Oncology Update

While cancer incidence and mortality rates are improving nationwide, we are diligent in our responsibility to reduce those rates here in the Hudson Valley. In Health Quest’s catchment area, though our population is growing slowly, it’s aging rapidly. We anticipate that our population will increase by 1 percent over the next five years, but the number of cancers will climb by more than five times that, by 7 percent.

In accordance with the New York State Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan, Health Quest adopted advanced cancer screening methods for at-risk populations. We educate providers in our area about the availability and effectiveness of these methods, taking special care to reach underserved communities and populations that experience higher disease rates due to economic, racial or social disparity. We use electronic medical records and population health tools to identify patients who would benefit from screening. As local providers become busier, we will provide structure and support to enable rigorous patient identification, follow-up and screening.

In this issue, we highlight our multidisciplinary head and neck cancer program and the importance of HPV immunization and screening.

Another feature in our spring issue focuses on low-dose CT scans for lung cancer screenings and their proven effectiveness in reducing mortality from lung cancer by as much as 20 percent. With screening, we hope to identify lung cancers when they are still small, and when a wider array of treatments may be deployed. When detected early, as many as 80 percent of these cancers can be cured. Health Quest’s system-wide lung cancer screening program is based on the International Early Lung Cancer Action Program (I-ELCAP). We contribute anonymous screening data to the program to help deepen knowledge of this disease, including early findings and details about how best to manage patients based on their screening results.

Each year, Health Quest hosts Oncology Teaching Day in May. This year we are also the site host of the International Lung Cancer Screening Meeting in October. Additionally, we hold a CME dinner series throughout the year and host the New York State Cancer Liaison Physician meeting. Join us for these events and others throughout the year.

Health Quest aims to be your resource for oncology education, screening, treatment and survivorship. Please reach out to me at 845.483.6920 to discuss referrals to our oncology program.

Cliff Connery, MD, FACS, FCCP Medical Director Dyson Center for Cancer Care Health Quest Medical Practice, P.C. Thoracic Oncology

Spring 2018

Welcome to Oncology Update

Your Hudson Valley Connection to Advanced Cancer Care

TTY/Accessibility: 800.421.1220

2 Oncology Update

Cancer can affect multiple structures in the head and neck, including the nasal cavity, oral cavity, sinuses, pharynx and larynx. These varied malignancies most often arise from the lining of the upper aerodigestive tract in the form of squamous cell carcinomas, according to Al Haitham Al Shetawi, MD, DMD, maxillofacial, head and neck surgical oncologist at Health Quest Medical Practice, P.C. (HQMP) at Vassar Brothers Medical Center. The American Cancer Society estimates 51,000 new cases of oral and oropharyngeal cancer will occur in 2018.

“The etiology varies from case to case, but most head and neck squamous cell carcinomas in the United States are associated with tobacco and alcohol exposure,” Dr. Al Shetawi said. “HPV is a significant cause of cancer of the oropharynx. The incidence of oropharyngeal cancer as a result of HPV has been trending up over the past decade.”

In recent studies, the HPV vaccine was shown to reduce oral HPV infection by 88 percent, which is a major risk factor for oropharyngeal cancer.

“Educating providers and the public about the role of immunization for HPV infection prevention is a major cancer control imperative of the American Cancer Society and the Commission on Cancer,” said Cliff Connery, MD, FACS, FCCP, medical director, Dyson Center for Cancer Care, Thoracic Oncology.

A lack of symptoms — or the presence of symptoms, such as oral pain or sore throat that patients may mistake for signs of common illnesses — makes head and neck cancers difficult to diagnose in the early stages.

“By the time more telling symptoms manifest, like difficulty swallowing and breathing, advanced disease is usually present,” Dr. Al Shetawi said.

Head and Neck CancerThe Region’s New Home for Head and Neck Cancer Care

Few malignancies are more complex or require a greater level of interdisciplinary cooperation than head and neck cancers. Vassar Brothers Medical Center and Health Quest Medical Practice, P.C. provide the comprehensive, personalized, multispecialty care patients need.

