed with cancers of the liver, pancreas or bile ducts, which are also called hepato-pancreatico-biliary (HPB) cancers. A successful version of the program that was limited to Presbyterian Healthcare Services was launched in 2021 and has remained active since.
“This program brings community providers together with HPB cancer experts at UNM to guide and formulate a personalized plan for each specific patient,” says Itzhak Nir, MD, leader of the HPB team at UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center.
“The benefit [of this HPB-ECHO program] is that it provides a platform to allow community providers to share our expertise. They can approach us from any remote location and have an in-depth clinical discussion with us.”
— Itzhak Nir, MD
Cancers of the liver, pancreas, gallbladder and bile duct can grow and spread quickly, and they can be hard to treat, Nir says. Often, these cancers require a combination of chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery. Bringing providers together electronically for a consultation is not an easy task. The process of sharing large image files and other relevant medical information during the call must meet stringent federal electronic security standards.
With data security in mind and with the strong support of UNM Cancer Center Chief Medical Officer, Zoneddy Dayao, MD, Nir and the UNM Cancer Center HPB Team nurse navigator, Lynn Saavedra, turned to Project ECHO (Extension for Community Health Outcomes).
Project ECHO has perfected a telementoring model for doctors to learn and share knowledge about best practices in a virtual community of practice. Nir, Saavedra and their team of radiologists, medical oncologists, interventional radiologists and gastroenterologists worked with Project ECHO to successfully test the model with their established Presbyterian partners. They are now ready to expand the program to all cancer providers across the state.
“We are providing service line access for the management of HPB [hepatobiliary] cancers,” Nir says.
He explains that community doctors are highly valued because they provide a broad range of services, but they do not sub-specialize in treating rare diseases such as HPB cancers.
Matthew Hernandez, MD
“Easy access to our multispecialty panel is imperative to first reach accurate diagnosis and then formulate the optimal care plan,” Nir says.
Nir is one of two HPB surgeons in New Mexico; the other is Matthew Hernandez, MD, who also practices at UNM Cancer Center. They, along with UNM HPB experts in medical oncology, diagnostic and interventional radiology, gastroenterology and clinical research, meet each week to review cases that are referred by community providers.
“The benefit [of this HPBECHO program] is that it provides a platform to allow community providers to share our expertise,” Nir says. “They can approach us from any remote location and have an in-depth clinical discussion with us.”
And just as important, he says, they don’t need to send their patients to UNM Cancer Center prematurely.
Using the ECHO Model, community providers can share a patient’s imaging results, lab testing results, and other information with the UNM Cancer Center HPB experts and get real-time feedback and recommendations. The whole panel can agree on a treatment plan and refer that patient to the appropriate subspecialty as needed.
ABOUT: Itzhak Nir, MD, is a Professor and Chief of the Division of Hepato-Pancreatico-Biliary Surgery in the Department of Surgery at the UNM School of Medicine. He leads the Liver, Pancreas and Gallbladder Cancers Team at the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center.
ABOUT: Lynn Saavedra, RN, MSN, OCN, is a Nurse Navigator and Program Coordinator for the Liver, Pancreas and Gallbladder Cancers Team at the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center.
IN ADDITION to Nir and Saavedra, the hepatopancreatico-biliary (HPB) multidisciplinary panel includes medical oncologists Ursa BrownGlaberman, MD, and Erika Maestas, MD; surgical oncologist Matthew Hernandez, MD; radiologist Steven Eberhardt, MD; interventional radiologist Christopher Gutjahr, MD; and gastroenterologist Gulshan Parasher, MD.
Saavedra says that if the treatment plan calls for surgery or interventional radiology treatment or enrollment in a clinical trial — all appointments that the patient must attend in person at UNM — she facilitates the needed appointments for the patient in the meeting.
Before the HPB-ECHO program was in place, people diagnosed with HPB cancers would have to make appointments on their own, send their imaging and lab results to the UNM Cancer Center HPB team and then attend a consultation in person.
