Lung Cancer Systems Genetics Expands Map of Drug Discovery

In the journal Nature Communications, lead author  Il-Jin Kim, Ph.D., (pictured left) Director of Applied Genomics in the UCSF Thoracic Oncology Lab, Thoracic Oncology Program Leader, David M. Jablons, M.D., (pictured right) and others, demonstrate the value of mining vast gene expression networks to expand the pool of therapeutic targets in lung cancer. This could lead to the discovery of  novel druggable targets specific to lung adenocarcinoma, sparing normal lung tissue, and to anti-cancer drugs with minimal side toxicity yet with high tumor killing efficacy. 

Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) Serves as Bridge to Heart Transplant While Candidate Loses Required Weight

Suitulaga "Sugi" Hunkin has been overweight most of his life. He attributes that to his love of food and his Samoan ancestry.  Because of his size, he also had trouble breathing and experienced irregular heartbeat - symptoms his doctors diagnosed as heart disease called cardiomyopathy, which usually leads to heart failure...........He needed heart transplantation surgery to replace his failing heart, but before that could happen, he needed to lose at least 100 pounds.  "If a patient is very obese, he bears a lot of risks and complications, inter-operatively as well as post-operatively," said  Georg Wieselthaler. M.D., Professor of Surgery of UC San Francisco's Division of Adult Cardiothoracic Surgery, and director and surgical chief of the UCSF Cardiac Transplantation and Mechanical Circulatory Support. "And therefore it's absolutely favorable for patients to try and have a body mass index of below 35 before going into a complex operation."

Hunkin chose UCSF to help him with his heart failure. Its pioneering Cardiothoracic Surgery program, now led by Scot H. Merrick, M.D., was established 50 years ago by chair Leon Goldman, MD, and Benson Roe, M.D. The Heart and Lung Transplant Program has historically had high one-year survival outcomes among academic surgery programs nationally. To help Hunkin stay alive, Wieselthaler installed a ventricular assist device (VAD), a mechanical device that helps a failing heart pump blood. The VAD allowed Hunkin stay alive, but it did not help him lose weight.   *Excerpt above adapted from UCSF News

Il-Jin Kim Awarded Grant to Investigate Novel Genetic Profiles in Mesothelioma

The Mesothelioma Applied   Research Foundation (MARF), a leading national funder of research for this disease, has awarded Il-Jin Kim, Ph.D.,  Assistant Professor and  Director of Applied Genomics in the  Thoracic Oncology Laboratory, a grant to study Novel fusion and tumor-specific isoform candidates in malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), an aggressive and highly lethal cancer, with the ultimate goal of identifying therapeutic targets. The research focuses on a class of patient who lack the three most common genetic deletions (CDKN2A, NF2, and BAP1). Studying the unique genetic profile of this so-called triple-negative (TN) MPM patient population may reveal unique genetic characteristics and oncogenic fusions contributing to MPM development. The goal would be to target the aberrant cancer-inducting activity in this small group of patients with novel therapies. This is a similar approach to the identification of the EML4-ALK fusion genes in non-small cell lung cancer patients, leading to the novel therapy crizotinib, an example of 21st century precision medicine.

Decorative Arts Auction to Benefit Lung Cancer Research at UCSF

Rock Climber Exceeds Expectations After Double-Lung Transplant at UCSF

"Jimenez went to UCSF's  Lung Transplant Program, one of the top programs in the country, according to the latest Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients. UCSF is among three out of 70 programs for "higher than expected" outcomes based on complex risk factors.

The success of the program is multifactorial and a multidisciplinary effort that starts with excellent anesthetic management, meticulous surgical technique and perioperative surgical care, and long-term close surveillance," said Jasleen Kukreja, MD, MPH, program and surgical director of the UCSF Lung Transplant Program."