“The American Cancer Society

estimates 51,000 new cases of

oral and oropharyngeal cancer

will occur in 2018.

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Oncology Update 3

Precision Diagnosis

Detecting head and neck tumors, especially early in the disease course, requires coordination among several specialists.

“Often, head and neck tumors are not obvious,” Dr. Al Shetawi said. “History and physical exam remain the cornerstones of early detection and diagnosis. Finding precancerous or cancerous lesions requires clinical expertise. At Health Quest’s Vassar Brothers Medical Center, we provide oral cancer screenings and management of precancerous and cancerous lesions. We also have the most advanced equipment and scopes to examine the nasal passages, nasopharynx, oropharynx and larynx.

“When patients require imaging, such as CT, MRI or PET, we have experienced neuroradiologists to interpret these images,” Dr. Al Shetawi continued. “We also collaborate with specialized pathologists to interpret some of the challenging lesions and tumors we see in the head and neck. Any workup that patients need, from a biopsy to advanced imaging, we can provide without delay.”

Vassar Brothers Medical Center’s collaborative approach to care is especially evident in its multidisciplinary head and neck tumor conferences, which include clinicians representing head and neck surgery, radiation oncology, medical oncology, otolaryngology, pathology, radiology, speech and swallow specialists and a nutritionist. Participants consider each patient’s case prospectively, in the context of the latest data and therapeutic advances, and then create a personalized, evidence-based treatment plan.

“Treatment is based on the anatomical location and stage of disease,” Dr. Al Shetawi said. “Surgery, for example, is the preferred method of treatment for oral cavity tumors, whereas chemoradiation is the preferred treatment for most oropharyngeal, hypopharyngeal and laryngeal tumors to preserve the function of those organs. Many patients, however, present with locally advanced disease, so they often require multimodal treatment that includes surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.”

Leveraging the Benefits of Microvascular Surgery

Few therapeutic advances have had as significant an impact on the treatment of head and neck cancer as microvascular surgery — harvesting flaps of living tissue from another part of the patient’s body and connecting their small blood vessels to vessels at the sites of head and neck tumor resection.

“Previously, patients who had ablative surgery for head and neck cancers experienced significant cosmetic and functional deformity,” Dr. Al Shetawi said. “In the past two decades, however, microvascular surgery has made a major impact on patient outcomes. We are now able to reconstruct defects at the time of tumor removal with tissues from the patient’s body, thereby restoring cosmetic form and function.”

Technology plays a major role in reconstructive surgery, especially for bony tumors. The process begins with preoperative planning. A CT scan of the patient’s face produces a 3D image that Dr. Al Shetawi uses to perform the procedure virtually, from tumor resection to microvascular reconstruction. The same CT-based technology allows Dr. Al Shetawi to fabricate custom-made surgical guides for use intraoperatively, as well as individualized implants and plates for patients who require them.

Microvascular reconstruction produces remarkable results for a wide range of patients who, in the past, would have faced lasting deficits as a result of tumor removal.

“For example, for a patient who undergoes partial removal of the tongue, we can restore the tongue’s shape and form by using a free flap from the radial forearm,” Dr. Al Shetawi said. “If a patient has jaw resection, we’re able to transfer bone from the scapula, iliac crest or fibula to immediately reconstruct the shape and form of the jaw. In select cases, we’re able to place dental implants and teeth concurrently with jaw reconstruction so the patient is completely restored during the same procedure in which we treat the cancer.”

Learn how we approach cancer care by visiting healthquest.org/cancer.

4 Oncology Update

Advanced Radiotherapy

Head and neck cancer patients often require radiation therapy as part of their overall treatment due to the advanced nature of many malignancies at the time of diagnosis. A major challenge of treating head and neck cancers with radiation is minimizing sequelae.