Any missing information meant that the trip to Albuquerque wasn’t as fruitful as it could have been and might have to be repeated.
The new program eases the burden on patients, Saavedra says. The only time they need to travel now is when they must get a treatment that cannot be provided in their own community.
UNM Cancer Center plans to extend the program to include other cancers and all New Mexico providers.
Lynn Saavedra, RN, MSN, OCN
Living Drugs that Fight Cancer
UNM Cancer Center Offers New Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Therapy, Which Uses White Blood Cells to Attack Cancers
In Greek mythology, a Chimera is a creature of change, a being possessing the forms of lion, goat and dragon.
But unlike the mythical creature, a new approach to fighting cancer cells throughout the body is very real and has arrived at The University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center.
The new approach, called chimeric antigen receptor therapy (CAR-T), uses a modified subset of white blood cells to fight lymphomas, myelomas and leukemias that have failed to respond to more traditional therapy. CAR-T offers new ways to enhance the immune system to treat these cancers.
Shashank Cingam, MD, recently joined the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Bone Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapy Team and has helped launch a CAR-T program, which will mean a world of difference for leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma patients in New Mexico.
Cingam and the team successfully completed the first CAR-T infusion in New Mexico in January.
“In several ways it’s similar to a bone marrow transplant, but it’s also different,” Cingam said. “Instead of stem cells, we collect white blood cells. These white blood cells are sent to an outside lab and are modified and multiplied to express receptors that can detect and kill cancer cells.”
The modified white blood cells have receptors on their surfaces that are not otherwise present on white blood cells. These receptors are tuned to find cancer cells and induce the modified white blood cells to destroy them.
Although the process collects patients’ own white blood cells, they must still undergo a mild chemotherapy to weaken their immune systems — known as conditioning — to prevent their immune systems from turning against these modified reinforcements.
“Once injected, these CAR-T cells are exposed to the cancer cells, multiply in the body and attack the cancer cells directly, causing killing until there is no more cancer in the body,” Cingam said.
The immune response kicks in right away, he said. But the entire process can take a bit longer.
“Anywhere between one and seven days is when it’s in its full-blown effect,” Cingam said.
“In several ways it’s similar to a bone marrow transplant, but it’s also different,” Cingam said. “Instead of stem cells, we collect white blood cells. These white blood cells are sent to an outside lab and are modified and multiplied to express receptors that can detect and kill cancer cells.”
— Shashank Cingam, MD
As with any immune response, patients will experience side effects, and in this case, they must be strictly monitored.
“These are living drugs,” Cingam said. “Once in your body, they’re not going to take effect and leave. They are multiplying in your body, releasing inflammatory cytokines, which can cause high-grade fevers, or we can see inflammation in or around the brain. So, we give steroids and other anti-inflammatory therapies to limit this inflammation.”
Patients must be watched closely after the procedure, which requires a major time commitment. Right now, New Mexico patients undergoing CAR-T must travel hundreds of miles for treatment, and that means a month-long stay or more out of the state.
“This [therapy] requires patients to spend at least four weeks near the facility,” Cingam said. “Out of those four, they may be admitted only one week. If you go [out of state], they might let you out [of the hospital], but you still have to stick around for another four weeks.”
Having the option of receiving CAR-T therapy in Albuquerque means less travel and fewer obstacles for patients and their loved ones in New Mexico. The UNM Cancer Center Bone Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapy program currently offers four commercial CAR-T therapies to treat several types of lymphoma and multiple myeloma.
“We can now treat relapsed or refractory diffuse large B cell lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, mantle cell lymphoma, multiple myeloma and acute lymphoblastic lymphoma,” said Cingam. “And, we’re planning to open CAR-T clinical trials in the spring.”
The CAR-T program is part of a broader roster of blood disorder treatments offered at the UNM Cancer Center. That roster includes autologous and allogeneic stem cell transplants and treatment for non-cancerous blood disorders. Cingam has helped the team add the different CAR-T therapies.