Molecular Test Identifies Early-Stage Lung Cancer Patients at High Risk of Death After Surgery

Building on their  earlier work reported in The Lancet, two UCSF thoracic surgeons   David M. Jablons, M.D. (left) and   Michael Mann, M.D. (middle), and  Johannes Kratz, M.D. (right) a former surgical resident in the  Thoracic Oncology Lab, showed they could accurately stratify patients even with the earliest stage of lung cancer into groups at low-, intermediate- or high-risk of death based solely on the activity of 14 different genes found in their tumors. The group analyzed lung  tumors of patients diagnosed as Stage 1A  (T1a node-negative non-small-cell lung cancers (NSCLC)), the earliest stage of the disease. One-quarter (1/4) of these patients will die within 5 years of their operation despite having apparently successful surgery. Current practice guidelines suggests consideration of adjuvant chemotherapy in high-risk stage I tumors, but the guidelines do not aid in the identification of high-risk T1a tumors.

NIH Awards $2.2m Collaborative Grant to Two UCSF Scientists

The NIH has awarded two UCF scientists, Hassan Lemjabbar-Alaoui, Ph.D and Joanna J. Phillips, M.D., Ph.D., a five-year $2.2m grant to study the clinical utility of extracellular heparan sulfate endosulfatases, or SULFs, as biomarkers for early detection of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and malignant astrocytoma. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. and world-wide. Astrocytomas are primary brain neoplasms (tumors). Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most common and malignant primary brain tumor, was responsible for the death of the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy. The U01 mechanism that funded this grant, also known as a collaborative R01, is reserved for highly innovative cross-disciplinary projects that hold great promise for scientific advancements. Here Dr. Alaoui, an Assistant Adjunct Professor of Surgery, and a member of the UCSF Thoracic Oncology Program and Thoracic Oncology Lab, has teamed with Dr. Phillips, an Assistant Professor of Neurological Surgery and Pathology and Co-Director of the Brain Tumor Research Center Tissue Bank, to investigate plasma levels of SULFs, which are overexpressed in each of these lethal cancers. 

"Inside Surgery", The Department of Surgery Newsletter, Summer 2012

This issue of Inside Surgery describes several exciting developments that are advancing our ability to provide outstanding care for a range of patients including the new Hepatobiliary Service, under the direction of  Carlos Corvera, M.D., which provides comprehensive, multidisciplinary care for patients with liver and bile duct disease. Other topics include updates on  Endocrine Surgery, San Fancisco General Hospital's Wraparound Project, and notable rankings of our surgeons within U.S. News & World Report annual update.

Ghannam A. Al-Dossari, M.D., M.S. Joins Division of Adult Cardiothoracic Surgery

Ghannam A. Al-Dossari, M.D., M.S., has joined the UCSF Department of Surgery, Division of Adult Cardiothoracic Surgery as Associate Professor of Clinical Surgery. Dr. Al-Dossari, M.D., M.S. performs heart and lung transplants, and has broad experience in all areas of cardiac and thoracic surgery, many performed using minimally invasive techniques. Dr. Al-Dossari has had a rich and varied career and has been instrumental in the development of heart and lung and ventricular assist devices.

Twenty-Five Department of Surgery Faculty Named to U.S. News Top Doctors List

In its most recent survey, U.S. News in collaboration with Castle Connolly Medical Ltd. listed twenty-five (25) surgeons in the UCSF Department of Surgery, nearly one-third (1/3) of the clinical faculty, on the list of U.S. News "Top Doctors". The list, compiled from the opinion of colleagues, denotes the top 10% of physicians within a region practicing a given specialty. Fifteen of the 25 department surgeons were also named by their peers to the list of America's Top Doctors (ATD), a distinction reserved for the top 1% of physicians in the nation for that specialty. The listings are published online at U.S. News. The group rankings are intended to guide patients in selecting a doctor and physicians in making specialty referrals.