“Patients can develop permanent dry mouth, loss of taste, difficulty swallowing and weight loss — side effects that will affect their quality of life indefinitely,” said Dimitrios Papadopoulos, MD, radiation oncologist with Health Quest Medical Practice, P.C. at Vassar Brothers Medical Center. “In the past, we had to irradiate tumors without being able to avoid normal tissues. Nowadays, we’re able to focus the beam to conform to the area of interest and modulate its intensity, which allows us to spare normal tissues.”

That approach, intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), does not take place in a vacuum.

Additional Specialists

As with every other aspect of head and neck cancer treatment, IMRT involves a variety of other specialists, who coordinate with radiation, surgical and medical oncologists to optimize the therapy and mitigate potential side effects. These specialists include:

A dentist to evaluate patients’ teeth and administer fluoride therapy or other treatments, as necessary.

A speech and swallow therapist who sees patients before and after radiation therapy.

A gastroenterologist to evaluate patients for potential placement of a feeding tube for nutritional support after radiation therapy, when many patients struggle to obtain the nutrients they need due to difficulty swallowing.

Prior to each of the approximately 35 IMRT treatments that patients receive, they undergo a CT scan that serves as a guide for aiming the beam. That allows the radiation oncologist to precisely irradiate the tumor.

“We can’t do IMRT without first performing image-guided radiation therapy to ensure accuracy,” Dr. Papadopoulos said. “During IMRT, as the beam rotates around the patient, we modulate its intensity as it goes through an area we need to protect and then increase the intensity to full strength when we target the malignancy.”

Leading-Edge Care from Diagnosis to Survivorship

Cancer patients often choose to leave their community to find medical care that fits seamlessly into a comprehensive continuum of care. Dr. Al Shetawi and the rest of the head and neck cancer team are providing just that, close to where residents of the Mid-Hudson Valley and northwestern Connecticut live and work.

“We provide patients with the latest treatment options and all of the support they need, from the time they receive the diagnosis of cancer to the postoperative follow up and surveillance,” he said. “Their providers in the community — whether primary care physicians, dentists, oral surgeons, otolaryngologists or other clinicians whom we consider to be part of our team — should know that we support their patients every step of the way.”

For information about the Dyson Center for Cancer Care at Vassar Brothers Medical Center, visit healthquest.org/cancer.

Head and Neck Cancer Continued

Oncology Update 5

Lung Cancer Update

Screening people who are 55 to 80 years old, who have a 30 pack-year smoking history, and either continue to smoke or have smoked in the last 15 years can “significantly reduce mortality from lung cancer,” according to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

“However, a very small percentage of people nationwide are enrolled in lung cancer screening programs,” said Cliff Connery, MD, FACS, FCCP, medical director, Dyson Center for Cancer Care, Thoracic Oncology. “Last year, the average program only screened 25 patients. We need to raise awareness among primary care physicians and develop tools to alert them that some patients may be eligible for screening.”

Driving Data and Process

Patient histories — buttressed by electronic medical records (EMRs) that prompt for detailed information — are essential to identifying patients eligible for lung cancer screening. The granularity required to tease out a patient’s total pack-years may require a careful interview and a nuanced set of data fields.

“Better data in a patient’s EMR could help determine candidates for lung cancer screening,” Dr. Connery said.

For busy practices, having access to an accredited lung cancer program, like the one at Health Quest, can improve the identification process immensely. Such programs offer robust follow-up protocols for patients and their providers.

“When patients have a suspicious finding that requires ongoing monitoring, we provide reminders to make sure those patients don’t fall through the cracks,” said Sonya Alyea, NP-C at the Dyson Center for Cancer Care. “I call patients to remind them about follow-up tests, not usurping the relationship with their primary care providers, but providing the resources to make sure patients get the ongoing care they need.”

Health Quest’s accredited lung cancer screening program also provides appropriate radiology interpretation and care for patients with noncancerous findings.

“For patients who have cancer — a minority of those scanned, thankfully — we have all the supportive services of an American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer oncology program to help them, from nurse navigation to survivorship resources,” Dr. Connery said.