And as Cingam and other doctors and researchers around the country learn more about CAR T, it can be used earlier in the course of treatment and lead to better recovery for patients. The UNM Cancer Center has already opened its first CAR T clinical trial using a product that can simultaneously target two different molecules on the surface of cancer cells. Other CAR-T clinical trials are in process.
“CAR-T is much more effective compared to other treatments,” said Matthew Fero, MD, director of the Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplant Program at UNM Cancer Center. “It gives patients another great treatment option.”
Excellence in Radiation Oncology
The University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center Achieves Accreditation for Radiation Oncology Services from the American Society for Radiation Oncology APEx - Accreditation Program for Excellence
The University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center successfully attained accreditation from the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) APEx - Accreditation Program for Excellence. APEx provides external validation that a radiation oncology facility is delivering high-quality patient care. The UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center's accreditation is effective until March 2028.
"We are pleased to receive APEx accreditation from ASTRO, the largest radiation oncology society in the world," said Zoneddy Dayao, MD, Deputy Director for Clinical Operations at UNM Cancer Center. "Our radiation oncology team, under the leadership of Dr. David Lee, Director of Radiation Oncology, and Patricia Sansourekidou, Director of Medical Physics, was invested in evaluating our processes to meet ASTRO's high standards for safety and quality. Achieving APEx accreditation shows our local community that we are dedicated to delivering consistently safe patient-centered cancer care."
APEx, the fastest-growing radiation oncology practice accreditation program in the
United States, is a voluntary, objective and rigorous multi-step process during which a radiation oncology practice is evaluated using consensus-based standards. The practice must demonstrate its safety and quality processes and show that it adheres to patient-centered care by promoting effective communication, coordinated treatments and strong patient engagement.
"ASTRO commends UNM Cancer Center for achieving APEx accreditation," said Jeff M. Michalski, MD, MBA, FASTRO, chair of the ASTRO Board of Directors. "By undergoing this comprehensive review, the facility demonstrated their strong commitment to delivering safe, high-quality radiation oncology services to their patients."
APEx is the only radiation oncology accreditation program that includes a self-assessment, which allows practices to internally assess compliance with quality improvement standards. The practice then proceeds to a facility review by an external surveyor team that includes a radiation oncologist and a medical physicist.
The program reflects the recommendations endorsed in the ASTRO publication Safety is No Accident: A Framework for Quality Radiation Oncology and Care. To date, more than 300 U.S. facilities have earned APEx accreditation. Learn more about APEx at www.astro. org/APEx.
UNM Cancer Center Opens Ovarian Cancer Clinical Trial Using HIPEC Surgery
New Clinical Trial Will Study How a Surgical Procedure Usually Used for Digestive Cancers
May Help People with Ovarian Cancer
Anew clinical trial at The University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center is applying hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC), a proven surgical technique, to ovarian cancer.
A Deadly Cancer
Ovarian cancer is one of the more deadly cancers. According to the American Cancer Society, 120 people in New Mexico will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2024. But 70 New Mexicans will die of the disease, and statistics from the National Cancer Institute show a 5-year survival rate of about 50.9%.
Ovarian cancer has vague signs and symptoms, and no screening tests can catch it in its early stages. By the time ovarian cancer is usually found, tumors have spread throughout the peritoneum, which is the membrane that lines the abdomen and contains digestive, reproductive, and other organs.
Removing the many tumors and clearing any remaining cancer cells in the peritoneum is a complex procedure. Conventional chemotherapy treatment, which sends drugs through the bloodstream, can affect many cells in the body and not just the tumor cells. Regional therapy, such as HIPEC, can kill cancer cells in a certain area of the body.
ABOUT THE CLINICAL TRIAL.
The clinical trial, “Heated Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy Followed by Niraparib for Ovarian, Primary Peritoneal and Fallopian Tube Cancer (HOTT),” is open to patients at the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center. Learn more about the clinical trial at https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/ NCT05659381.
