Focused on the patient - Baylor Health Care System
Focused on the patient - Baylor Health Care System
Focused on the patient - Baylor Health Care System
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FROM THE DIRECTOR 1The <strong>Baylor</strong> Samm<strong>on</strong>s Cancer Center has reached its31st birthday. We c<strong>on</strong>tinue to emphasize multidisciplinarypers<strong>on</strong>alized care for our <strong>patient</strong>s. During <strong>the</strong>last decade, overall cancer mortality has declinedthrough better detecti<strong>on</strong> methods and improvedtreatment. Advances in molecular biology, genetics,and immunology have identified new pathways whichmake targeted <strong>the</strong>rapy to <strong>the</strong> cancer cell increasinglyeffective. Oncology has become <strong>on</strong>e of <strong>the</strong> most excitingfields in medicine, in large part because progressin <strong>the</strong> basic sciences is being translated to <strong>the</strong> bedsideand clinic at an ever accelerating rate.The linchpin of Samm<strong>on</strong>s Cancer Center activities c<strong>on</strong>tinues to be our MultidisciplinarySite-Tumor C<strong>on</strong>ferences. This year we have instituted an Endocrine Site-Tumor C<strong>on</strong>ferenceto bring <strong>the</strong> total number of different site c<strong>on</strong>ferences to 12. Two hundred forty such c<strong>on</strong>ferencesare held each year. In 2007 over 800 <strong>patient</strong>s were discussed at <strong>the</strong>se c<strong>on</strong>ferences bySurge<strong>on</strong>s, Medical Oncologists, Radiati<strong>on</strong> Oncologists, Pathologists, and o<strong>the</strong>r specialists.The total attendance at <strong>the</strong> Samm<strong>on</strong>s Site-Tumor C<strong>on</strong>ferences has now passed 6,000annually. I know of no o<strong>the</strong>r center or instituti<strong>on</strong> that c<strong>on</strong>ducts a similar scope of regularmultidisciplinary cancer c<strong>on</strong>ferences.In <strong>the</strong> following pages you will find much new informati<strong>on</strong> about our activities. Researchand educati<strong>on</strong>al programs c<strong>on</strong>tinue to expand. Over 200 clinical trials are available for our<strong>patient</strong>s. Advances in preventi<strong>on</strong>, detecti<strong>on</strong> and treatment are being refined and promptlytranslated to <strong>patient</strong> care. Oncology is an ever changing discipline, principally due to <strong>the</strong>fact that rapid increase in knowledge is being made in many areas. Targeted <strong>the</strong>rapy formany types of cancer is already being employed and will surely expand in <strong>the</strong> near future.The c<strong>on</strong>sequence will be better outcomes for our <strong>patient</strong>s.Marvin J. St<strong>on</strong>e, MD, MACPDirector, <strong>Baylor</strong> Charles A. Samm<strong>on</strong>s Cancer Center at DallasChief of Oncology, <strong>Baylor</strong> University Medical Center at Dallas
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