The Long Game

Screening that can identify lung cancer early has numerous benefits. Early stage cancers that are still small may often be treated with minimally invasive or video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery, rather than complete lobectomy. Screening also provides an invaluable data pool for researchers.

“We contribute our data to an international database,” said Bruce Gendron, MD*, radiologist with Hudson Valley Radiologists. “We search for patterns of disease and detection.”

“Aggregate lung cancer screening CT data will one day prove a treasure trove for researchers in a variety of fields,” said Benjamin Hentel, MD*, radiologist with Hudson Valley Radiologists.

“In the future, a program will automatically extract information from each scan,” Dr. Hentel continued. “As well as detection and characterization of pulmonary nodules, this will include quantitative results concerning coronary artery disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.”

“The big takeaway is that now, even if a person is of advanced age and has significant comorbidities, there are nonsurgical/minimally invasive treatment options available to them because we identified cancer early,” Dr. Connery added. “When low-dose CT screening was first instituted, patients had to be eligible for thoracotomy and lobectomy to be screened. Now, they simply have to be eligible for treatment. Clinicians should never think they don’t have much to offer a frail patient who may be eligible for lung cancer screening. Today, we can offer treatments that provide a significant survival advantage without surgery.”

Health Quest is participating in the I-ELCART trial evaluating the effectiveness of all treatments for Stage I lung cancers, including quality of life and patient-reported outcomes. To learn whether a patient qualifies for screening, call 845.483.6920.

TTY/Accessibility: 800.421.1220

Championing the Cause of Early Lung Cancer Detection

Only a fraction of eligible patients receive low-dose CT scans for lung cancer. Health Quest is working to change the paradigm.

*In the spirit of keeping you well-informed, the physicians identified are neither agents nor employees of Health Quest or any of its affiliate organizations. These physicians have selected our facilities as places where they choose to treat and care for their private patients..

6 Oncology Update

Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer and accounts for 1 percent of skin cancer cases, according to the American Cancer Society. Because the disease can be complex, management often requires the expertise of multiple specialists. The multidisciplinary melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer center at the Dyson Center for Cancer Care at Vassar Brothers Medical Center brings together specialists in melanoma, maxillofacial, and head and neck surgical oncology, to ensure access to advanced care in a central location.

State-of-the-Art Surgical Reconstruction

The front-line therapy for most patients with melanoma is an operation to remove the suspicious spot and perform a sentinel lymph node biopsy, according to James Nitzkorski, MD, FACS, director of GI and melanoma oncology at Health Quest Medical Practice, P.C. One of the potential challenges associated with melanoma excision, especially if the melanoma is located on a cosmetically sensitive area of the body, is reconstruction following melanoma removal.

“Most melanoma surgeries result in a defect, or resection site, that is at least one to two inches,” Dr. Nitzkorski said. “Closing the defect is straightforward if, for example, the melanoma is on the patient’s back. However, if the melanoma is on the head or neck, reconstruction can be challenging.”

At the Dyson Center for Cancer Care, Dr. Nitzkorski partners with Al Haitham Al Shetawi, MD, DMD, maxillofacial, head and neck surgical oncologist, to manage melanomas that occur at or above the neck. Dr. Al Shetawi performs advanced reconstructive techniques, including the use of flaps taken from other areas of the body and microvascular reconstruction, to rebuild the face, jaw, tongue, throat and other areas of the head and neck to improve cosmetic outcomes.

Updates in Lymph Node Biopsy and Dissection

If the thickness of the melanoma indicates it may have spread, physicians perform a sentinel node biopsy at the time of surgical excision. Prior to the operation, physicians perform lymphatic mapping during which they inject a small amount of radioactive tracer around the biopsy site. Lymphatic mapping helps physicians accurately identify and remove the sentinel node during surgery.

In cases when melanoma has metastasized to the sentinel node, historically lymph node dissection was recommended. Contemporary management with nodal ultrasound as opposed to dissection has recently been shown to be a safe. The results of a practice changing multicenter randomized trial called the MSLT-2 were recently published supporting observation as opposed to dissection.

