Sylvester Cancer Tip Sheet for March 2024

March 2024 TIP SHEET: A transformative gift to expand research and breakthrough therapies, an upcoming conference updates clinicians on managing neuroendocrine tumors, a cancer expert endorses FDA approval of Imetelstat for patients with anemia from myelodysplastic syndromes and a researcher advocates for making bereavement care a public health priority in this month’s tip sheet from Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. For more information on any of these story ideas or to arrange an interview, please contact Sandy Van, [email protected] or text 808.206.4576.

Philanthropy

Sylvester Receives Transformative Gift to Expand Research, Mission

Sylvester Cancer has received a $50-million gift to help fund its new Transformational Cancer Research Building, a 12-story, almost 250,000-square-foot facility rising on its medical campus. The gift from philanthropist Kenneth C. Griffin will be instrumental in completing the facility, which will double Sylvester’s research footprint, accelerate new therapies, enhance patient care and expand access to clinical trials. The facility will be named the Kenneth C. Griffin Cancer Research Building in honor of this landmark donation.  

Neuroendocrine Cancer

Sylvester, NANETS to Present Conference on Managing Neuroendocrine Tumors

Sylvester and the North American Neuroendocrine Tumor Society (NANETS) are partnering to present a regional conference April 6 on multidisciplinary management of neuroendocrine tumors. The conference will feature presentations and panel discussions by a wide range of experts to equip clinicians with the latest knowledge for optimal management of this disease. Aman Chauhan, leader of Sylvester’s Neuroendocrine Tumor Program, is the course director.

Blood Cancer

Blood Cancer Expert Endorses FDA Approval of Imetelstat

Mikkael Sekeres, chief of Sylvester’s Division of Hematology, believes the benefits from the drug Imetelstat, a telomerase inhibitor for treating transfusion-dependent anemia in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) patients, far outweigh the risks. Sekeres served as chair of the Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee for the trial that led to a vote of support at the Food and Drug Administration this month. He said that 40% of patients taking the drug no longer needed transfusions and the benefit lasted for a year on average.

Bereavement Care

Advocating for Bereavement Care to Be Public Health Priority

Sylvester researchers and collaborators recently published a viewpoint article in The Lancet Public Health, calling for a paradigm shift to make bereavement care a public health priority. Lead author Wendy Lichtenthal, PhD, associate professor of public health sciences and founding director of Sylvester’s new Center for the Advancement of Bereavement Care, and co-authors advocated for a transitional model of care that firmly establishes bereavement-support services within healthcare organizations while bolstering community-based support through development of “compassionate communities” and a “grief-informed” workforce. That’s also the model embraced by Sylvester’s bereavement center

Follow @SylvesterCancer on X for the latest news on Sylvester’s research and care.

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