Publications
Transforming Through Research
Annual Report - Winter 2010
By Sandi Stromberg
Mike Richards’ chances of surviving metastatic colon cancer would have been slim 10 years ago.
Mike Richards
But, as a study recently revealed, his potential for five-year survival has been dramatically increased in the last decade due to surgical advances in liver resection and the discovery of novel chemotherapy and biological agents.
An affable 72-year-old, he’s spent much of his life in the public eye as a Texas senator, a radio station owner and a radio talk-show host. Fit and active, he didn’t think of himself as a prime candidate for colon cancer until abdominal pains pushed him into a doctor’s office in 2005.
Surgery seemed to be sufficient until a relapse in 2007, when it was discovered the cancer had spread to his liver. Fortunately, he was a candidate for liver surgery, followed by chemotherapy, and today he is cancer-free.
New sources of funding, putting value on research
Richards joins a growing group of nearly 12 million cancer survivors who have benefited from multiple advances in cancer treatments due to dedicated research that begins in the laboratory and through clinical trials translates to patients.
While cancer research faces big challenges in funding, new sources have opened up and concerted efforts are being made to move effective and safe discoveries to the patient more quickly.
With the increasing number of survivors, M. D. Anderson’s research doesn’t stop with discovering new treatments, but also extends to finding interventions to help survivors manage symptom burden and retain quality of life.
Annual Report - Winter 2010
Transforming Through Research
- Blazing a Shorter Trail Between the Lab and Patients
- 'Meeting of the Minds' to Explore RNAs
- New Grants Give Researchers the GO-ahead
- Research Highlights
Transforming Through Patient Care
- Keeping MD Anderson Vital
- Advocating for Patients, Reinventing Practices
- EMR Connects Patients, Physicians to Real-Time Data
- Satellites Demonstrate Good Neighbor Policy
- Patient Care Highlights
Transforming Through Prevention
- Finding Needles in Haystacks
- Aging Survivors Can Learn New 'Tricks'
- Ask-Advise-Consent: A Matter of Public Health
- A Guide Through the Maze
- Prevention Highlights
Transforming Through Education
- Mentoring Builds, Shares Knowledge
- The Shaping of a Symptom Researcher
- Outreach to the Virtual Neighborhood
- Helping Young Scientists Triumph
- Odysseys of Discovery
- Education Highlights
Transforming Through Development
- Planning to Give — and to Receive
- Annual Fund Opens Possibilities for Young Researchers
- Open Hearts, Giving Hands
- Development Highlights
People and Data