Direct Contact
“Delivering chemotherapy directly into the abdomen allows us to give high doses of chemotherapy onto the surfaces of the abdominal organs, while avoiding high doses of chemotherapy circulating in the bloodstream,” Alissa Greenbaum, MD, says.
Greenbaum leads the HIPEC program at UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center. She is the only HIPEC-trained surgeon in New Mexico and received special training for the procedure at the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey.
Surgery with HIPEC averages seven hours but ranges from two to 17 hours. It comprises two steps. First, the surgeon removes all visible tumors from the peritoneum. Then — while still in the operating room — the surgeon delivers chemotherapy drugs directly into the peritoneum. The drugs are heated to 108 degrees Fahrenheit, and the surgeon bathes the abdominal organs with them for 90 minutes.
Surgery with HIPEC is the standard treatment for stage IV appendix cancer. It is also used to treat colorectal cancer, mesothelioma, stomach cancer, and cancers that have spread from other regions into the peritoneum.
“Many studies are showing that when combined with other cancer treatments, HIPEC can help patients to live longer,” Greenbaum says.
But as with any treatment, surgery with HIPEC has risks, and patients often spend a week or more in the hospital to recover. The most common side effect is sluggish digestion, and the intestines can take days or weeks to return to normal.
Still, HIPEC may help New Mexicans who receive an ovarian cancer diagnosis.
A Clinical Trial to Help Ovarian Cancer Patients
“HIPEC could be ideal to use as a component of ovarian cancer treatment,” says Carolyn Muller, MD, the Associate Director for Clinical Research at UNM Cancer Center. She also leads the Gynecologic Oncology team at UNM Cancer Center.
“Delivering chemotherapy directly into the abdomen allows us to give high doses of chemotherapy onto the surfaces of the abdominal organs, while avoiding high doses of chemotherapy circulating in the bloodstream.”
— Alissa Greenbaum, MD
“HIPEC could be ideal to use as a component of ovarian cancer treatment. The majority of [ovarian cancer] patients are diagnosed with stage III or stage IV disease. The bulk of the ovarian cancer is spread through the entire peritoneal or belly cavity. Some global and ongoing studies suggest HIPEC may help achieve remission and possibly result in longer progression-free and overall survival.”
“The majority of [ovarian cancer] patients are diagnosed with stage III or stage IV disease,” Muller says. “The bulk of the ovarian cancer is spread through the entire peritoneal or belly cavity. Some global and ongoing studies suggest HIPEC may help achieve remission and possibly result in longer progression-free and overall survival.”
Greenbaum and Muller cite a 2018 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The study showed that ovarian cancer patients who received surgery with HIPEC lived an average of 12 months longer than those who received the standard surgery.
Treatment for most people with ovarian cancer starts with three or four cycles of chemotherapy. Called neoadjuvant chemotherapy, this initial chemotherapy shrinks their tumors.
Patients then undergo surgery to remove the remaining tumors. If the tumors shrink with the neoadjuvant chemotherapy, the abdominal organs can often be spared during surgery. If the tumors do not respond, however, affected organs may have to be removed.
The clinical trial at UNM Cancer Center will compare the standard surgery to surgery with HIPEC. The study
will look at whether people who receive surgery with HIPEC live longer than those who receive the standard surgery.
The clinical trial will also study the effects of maintenance therapy after surgery. And it will compare whether the disease returns and how long it takes to return.
The UNM Cancer Center is one of 23 sites throughout the country to offer this clinical trial. Few centers have a team of HIPEC-trained oncology surgeons, gynecology oncologists, medical oncologists, anesthesiologists, dietitians, pharmacists, and advanced practice providers to provide the comprehensive care that patients need.
Not every ovarian cancer patient will qualify for the clinical trial. Still, Muller says that anyone who has an ovarian cancer diagnosis and who needs chemotherapy before surgery should consider joining.
