Fox Chase Cancer Center News

PHILADELPHIA (March 1, 2011) – Fox Chase Cancer Center has been listed among the top 15 best places in the nation for postdoctoral researchers—also known simply as “postdocs”—to work by The Scientist’s annual Best Places to Work for Postdocs survey. Fox Chase was the only top-ranked institution in Pennsylvania and ranked 8th overall in the U.S.

PHILADELPHIA (February 18, 2011) – Paula D. Ryan, MD, PhD, has joined Fox Chase Cancer Center as an attending physician for the department of medical oncology. She specializes in treating patients with all stages of breast cancer, with a focus on breast cancers that are locally advanced and metastatic. Ryan has particular interest in coordinating the management of patients requiring complex care. In addition, she is committed to clinical research with a special interest in developing novel strategies and agents for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer.

PHILADELPHIA (January 31, 2011) – Fox Chase Cancer Center, one of the nation’s leading cancer research and treatment institutions, today announced the posting of clinical outcomes data to its website as a tool to assist newly-diagnosed patients in deciding where to seek cancer care. This initiative follows on a survey Fox Chase commissioned in the fall of 2010, in which non-diagnosed adults ranked success rates as the factor that would be the mostimportant in choosing a hospital if they were told that they or a family member required  cancer treatment.

PHILADELPHIA (January 4, 2011) – Head and neck cancer is the sixth most common type of cancer and is on the rise in some demographic groups, including young women without any known risk factors. Now, researchers at Fox Chase Cancer Center report that estrogen may increase the movement of precancerous cells in the mouth and thus promote the spread of the disease within the oral cavity. The new results, which are reported in the January issue of Cancer Prevention Research, may lead to novel chemoprevention strategies in the future.

PHILADELPHIA (December 14, 2010) – Daniel K. Holleran, MD, Attending Physician, Hospitalist Service, Internal Medicine, has joined Fox Chase Cancer Center’s Department of Medicine as an attending physician for the hospitalist program.

“I came to Fox Chase to be part of the comprehensive treatment plan,” says Holleran, who has a special interest in medical oncology.  “I enjoy hospital medicine and feel I will add to the total care of the patient.”

SAN ANTONIO, TEX. (December 9, 2010) – Nearly one-fifth of all metastatic breast cancer patients develop brain metastases and have significantly shorter overall survival than patients who do not have brain involvement. One way to improve the affected patients’ survival might be to prevent the brain metastases from arising in the first place. With that in mind, researchers have been working on a predictive model that accurately identifies these high risk patients.

PHILADELPHIA (November 18, 2010) – Cancer patients, caregivers, researchers, volunteers, medical staff and friends will gather on December 8th at 5:30 p.m. for the 21st annual Tree of Life Ceremony at the Fox Chase Cancer Center cafeteria (333 Cottman Avenue, Philadelphia). The event, which raises funds for patient care at Fox Chase, is a place for those touched by cancer to honor lost loved ones, pay tribute to caregivers, and support each other in the effort to prevail over cancer.

PHILADELPHIA (November 15, 2010) – The Cancer Prevention and Control Program at Fox Chase Cancer Center is developing a program to examine and address health risks for smokers who are family or friends of lung cancer patients.  Participants receive health risk assessment, a counseling session on smoking, and self-help materials, as well as a gift upon completion of the study.