ASDS Unveils Videos Targeting Skin Cancer Prevention A pair of powerful American Society for Dermatologic Surgery videos to raise awareness about the need for men to adopt sun-protective behaviors and the dangers of indoor tanning are being distributed just in time for Skin Cancer Awareness Month in May. Rolling Meadows, Ill. – April 28 – A pair of powerful American Society for Dermatologic Surgery videos to raise awareness about the need for men to adopt sun-protective behaviors and the dangers of indoor tanning are being distributed just in time for Skin Cancer Awareness Month in May. The new videos supply insight into some of the risk factors for skin cancer, by far the most common of all cancers with doctors telling more than 1 million Americans each year they have the disease. “Most skin cancers are preventable,” said ASDS President George J. Hruza, M.D., MBA. “We believe these videos have the potential to convince people across the nation to make modest lifestyle adjustments that could save their lives. Taking the time to share these videos will make a meaningful contribution in combating the fight against skin cancer.” ASDS member Terrence Keaney, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist at the Washington Institute of Dermatologic Laser Surgery in Washington, D.C., spearheaded the creation of a 30-second public service announcement and a four-minute video that use humor to drive home the importance of sun-safe behaviors in men for a video titled, “Guys, don’t be like Paul.” “I want to raise awareness of the incidence of skin cancer among men,” said Keaney, who created these videos as his project in the ASDS Future Leaders Network program. “I wanted to incorporate humor while delivering a serious message to the audience about male skin cancer risks and prevention.” The fictional patient is shown committing a series of skin-care blunders while taking a dismissive tone during medical appointments. The PSA links to the longer video that shows the patient ignoring the dermatologist’s advice in multiple instances only to find out later he has developed melanoma. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, only 30 percent of men in the U.S. have awareness of skin cancer warning signs. Less than half of men indicated knowledge of how to examine their skin for skin cancer compared to 59 percent of women. The second video features Lisa Pace, a Division I college women’s basketball coach. Pace was a self-described “tan-o-holic” when she attended college. She said her habit of daily, indoor tanning sessions eventually resulted in the development of more than 80 skin cancers, five of them melanomas. Her video is titled, “Skin cancer: Coach’s toughest opponent.” “Skin cancer is avoidable… if you use your sunscreen, stay out of the tanning beds,” Pace says in the PSA. “This is something I have to live with for the rest of my life.” Pace has said public awareness about the perils of indoor tanning was not as pervasive when she attended college. She is hopeful more education today – such as these videos from ASDS – will dissuade others from repeating her mistake. Multiple studies have shown that the use of indoor tanning devices, through the exposure to ultraviolet radiation, increases the user’s risk of melanoma. More than 419,000 cases of skin cancer in the U.S. each year are linked to indoor tanning, including about 245,000 basal cell carcinomas, 168,000 squamous cell carcinomas and 6,200 melanomas, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. The danger is so significant that the World Health Organization has classified indoor tanning in the highest risk category of known carcinogens. To address the public health risk from sunlamp products (such as tanning beds and tanning booths), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last year reclassified the devices from low-risk to moderate-risk and began requiring them to include a visible, black-box warning stating they should not be used by anyone under age 18. Editor’s note: Each of the two 30-second public service announcements has a corresponding, longer version video. All media outlets are encouraged to share any and all of the four videos through any of their distribution platforms. They can be viewed and downloaded from: “Guys, don’t be like Paul” PSA: “Guys, don’t be like Paul” full-length video: “Skin cancer: Coach’s toughest opponent” PSA: “Skin cancer: Coach’s toughest opponent” full-length video: Please feel free to reach out if you need a different file format or resolution at jschwab(at)asds(dot)net or 847-956-9143. About ASDS The American Society for Dermatologic Surgery is the largest specialty organization exclusively representing dermatologic surgeons who have unique training and experience to treat the health, function and beauty of your skin. ASDS members are pioneers in the field. Many are involved in the clinical studies that bring popular treatments to revitalize skin and fill and diminish wrinkles to the forefront. Their work has helped create and enhance many of the devices that remove blemishes, hair and fat, and tighten skin. Dermatologic surgeons also are experts in skin cancer prevention, detection and treatment. As the incidence of skin cancer rises, dermatologic surgeons are committed to taking steps to minimize the life-threatening effects of this disease. For more information, visit asds.net. Contact Information Jay Schwab American Society for Dermatologic Surgery asds.net +1 847-956-9143