Greenbaum adds, “Not every patient will qualify for the procedure, but we would rather capture more patients who could benefit than miss them completely.”
— Carolyn Muller, MD
Carolyn Muller, MD
Alissa Greenbaum, MD
The University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center Receives Three-Year Reaccreditation from the Commission on Cancer
Accreditation Demonstrates UNM Cancer Center’s Commitment to Improving Cancer Care Across the Continuum
The University of New Mexico
Comprehensive Cancer Center has successfully received reaccreditation from the Commission on Cancer (CoC), a quality program of the American College of Surgeons.
The ACS CoC is a consortium of professional organizations dedicated to improving survival and quality of life for patients with cancer by setting and raising standards.
CoC accreditation is granted to institutions committed to providing high-quality cancer care by demonstrating compliance with the CoC standards. Each cancer program must undergo a rigorous evaluation and review of its performance and compliance with the CoC standards. To maintain accreditation, cancer programs must undergo a site visit every three years. The UNM Cancer Center’s accreditation was renewed after such a site visit recently.
The CoC accreditation standards supply the structure for providing all patients with a full range of diagnostic, treatment, and supportive services either on-site or by referral, including community-based resources.
“Earning this reaccreditation is an endorsement of the hard work and commitment of our
doctors, nurses and support staff throughout the UNM Cancer Center. There were no findings noted in this survey," said UNM Cancer Committee Chair Dr. Bernard Tawfik and program manager Sandy Schafer.
“It is a reflection of the highest standards of cancer care we provide to all New Mexicans” said UNM Cancer Center Director and CEO Yolanda Sanchez, PhD.
As a CoC-accredited institution, UNM Cancer Center is also an ACS Surgical Quality Partner. Being a Surgical Quality Partner signifies an institution’s dedication to consistently improving procedures and approaches, while maintaining a critical eye on process at every step. The Surgical Quality Partner designation lets patients know UNM Cancer Center is dedicated to quality and relentless self-improvement and has been verified or accredited by the ACS. Patients can trust that the care they receive at Surgical Quality Partner hospitals adheres to the most rigorous standards in surgical quality.
"ACS Quality programs are grounded in more than a century of experience and participation is an important measure of a hospital’s surgical quality. As an ACS Surgical Quality Partner, UNM Cancer Center has shown a commitment providing the best possible patient care, evaluating that care in a rigorous fashion, and dedicating themselves to continuous self-improvement," said ACS Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer Patricia L. Turner, MD, MBA, FACS.
Earning this reaccreditation
IS AN ENDORSEMENT OF THE HARD WORK AND COMMITMENT OF OUR DOCTORS, NURSES AND SUPPORT STAFF THROUGHOUT THE UNM CANCER CENTER.”
— Bernard Tawfik, MD UNM Cancer Committee Chair
— Sandy Schafer Program Manager
ABOUT THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SURGEONS. The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational organization of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical practice and improve the quality of care for all surgical patients. The College is dedicated to the ethical and competent practice of surgery. Its achievements have significantly influenced the course of scientific surgery in America and have established it as an important advocate for all surgical patients. The College has more than 88,000 members and is the largest organization of surgeons in the world. “FACS” designates that a surgeon is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
Commitment.
AN AMERICAN INDIAN SYMBOL OF SPIRITUAL STRENGTH, WISDOM, AND GREAT EXPERTISE, THE MUDJEKEEWIS (GRIZZLY BEAR) REPRESENTS OUR COMMITMENT TO USING OUR HEARTS AND HANDS TO SERVE THOSE WHOSE LIVES HAVE BEEN TOUCHED BY CANCER WITH COURAGE, KNOWLEDGE, GRACE, AND GREAT ABILITY.
Boxing Out Cancer
In the Hoops 4 Hope Basketball Game, State Legislators Help New Mexico Cancer Patients at UNM Cancer Center
There’s no “I” in team. There’s no “D” or “R” either.
