HJBR Mar-Apr 2019

dialogue 16 MAR / APR 2019 I  Healthcare Journal of baton rouge   not receiving cancer screening, which was believed to be lack of health insurance, is just one of the challenges preventing early detection. With amazing donors who sup- port Mary Bird’s mission, our team mem- bers are working hard to address all of these challenges through the Prevention on the Go community and workplace programs. We still havemuchwork to do here in Louisiana. Editor What is Mary Bird Perkins’ commit- ment to cancer research? What is new on the cancer research front? Stevens  Mary Bird Perkins team members are making important contributions to new knowledge about cancer. Through our partnership with Louisiana State Universi- ty’s department of physics and astronomy, researchers have sourced discoveries that have advanced the fields of radiation ther- apy and imaging. Together with our hospi- tal partners, we are able to operate a strong clinical research program where national trials are available to people close to home. We are proud to be partners with the LSU Health Sciences Centers in NewOrleans and Shreveport in the National Cancer Institute’s Community Oncology Research Program. Every patient is evaluated to determine if they are eligible for a clinical trial. Over the last two years, 65 percent of patients who fit the criteria participated in a study. Infor- mation gleaned from these national trials accelerates knowledge and future advances in treatment. In terms of emerging research, there are many treatment trials and stud- ies that relate to early detection and survi- vorship. There are also numerous initiatives underway in other areas, including medi- cal physics research with Louisiana State University. Editor Can cancer be eradicated? Stevens  Cancer is misleadingly called by a single name. However, it is a myriad of dis- eases that have been influenced by mod- ern medicine in both great advances and painfully minimal advances. We hope that one day cancer will be a thing of the past, but it is likely that we will continue to see progress that allows clinicians to manage more forms of the disease as a chronic ill- ness. One example of this is howwe are see- ing improved outcomes for patients diag- nosed with certain types of late-stage lung cancers who respond favorably to new advances in immunotherapy. We have seen similar advances for other cancer types. In the future, science will continue to unravel why these interventions work for some patients, but not all. It is reasonable to expect more andmore pathways will be discovered that lead to improved outcomes for more patients. Editor What is Mary Bird Perkins’ relation- ship with OLOL and other Baton Rouge area facilities? Stevens  Our partnerships in Baton Rouge and across the state are the foundation of howMary Bird’s mission to improve survi- vorship and lessen the burden of cancer is extended to individuals and communities. For individuals who seek care in the Baton Rouge area, Mary Bird Perkins – Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Center is by far the most resourced and comprehensive cancer pro- gram in the region. This was achieved by linking the physical resources and diverse subspecialty clinical expertise of a tertiary- quaternary hospital (OLOL) with a cancer focused organization (MBP) around a com- monmission. This foundational partnership made it possible to extend and advance partnerships with Woman’s Hospital, LSU Health, and Lane Regional Medical Center. Each partner brings unique expertise and resources in cancer care around the patient, so that together we can improve survivor- ship and lessen the burden of cancer. Editor Are patients staying in Baton Rouge for cancer care, or are some still traveling to Hous- tonorNewOrleansfortreatment?Howandwhy is staying in Baton Rouge for care important? Stevens  Research shows that survivorship and outcomes significantly improve, and the financial and emotional burdens of cancer are lessened, when patients access care in their own communities. It is a privilege to care for the residents of southeast Louisiana and beyond, and our team has the exper- tise, technology, and resources to support the most complex of cancers. Editor What are some things about cancer and cancer care that the general public isn’t nor- mally aware of? Stevens  Typically, people don’t think about cancer unless it affects them or someone they love, but the disease is pervasive and community support is vital to what we do. There are so many individuals, corpora- tions, and grantors that fund key preven- tion, education, early detection, and research programs, and our progress would not be possible without their support. Also, people are generally unaware of when they should begin getting screened for specific cancers. We encourage people to talk to their doctors about which cancer screenings they should participate in and at what age. Education and early detection are key factors in preventing and beating the disease. Editor What is the future of cancer and can- cer treatment? Stevens  Immunotherapy, which deploys the body’s immune system to fight can- cer, is expected to play a major role in the future of treatment. It is an area that is still in its infancy and there is still so much to learn, but early results are already prom- ising when used with some cancers. Addi- tionally, personalized treatment regimens based on targets identified by evaluating the genetic profile of a patient’s tumor will con- tinue to evolve as therapies catch up with the information available by sequencing tumor cells. n