Second Generation 18F-labeled Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA) Targeted Imaging Agent Found to be Highly Sensitive in Detecting Prostate Cancer WMIS to Offer Unlimited Online Access to Article Published in the Journal of Molecular Imaging and Biology Culver City, CA – April 28 – A first-in-human prostate cancer study released today in the Journal of Molecular Imaging and Biology showed initial safety, biodistribution, and dosimetry results with [18F]DCFPyL, a 2nd generation fluorine-18 labeled small-molecule PSMA inhibitor. The imaging biomarker has been developed at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD by study co-author, Martin G. Pomper, MD, PhD. “This initial human evaluation of [18F]DCFPyL demonstrated a number of important findings. The radiotracer was safe, and parallels the expected uptake with significantly improved visual conspicuity of suspected sites of metastatic prostate cancer in comparison to our first generation radiotracer,” Martin G. Pomper, MD, PhD, William R. Brody Professor of Radiology at Johns Hopkins, said. [18F]DCFPyL is a 2nd generation small-molecule PET agent that attaches to the prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA). Signals from [18F]DCFPyL can then be measured via a PET scan. The study demonstrated that [18F]DCFPyL produced images that showed lower blood pool activity, providing clearer images than the 1st generation agent, [18F]DCFBC, produced by the same group. The study also showed 50 percent lower radiation dose in the most sensitive organs. According to the American Cancer Society, about 220,800 new cases and about 27,540 deaths will occur from prostate cancer in the United States in 2015. While prostate cancer is often curable, there remain a large number of patients with residual, recurrent and metastatic disease who need imaging for lesion detection, therapeutic monitoring, and restaging. Conventional imaging has not proven to be sufficiently sensitive and specific for detection of prostate cancer lesions. “The basis of more accurate, molecularly-informed classification of disease is the premise of precision medicine and specific molecular imaging biomarkers are the keys to determine how we classify diseases, how we select therapy, how we monitor therapy, and ultimately how we make treatments more accurate for each individual for better patient outcomes said Dr. Jason Lewis, Professor and Vice Chair for Research, Emily Tow Jackson Chair at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, and President of the WMIS said, “We commend the team at Johns Hopkins for developing a more sensitive and accurate PSMA.” ABOUT WORLD MOLECULAR IMAGING SOCIETY The WMIS is dedicated to developing and promoting translational research through multimodality molecular imaging. The education and abstract-driven WMIC is the annual meeting of the WMIS and is held in conjunction with partner societies including the European Society for Molecular Imaging (ESMI) and the Federation of Asian Societies for Molecular Imaging (FASMI). WMIC provides a unique setting for scientists and clinicians with very diverse backgrounds to interact, present, and follow cutting-edge advances in the rapidly expanding field of molecular imaging that impacts nearly every biomedical discipline. Industry exhibits at the congress included corporations who have created the latest advances in preclinical and clinical imaging approaches and equipment, providing a complete molecular imaging educational technology showcase. For more information: http://www.wmis.org About the Journal of Molecular Imaging and Biology Molecular Imaging and Biology presents original research contributions on the utilization of molecular imaging in problems of relevance in biology and medicine. The primary objective of the journal is to provide a forum for the discovery of molecular mechanisms of health and disease through the use of imaging techniques. Among the topics covered are molecular imaging investigations of macromolecular targets involved in significant biological processes; design and evaluation of molecular probes used to investigate macromolecular targets and their functions; and study of in vivo animal models of disease for the development of new molecular diagnostics and therapeutics. The overall goal is to translate basic science discoveries into molecular imaging of disease in patients, both to investigate the biological nature of disease in actual patients and to establish new molecular imaging diagnostic procedures. Molecular Imaging and Biology is the official journal of the World Molecular Imaging Society and the European Society for Molecular Imaging. Contact Information Lisa Baird World molecular imaging society http://www.wmis.org +1 (617) 378-7682