Once again, New Mexico state senators and representatives will set aside their party loyalties to team up with members of their legislative houses in a friendly game of basketball.
Bragging rights are at stake, but the real goal of the game is supporting New Mexicans and their families who are battling cancer.
Hoops 4 Hope is an annual fundraising effort to help support cancer patients at The University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center. This year, the game is set for Feb. 8 at the Santa Fe Indian School, 1501 Cerillos Road, in Santa Fe. Tip-off is at 7 p.m.
Coaching the NM House Aggies is Mario Moccia, New Mexico State University Athletic Director.
Senate Lobos coach is UNM Athletic Director Eddie Nuñez.
“We appreciate the support of our state lawmakers who participate in the game every year," said Yolanda Sanchez, PhD, Director and CEO of the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center. "This game and fundraiser provides a crucial source
of support for our patients and their loved ones, and it helps us provide the best, most compassionate care to all New Mexicans."
The game has generated more than $300,000 for the UNM Cancer Center’s patient care fund over the past 19 years. The game became an official fundraiser for the Center in 2004, when legislators began playing in memory of state Rep. Ray Ruiz, who died of lung cancer that year.
Last year, the game went into overtime with the New Mexico Senate beating the NM House 33-32. More than $31,000 was raised for the patient care fund.
The Hoops 4 Hope game is open to the public and donations are welcome and greatly appreciated. Donations are also accepted online at https://unmhealth.org/cancer/hoops4hope.html.
THERE’S NO “I” IN TEAM.
THERE’S NO “D” OR “R” EITHER.
Lobos Slam Cancer in February
The University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center an The UNM Lobos Basketball Teams are Joining Up to Encourage People to Get Screened for Cancer.
The University of New Mexico Men’s and Women’s Basketball teams and the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center are combining forces to remind New Mexicans to get screened for cancer.
The Pit will host two Lobos Slam Cancer games, one on Feb. 10 for the men’s game and again on Feb. 28 for the women’s game.
According to the American Cancer Society, the mortality rate for many types of cancer is declining, but the incidence of cancer is on the rise.
“Early detection is key to fighting cancer, so scheduling screenings is a crucial first step in any cancer treatment,” said Yolanda Sanchez, PhD, Director and CEO of the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center.
In New Mexico, breast, prostate, lung, and colorectal cancers make up the top four diagnosed cancers in the state, according to the American Cancer Society. Zoneddy Dayao, MD, Chief Medical Officer of the UNM Cancer Center, recommends that people talk to their doctors about when to start screening for cancer and which tests are best for them.
In addition to raising awareness of the importance of cancer screenings, February’s basketball games will also include survivors and their families as special guests. It’s a chance to celebrate survivors and honor those we have lost.
Tipoff for the Men’s game is 6 p.m., Feb. 10, against the University of Nevada Las Vegas Runnin’ Rebels.
Tipoff for the Women’s game is 7 p.m., Feb. 28, against San Diego State University Aztecs.
Please consider wearing purple to show your support for all cancer survivors and patients.
Inaddition
TO RAISING AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF CANCER SCREENINGS, FEBRUARY’S BASKETBALL GAMES ALSO INCLUDED SURVIVORS AND THEIR FAMILIES AS SPECIAL GUESTS. IT’S A CHANCE TO CELEBRATE SURVIVORS AND HONOR THOSE WE HAVE LOST.
Starting STEM Earlier
UNM Cancer Center Program to Encourage Careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Opens to Includes Middle School Students
The University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Continuing Umbrella for Research
Experience (CURE) is graduating to a larger program by including more opportunities for students, including, for the first time, middle schoolers.
The “UNM CURE for Cancer” is a grant-funded program that previously offered an experience only for high school students during the summer. The program introduced young students to the myriad possibilities in scientific research and particularly in cancer research.
The students get matched with a mentor, who is a faculty member with the UNM Cancer Center, and have a research project that they work on throughout the summer.
Science EngineeringTechnology Math
At the end of the summer session, the students participate in a UNM Health Sciences Center-wide research symposium in which they give presentations to compete for prizes.
