Fall 2008
(Download pdf version of Fall 2008)

On the Cover:
Juan Carlos Plana, M.D., assistant professor in the Department of Cardiology and director of Cardiac Imaging, and Liza Sanchez, supervisor of the Cardiovascular Lab, view a 3-D echocardiogram. The specially designed glasses allow them to see the heart in three dimensions, giving them the opportunity to accurately define cardiac structure and function.

Table of Contents

Frontline

Turning on CB1 
Cannabinoids may provide new approach for colorectal cancer prevention and treatment.

Slowing down metastatic thyroid cancer
An experimental drug that inhibits tumor blood vessel formation can slow disease progression in some patients.

Looking long term
Risk assessment strategies can pay off for breast cancer patients.

Shielding a metastasis-promoter
Efforts to protect the tumor-suppressor p53 could shelter a mutant version of the protein.

Diabetes drug may serve as anti-tumor agent
Meformin may be effective in increasing pathologic complete response in diabetic women with early-stage breast cancer.

Features

Brain boost
An $11.5 million SPORE grant supports personalized therapy.

The heart of the matter
As they gain a deeper understanding of the effect of cancer treatments on the heart, a full-service cardiology team is breaking new ground treating cancer patients.

Profile: Lois Ramondetta, M.D.
A gynecologic oncologist offers unconventional care through meaningful conversations with patients at M. D. Anderson and Harris County Hospital District’s Lyndon B. Johnson General Hospital.

‘Sew’ easy: Onesies keep toddlers safe
A physician assistant has adapted a common article of infant clothing.

Moving Forward

Gordon Hendrickson
Pancreatic and prostate cancer patient counsels others.

Multimedia clips and extras

New Drug Active Against Advanced Thyroid Cancer (2:39) Lois Ramondetta, M.D., describes her relationship with Deborah Rose Sills, Ph.D. (6:02) Ramondetta reads from "The Light Within" about how Sills coped with cancer and family (2:55) Ramondetta reads from"The Light Within" describing Sills' cancer treatment experience (3:36) Read details of cancer and heart patient Tiffany Hebert Spinos' story