Mulitgene Assay Better Predictor of Survival than Conventional Staging

In the two largest clinical studies ever conducted on the molecular genetics of lung cancer, an international team, led by UCSF thoracic surgeons David M. Jablons, M.D. and Michael Mann, M.D., demonstrated that a 14-gene prognostic molecular assay better predicted the likelihood of death in early-stage lung cancer  patients versus conventional staging guidelines. Johannes Kratz, M.D., a former surgical resident in the  Thoracic Oncology Laboratory, helped spearhead the  development of the assay and was lead author of a paper published in The Lancet discussing the results. John Minna, M.D.", Max L. Thomas Distinguished Chair in Molecular Pulmonary Oncology at UT Southwestern lauded the results, stating that the assay was  "head and shoulders" above the rest and ready for "prime time" clinical use.

UCSF-Pfizer Collaboration Project to Fast-Track Treatments for Lung Cancer

A team consisting of Hassan Lemjabbar-Alaoui, Ph.D.,  Assistant Adjunct Professor of Surgery and principal Investigator in the Thoracic Oncology Laboratory and Alaoui Lab, and Steven Rosen, PhD, Professor and Vice-chair of the Department of Anatomy, are developing a novel treatment for lung cancer in a unique collaboration between UCSF and Pfizer, the world's largest drug company. The Rosen-Alaoui team has identified an enzyme found at high levels in lung and other cancers and is developing antibodies to target the enzyme and disable the cancer, even in cells rendered cancerous by cigarette smoke.The partnership enables the teams to combine their unique areas of expertise to push the pace of development, Rosen said. "That's the whole idea: merge our strengths and speed the process along, compared to what either party could do alone." 

2011 Porsche Race Car Classic Held with Theme of Driving Lung Cancer Off the Planet

On October 16th, the Porsche Race Car Classic was held at at the Quail Lodge in Napa, CA.  The event, a collaboration with Porsche AG and Porsche Cars North America, was hosted by the UCSF Thoracic Oncology Program and Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation. Proceeds from the highly successful event benefited the respective hosts. The theme, "Driving Lung Cancer Off the Planet", was underscored in a video produced by the Thoracic Oncology Program in connection with the event. Narrated by David M. Jablons, M.D., FACS, the video likens the passion that went into the development of the Porsche, the quintessential automotive vehicle, with the passion of UCSF scientists at Thoracic Oncology Lab as it seeks to eradicate the world's number one cancer killer, lung cancer.

Selected Videos & Photos

A Passion for Research (Narrated by David M. Jablons, M.D., FACS with visuals from the Thoracic Oncology Lab)

Porsche Race Car Classic - Quail Lodge - October 16, 2011 (An Ensemble Tour of Stunning Porsche Automobiles)

Images of Event on Flickr (Courtesy Regan Botsford)

Thoracic Oncology Lab Acquires State-of-the-Art DNA Sequencer

The UCSF Thoracic Oncology Laboratory recently acquired the 5500 Series SOLiDTM , a next-generation DNA sequencer manufactured by Life Technologies Inc. This state-of-the-art sequencer offers a level of precision  previously unattainable, and empowers lab scientists to more deeply probe the underlying molecular biology of myriad cancers: from primary thoracic tumors such as lung cancer, esophageal cancer, and mesothelioma, to metastatic sarcoma, melanoma, colorectal cancer, and breast cancer that has spread to the lung.Insights gained from  this research could lead to more effective treatments, and possibly a cure for these diseases.

The UCSF Thoracic Oncology Program, led by David M. Jablons, M.D., has been at the forefront of groundbreaking laboratory and clinical research, and offers expert and compassionate care through its multidisciplinary team of thoracic specialists. The Thoracic Oncology Program at UCSF would like to acknowledge Gordon and Emily Bankhead and the Kazan, McClain, Abrams, Fernandez, Lyons, Greenwood, Harley & Oberman Foundation for their generous support.

Dr. David M. Jablons Inducted into American Surgical Society

David M. Jablons, M.D., FACS, Professor and Chief of General Thoracic Surgery and Program Leader of the Thoracic Oncology Program, was recently inducted into into the American Surgical Society. The American Surgical Association was founded in 1880 and describes itself as the nation's oldest and most prestigious surgical organization. Among its members are the nation's most prominent surgeons from leading academic medical institutions, many of whom are Department of Surgery Chairs. Membership also includes leading surgeons from around the world.