But what was once a program that had a handful of spots is now expanding significantly.
“Now there are spots for 10 high school students and 10 undergraduates,” said Jennifer Gillette, PhD, Associate Director for Training and Education at the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center. “One of the biggest differences now is that those students can come back for a second summer on top of a new group of 10 high schoolers and 10 undergraduates.”
A SECOND CONFERENCE WAS ALSO OFFERED IN LATE 2024 WITH A NEW AGENDA AND SPEAKERS: THE EMPOWERING YOUNG MINDS: EXPLORING CANCER AND STEM PATHWAYS CONFERENCE FRIDAY, DEC. 6; 9 A.M. TO 2 P.M. NORTHERN NEW MEXICO COLLEGE 921 N. PASEO DE OÑATE, ESPAÑOLA NM
The students are also enrolled in classes that provide in-depth training on career development in which they talk about interview skills, personal statements, and various career opportunities.
The students also meet once a week to learn more about the science behind cancer research.
“The third facet of the program is cohort building,” Gillette said. “So, we look for ways to get the group together and go whitewater rafting, climbing and take in an Isotopes game. It is their summer break and we want them to have some fun, but it also builds relationships. Science is collaborative, so it’s important for them to learn how to work together.”
Starting Stem Earlier (continued pg. 48)
Starting STEM Earlier (continued)
Gillette mentoring STEM students
“I
WANT STUDENTS TO UNDERSTAND THAT SCIENCE IS A PLACE WHERE EVERYONE BELONGS, AND ALL PERSPECTIVES ARE WELCOME. I WANT THEM TO SEE THAT, HEAR THAT, AND FEEL THAT SOONER, SO THEY REALIZE THE EXCITING CAREER PATHS AVAILABLE TO THEM AND THE LASTING IMPACTS THEY CAN HAVE.”
— Jennifer Gillette, PhD
Dr.
While the UNM CURE for Cancer program has expanded its reach for high school and undergraduate students, it is also delving into the middle school level. Its first ever day-long “Empowering Young Minds: Exploring Cancer and Stem Pathways” conference, targeted specifically for seventh- and eighth-graders, is set for April 20 at the Northern New Mexico College in Española.
“Middle schoolers are at a prime age. Some really significant decisions are being made, and so getting them interested in science would be huge, particularly in cancer biology and the health professions,” Gillette said.
Gillette said the event will start off with a keynote address from UNM Cancer Center director, Yolanda Sanchez, PhD, and then will feature two hands-on workshops geared specifically toward the middle school level. At least one of those workshops will be related to cancer biology.
After lunch, there will be a STEM/Health fair to introduce students and their families to local health care opportunities and various careers in science they may not have considered.
“We’re going to invite anyone and everyone throughout the state — from the national labs, Kirtland Air Force Base and local health care providers — to come and share with these students and families the extensive opportunities and career paths available for New Mexicans.”
Gillette said the grant is built to move the middle school conference to different parts of the state each year.
She said there will be an extensive evaluation process each year to see what works and how we can make the event even better the following year.
“It’s going to be so much fun,” Gillette said. “We’ve had lots of conversations about what engages seventh- and eighth-graders and we are excited to find out.”
Gillette said it’s important to create and strengthen the outreach to middle, high school and undergraduate students so that more young people are considering scientific careers as a possibility earlier.
“I think it’s essential for a lot of reasons. But if I think specifically about New Mexico and our population, it’s rural, first-generation college students; and it’s important to realize science is a tangible option for a career,” Gillette said. “It has never been more important to get young people excited about asking questions of the world around them and help them learn how to critically evaluate information.
“But even beyond that, I want students to understand that science is a place where everyone belongs, and all perspectives are welcome. I want them to see that, hear that, and feel that sooner, so they realize the exciting career paths available to them and the lasting impacts they can have.”
TThe Lobo Cancer Challenge will open registration for its eighth year starting May 6.