Removing lymph nodes from certain areas of the body, including the groin and neck, can be difficult due to cosmetic concerns and other complications such as lymphedema. Dr. Al Shetawi assists in the dissection of lymph nodes located in the neck to enhance cosmetic outcomes. To reduce the risk of complications associated with inguinal lymph node dissection, the surgical oncology team offers minimally invasive dissection performed through several small incisions.

“Traditionally, removing inguinal lymph nodes is associated with a higher rate of wound complications and delayed healing,” Dr. Nitzkorski said. “The minimally invasive approach improves healing time.”

Malignant MelanomaAt the Forefront of Melanoma Management

From surgical excision and reconstruction, to targeted medical therapies and ongoing surveillance, the Dyson Center for Cancer Care at Vassar Brothers Medical Center offers leading-edge care at every stage of the melanoma treatment process.

The multidisciplinary melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer center at the Dyson Center for Cancer Care at Vassar Brothers Medical Center brings together specialists in melanoma, maxillofacial, and head and neck surgical oncology, to ensure access to advanced care in a central location.

“

“

Oncology Update 7

TTY/Accessibility: 800.421.1220

Managing Satellite and In-Transit Melanoma

Patients with satellite or in-transit melanoma have saturation of the dermal lymphatic system that causes tumors to grow on an arm or leg. Vassar Brothers Medical Center is one of only a few hospitals in New York to offer isolated limb infusion to treat this complex type of disease.

During the procedure, physicians isolate the limb’s circulation from other areas of the body and inject high doses of heated chemotherapy directly into the limb. Though the treatment isn’t curative, but rather palliative in intent, Dr. Nitzkorski noted that it could prolong life in appropriate candidates with fewer risks of side effects than systemic chemotherapy.

Targeted Therapies for Late-Stage Disease

Historically, patients with melanoma have had few treatment options other than surgery. That changed in 2011 when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved ipilimumab. An immunotherapy, ipilimumab is indicated for patients with melanoma who have had surgery and have disease in their lymph nodes, as well as for those with inoperable or metastatic melanoma. It is only one of several immunotherapies approved for melanoma to become available in recent years.

In addition to immunotherapies, a variety of therapies that target gene mutations associated with melanoma have also gained approval. Like immunotherapies, these drugs may be appropriate for certain patients with stage III or IV melanoma, according to the American Cancer Society.

Screening for Recurrence

Following successful disease treatment, patients with melanoma need ongoing monitoring to help ensure the disease does not return.

“Melanoma — no matter the stage — can recur,” Dr. Nitzkorski said. “We make personalized recommendations for continued monitoring that depend on the tumor’s stage and characteristics.”

Surveillance recommendations may include follow-up visits with a dermatologist and surgical oncologist every six months and routine diagnostic imaging tests, such as CT, PET and lymph node ultrasound.

For more information about the multidisciplinary approach to care and targeted cancer therapies available at The Dyson Center for Cancer Care at Vassar Brothers Medical Center, visit healthquest.org/cancer.

James Nitzkorski, MD, FACS Medical Director of

Gastrointestinal and

Melanoma Oncology

Fellowship: Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, surgical oncology

Board certification: Surgical oncology

Al Haitham Al Shetawi, MD, DMD Maxillofacial, Head and Neck

Surgical Oncologist

Fellowship: University of Florida in Jacksonville, head and neck surgical oncology and microvascular reconstruction

Board certification: Oral and maxillofacial surgery

OUR TEAM

8 Oncology Update

New Provider ProfilesNew Faces of Cancer Care

Though their areas of specialization may differ, these new Health Quest Medical Practice, P.C. (HQMP) team members share a common goal — enhancing cancer patients’ quality of life.

Supportive Care Medicine

Alexander Ritter, MD

• Dr. Ritter joined the HQMP and Vassar Brothers Medical Center teams in August 2017.

• He comes to Health Quest from Mount Sinai Beth Israel, where he completed his fellowship in palliative care and hospice in June 2017.

