Cancer Experts Meet in Unique Collaborative Effort for Cancer Research and Cancer Care

Cancer treatment physicians and researchers from 16 institutions gathered Oct. 6-7 at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix in a unique display of collaboration.

“We only have one competitor – cancer,” said William Cance, MD, Deputy Director of the UA Cancer Center Phoenix. “This event is designed to promote thoughtful discussion and a strategic plan of action to enhance collective projects and discovery.”

Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton delivered opening remarks to the 133 attendees, saying that he, too, believes in the power of collaboration, especially when it’s among top cancer research oncologists, academic, clinical and care delivery organizations.

“This important symposium is bringing together the best and brightest minds in your field,” Stanton said. “Together, you will pave the way for more scientific discovery.”

Specialists from the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix and Tucson, the University of Arizona Cancer Center, Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, Banner Health, Barrow Neurological Institute, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix Children’s Hospital, TGen and HonorHealth met at a “Building Collaborations Across Arizona” symposium.

Summarizing the two-day conference, Dr. Cance said the physicians and scientists left their sense of competitiveness at the door.

“It was exciting to see everyone’s willingness to build meaningful connections,” he said. “The attendees were engaged and focused on the mission of sharing their cancer research and seeing what synergies could be taken advantage of.”

Andrew Kraft, MD, Director of the University of Arizona Cancer Center, encouraged attendees to “work together as a highly innovative and integrated group, to challenge each other not only in research but in translational and clinical work.”

“If we can go to the moon, we can cure cancer,” he said.

UA College of Medicine Dean Guy Reed, MD, MS, said one of the reasons he was attracted to come to Arizona was because of its overwhelming spirit of partnership and collaboration.

“Please use this forum to become more integrated with our mission to inspire and train exemplary physicians, scientists and leaders to optimize health and health care in Arizona and beyond,” he said.

Dr. Cance said cancer researchers can no longer rely solely on the federal government to support research, so it’s imperative that they team up and share resources. “The research piece is critical,” he said. “We can only go so far individually, but collectively we can make Arizona a destination for cancer research and cancer treatment.”

The agenda for the two-day event included roundtable discussions, keynote presentations by  Edison T. Liu, MD, President and CEO of The Jackson Laboratory, and Louis M. Weiner, MD, Director of the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at Georgetown University, oral presentations, a poster session and extensive time for networking.

“As cancer specialists, we all need to break down barriers between us and come together as an oncology community to figure out the next breakthrough in cancer research and treatment,” Dr. Cance said. “While we all might be from different institutions, each of us can bring something unique to the table that, collectively, can translate into patient care.”

Attendees included cancer researchers, medical and radiation oncologists, surgeons, professors, bioinformaticists, scientific investigators, grants professionals, cancer clinical trial directors, oncology imaging professionals, neuropathologists and genetic counselors. The goal was to break down silos and work together to develop ground-breaking cancer treatment discoveries.

The symposium was sponsored by the Flinn Foundation, Dignity Health at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center and the University of Arizona Cancer Center Support Grant from the National Cancer Institute.

The University of Arizona Cancer Center is one of 45 comprehensive cancer centers in the nation and the only one headquartered in and serving the entire state of Arizona that has been designated by the National Cancer Institute as a Comprehensive Cancer Center, the NCI’s highest designation. That designation is reserved for centers focusing on patient care as well as basic and clinical research, prevention, education, outreach and training.

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Marian Frank
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