The event has grown from a cycling-only focus with roughly 170 participants — called Challengers — in its first year to a large community happening with more than 1,000 Challengers who got moving in a variety of ways last year.
In addition to the 25- and 50-mile bike rides, Challengers can now run or walk in a 5K or climb every stair in University Stadium. Children 10 and under can take part in the Kids Fun Run.
The evolution of the event has brought together people from all walks of life and from more than 20 states. The community effort supports cancer research, patients, outreach and education and training at The University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, the only cancer center in the state to hold Comprehensive designation from the National Cancer Institute.
“Our sponsors and our Challengers are a part of our team,” said UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center CEO and Director Yolanda Sanchez, PhD. “Their hard work and support of the UNM Cancer Center plays a vital
role in the discoveries that take place here and the quality of care we provide all New Mexicans.”
The event takes place Sept. 28 at University Stadium.
Last year, more than 1,300 Challengers and 76 sponsors raised just over $550,000. Since its inception, the Lobo Cancer Challenge has raised more than $2 million.
1,704 Participants
“We are immensely appreciative of all of the people over the last seven years who have made this event a success,” said Event Director Amy Liotta. “Their participation is reflective not only of the generosity of our community but also the widespread impact cancer has on each of us.”
The events for 2024 will continue to be the 25- and 50-mile bike ride, the 5k run/walk, the Kids Fun Run and the Stair Challenge.
Thanks to the generosity of corporate sponsors, every dollar raised by participants will go directly to the UNM Cancer Center fund of their choice.
People who sign up between May 6 and 13 will receive a 10% discount on registration fees.
For more information on the Lobo Cancer Challenge, including how to sign up, go to www.lobocancerchallenge.org.
Lobos Love Pink Game Continues to Bring Awareness to Breast Cancer
Breast Cancer Survivors Honored at UNM Lobo Football Game on Oct. 12
The University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center (Albuquerque) will be a guest of the UNM Lobo Football Team Saturday, Oct. 12, as the team and the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
The Lobos hope to see a sea of pink in support of breast cancer fighters and survivors at its Lobos Love Pink game. The team faces the Air Force Falcons, at 5 p.m. at University Stadium, 1111 University Blvd. SE, Albuquerque.
Ursa Brown-Glaberman MD, UNM Cancer Center physician, will be available before kickoff to answer media questions about breast cancer screening and treatment.
The Lobos Love Pink game increases breast cancer awareness. One in eight women will have breast cancer in her lifetime.
Women can reduce their risk for breast cancer by being physically active, maintaining a healthy body weight, breastfeeding, and getting mammograms regularly. Regular mammograms can detect breast cancer tumors in women with no symptoms, and when the tumor is small, breast cancer is more treatable and surviving it is much more likely.
The Lobos Love Pink game also increases awareness of breast cancer research. The Breast Cancers team at UNM Cancer Center offers several clinical trials for women with breast cancer.
As a show of support for breast cancer patients and survivors, spectators are encouraged to wear pink to the Lobos Love Pink game.
WOMEN CAN REDUCE THEIR RISK FOR BREAST CANCER BY BEING PHYSICALLY ACTIVE, MAINTAINING
A HEALTHY BODY WEIGHT, BREASTFEEDING, AND GETTING MAMMOGRAMS REGULARLY.
The Demand to Expand.
THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CENTER IS EXPANDING ITS CLINICAL SPACE TO OFFER TREATMENTS THAT NO OTHER ENTITY IN THE STATE CAN OFFER.
THE FACILITY EXPANSION WILL MAKE ROOM FOR ADVANCED RADIATION TREATMENT MACHINES, THERANOSTIC TREATMENT ROOMS, INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGY PROCEDURES, AND CELLULAR THERAPIES THAT INCLUDE ALLOGENEIC STEM CELL TRANSPLANTATION AND CHIMERIC ANTIGEN RECEPTOR THERAPY (CAR T).