• Dr. Ritter works with patients to control their symptoms and ensure their emotional, physical and spiritual needs are met at each stage of the disease process.

Ruchira Chandra, MD

• Dr. Chandra joined the HQMP team in September 2017.

• She has practiced as a supportive care medicine physician on the medical staff at Vassar Brothers Medical Center for 10 years.

• Dr. Chandra received her medical degree at SUNY Downstate Medical Center, and completed her internal medicine residency and fellowships in geriatric medicine and palliative care at Northwell Health (formerly North Shore-LIJ Health System).

Oncology Update 9

Gynecologic Oncology

Patrick Timmins, MD

• Dr. Timmins joined HQMP in July 2017 and has practiced on the medical staff at Vassar Brothers Medical Center since 2007.

• Dr. Timmins completed his medical education at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. He then completed a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC and a fellowship in gynecologic oncology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine/ Montefiore Medical Center.

Heidi Godoy, DO

• Dr. Godoy joined HQMP in July 2017 and has practiced on the medical staff at Vassar Brothers Medical Center for five years.

• She completed her medical degree at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey School of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Godoy completed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Georgetown University Hospital, and a fellowship in gynecologic oncology at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center.

• Dr. Godoy performs a variety of minimally invasive, robot-assisted surgeries — including hysterectomy, radical hysterectomy, ovarian cancer debulking and myomectomy — to treat gynecologic cancers.

Medical Oncology

Alfonso Cutugno, MD

• Dr. Cutugno joined HQMP in April 2018 and practices at Northern Dutchess Hospital in Rhinebeck. He was previously in private practice in the Kingston area and has treated patients in the Hudson Valley for more than 20 years.

• He completed his fellowship in hematology/oncology at Allegheny University Hospitals in Philadelphia and completed his residency training at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center in Englewood, New Jersey.

• Dr. Cutugno is board certified in hematology and oncology and treats patients with all types of malignancy.

10 Oncology Update

The Professional Is Also Personal: Oncology Clinical Trials at Health Quest

Though newly arrived, Director of Clinical Research, Ernest E. Roos IV, MD, is quickly becoming part of the Health Quest Clinical Research family, involved in every detail of endeavors he described as nationally significant, yet rooted in the community.

“We base studies we choose to engage in, whether through the National Institutes of Health or in partnership with pharmaceutical companies, on the clinical challenges we see our patients facing,” Dr. Roos said. “When we select a study, it is because it offers a solution that our patients might otherwise not have access to. There is a duality in that our patients are essential indicators for what trials we implement, while the research we engage in contributes to our larger understanding of disease conditions and their treatments.”

Doubling Down on Breast Cancer Treatment

Preventing recurrence is one of the most significant challenges in breast cancer management. Thanks to research, physicians now know that supplementing standard chemotherapy with immunotherapy can sometimes effectively prevent recurrence. Now, physicians at Health Quest are testing out how best to leverage this advancement.

“Patients with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer are at high risk for recurrence,” Dr. Roos said. “In an important trial led by Dr. Radhika Rachamalla, researchers are studying whether adding the immunotherapy agent abemaciclib after surgery enhances the ability of hormone therapy to treat the disease.”

“The randomized, Phase 3 study, identifier NSABP B-58, also examines whether patients who are resistant to hormone therapy alone may find such therapy more effective when combined with abemaciclib,” Dr. Roos added.

“One advantage for this trial is that our breast oncology practice at Health Quest Medical Practice is a hub for early screening and diagnosis of high-risk disease,” Dr. Roos said. “As part of our comprehensive cancer care model, we allow patients with early-stage cases to access advanced management options, allowing us to serve our catchment area appropriately.”

Pancreatic Cancer: Casting a Fine Net

While Health Quest’s unique women’s health model makes identifying potential participants of breast oncology trials highly feasible, researchers face challenges recruiting appropriate subjects for other studies.