Allegheny Health Network Launches First U.S. Clinical Trial of Extracellular Matrix as Replacement for Pre-Cancerous Tissue Investigational Trial of Substance Manufactured From Pig Bladder Could Bring Effective New Option for People at High Risk of Esophageal Cancer Pittsburgh, PA – April 28 – An Allegheny Health Network (AHN) team led by Blair A. Jobe, MD, FACS, has launched the first U.S. clinical trial to investigate whether replacing esophageal tissue with extracellular matrix (ECM) can help patients who are at high risk of developing a lethal form of esophageal cancer. ECM is a complex mixture of naturally-occurring polymers that provides a framework for cell attachment and migration and signals that guide cell behavior. ECM, manufactured from pig urinary bladder, holds great promise for facilitating repair of human tissues. “People with high-grade esophageal dysplasia, or precancerous cell changes, are at very high risk of developing esophageal cancer, a disease that is too often deadly,” said Dr. Jobe, Director of the Esophageal and Lung Institute at Allegheny Health Network. “These patients may even already have early-stage esophageal cancer.” “The outcome of this clinical trial could give us an effective new option for treating these patients and a powerful tool for the prevention of esophageal cancer while preserving the esophagus,” Dr. Jobe said “The incidence of esophageal cancer is rising worldwide, and the disease is typically detected at advanced stages, when effective treatment options are few.” The FDA recently granted permission for the Esophageal and Lung Institute clinical research team to enroll patients into this investigational study. The goal of the study is to preserve the esophagus, remove the dysplasia, and prevent side effects that can arise from scar tissue formation and impact the patient’s quality of life. “This long-awaited clinical trial is the culmination of years of work by Dr. Jobe and his team, and is some of the most exciting work now being done in the field of regenerative medicine,” said Alan Russell, PhD., Chief Innovation Officer and Executive Vice President, AHN, and founding president of the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society. Dr. Jobe and his team will use a technique known as transoral endoscopic circumferential resection (TECR), which is performed through the mouth, with no external incisions. The study will use two FDA-approved devices in combination, an esophageal stent and ECM, in a manner not currently approved by the FDA. The procedure involves removing a layer of the diseased esophageal tissue, and replacing it with an ECM, trade-named MatriStem, manufactured by ACell Inc. The team will study whether the ECM will facilitate healing of the tissue resection by the body and reduce the risk of stricture formation, which can make swallowing difficult. “This clinical trial, the first of its kind in the U.S., reinforces the AHN Esophageal and Lung Institute’s position as both a regional and national leader in innovative, personalized treatment for esophageal and lung disease,” said Rodney Landreneau, MD, Co-Director of AHN Esophageal and Lung Institute, Division Director of General Thoracic Surgery and System Director of Thoracic Oncology. Current available treatments for high-grade dysplasia, including burning or cutting away the diseased tissue, may not be effective for patients with extensive or recurrent disease. Removing the esophagus, while still considered the best treatment for increasing life expectancy, is an aggressive option that can present quality-of-life issues for some patients. The AHN study will enroll 10 patients between 18 and 80 years of age with biopsy-proven circumferential high-grade dysplasia. They must complete a series of tests before they undergo the procedure at AHN’s West Penn Hospital. Follow-up endoscopies will be performed at 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months post-procedure to evaluate its effectiveness. For more information on enrollment, contact Emily Lloyd at 412.578.1343. About the Allegheny Health Network: Allegheny Health Network, part of Highmark Health, is an integrated healthcare delivery system serving the Western Pennsylvania region. The Network is comprised of eight hospitals, including its flagship academic medical center Allegheny General Hospital, Allegheny Valley Hospital, Canonsburg Hospital, Forbes Hospital, Jefferson Hospital, Saint Vincent Hospital, Westfield Memorial Hospital and West Penn Hospital; an employed physician organization, a research institute, health + wellness pavilions, home and community-based health services and a group purchasing organization. The Network employs approximately 17,500 people, and has more than 2,100 physicians on its medical staff. The Network also serves as a clinical campus for both Temple University School of Medicine and Drexel University College of Medicine. AHN also has established a collaborative relationship with Johns Hopkins Medicine to advance medical research and explore opportunities for improving patient care quality, access and affordability. Contact Information Stephanie Waite Allegheny General Hospital http://www.wpahs.org +1 412-330-4434