In one such instance, a Phase 2 SWOG (Southwest Oncology Group) trial, lead investigator Ryan Swan, MD, assesses survival in patients with certain pancreatic cancers who receive preoperative combination chemotherapy with mFOLFIRINOX as compared to preoperative gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel. Researchers in SWOG 1505 are testing whether mFOLFIRINOX, which combines several chemotherapy agents, is more effective than standard chemotherapy in preventing the recurrence and spread of pancreatic cancer after surgery.

“We don’t yet have preliminary results for this trial, because it’s challenging to find patients who are eligible,” Dr. Roos said. “If patients are diagnosed with resectable pancreatic cancer, they will likely have surgery before we learn about them. It’s challenging. When a patient has pancreatic cancer, the surgeon wants to operate as soon as possible. [But as researchers], we need to identify patients at that point in the disease progression and employ chemotherapy to see whether it improves outcomes.”

Dr. Roos is eager to spread the word about this trial so physicians can make appropriate referrals, though he knows time is of the essence.

“Ideally, if eligible patients have surgery at a Health Quest hospital, they can be enrolled in the SWOG trial,” he said.

Clinical Trials/Research Update

TTY/Accessibility: 800.421.1220

As part of our comprehensive cancer care model, we allow patients with early-stage cases to access advanced management options, allowing us to serve our catchment area appropriately.

“

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Oncology Update 11

Diligent Outreach

If you believe one of your patients may be eligible for these or other clinical trials, reach out to our lead investigators, Dr. Roos and Dr. Swan.

“We create alerts for providers, notifying them of available trials and inclusion/exclusion criteria,” Dr. Roos said. “The reciprocal nature of clinical research is that it derives from a community need and gives back to the community, both locally and worldwide, creating a body of knowledge that helps us generalize results and apply them to clinical care as a whole.”

Other Clinical Trials of Note

• PROSPECT N1048 — Lead researcher: James Nitzkorski, MD. This trial compares the effectiveness of chemotherapy with combined chemotherapy and radiation therapy for patients undergoing resection for advanced rectal cancer.

• I-ELCART — Lead researcher: Cliff Connery, MD. This trial focuses on identifying optimal treatments for early stage lung cancer. See Dr. Connery’s discussion on pg. 5 to learn more.

• POSEIDON — Lead researcher: James Leonardo, MD, PhD. This trial evaluates the effectiveness of an investigational therapy combined with chemotherapy in patients with EGFR- and ALK-negative, metastatic non-small cell lung cancer.

• ATOMIC — Lead researcher: Inder Lal, MD. This trial compares standard of care chemotherapy to atezolizumab, a new immunotherapy, in stage 3 colon cancer patients with mismatch repair deficiency.

To find out whether a patient is eligible for a clinical trial at Health Quest, visit: healthquest.org/cancertrials

What’s New?Health Quest will begin offering graduate medical education (GME) in 2019. We look forward to expanding our mission to teach healthcare providers. Visit gme.healthquest.org to learn more about our GME program.

12 Oncology Update

Mark Your Calendar

Do you know what Health Quest oncologists are doing throughout the community?Consider these opportunities to participate and learn.

Upcoming Events

Oncology Teaching DayOncologists, as well as surgeons, internists and primary care physicians will benefit from this discussion of oncology issues in the Hudson Valley. Date: May 16 Time: Lunch: 11:30am Conference: 1pm Culinary Institute of America, Marriott Pavilion, Hyde Park, NY To register or for more information, visit: vbmc.libguides.com/2018oncology/agenda

Dinner Outreach SeriesSince 2017, the Dinner Outreach series has united physicians from various practices for fellowship and an interesting case review. Events are held at different locations to better serve the physician community. Please contact Kim Chiarello-Jameson at kchiarel@health-quest.org to learn more.

39th International Conference on Screening for Lung CancerRadiology and cancer experts will educate general practitioners about lung cancer screenings and findings other than cancer that may be identified via low-dose CT scan. Date: Oct. 16–17 Cosponsored by Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (I-ELCAP), New York, NY For more information, contact Michelle Palumbo at MPalumbo@health-quest.org or visit events.ielcap.org/conferences/next