Abramson Report News for Friends of the Abramson Cancer Center | Winter 2022

Karen Smallen enjoys a good vacation as much as the rest of us. However, her digestive issues often made the act of travel a little uncomfortable.

So in the summer of 2019, during a few weeks of busy travel to Maine, New York, and Scotland, Karen wasn’t surprised when she started to feel unwell. She thought when she was home and settled, her stomach would follow suit.

But her symptoms persisted, and she now also felt bloating. Karen had always been in very good health. She ate well, never missed a doctor’s appointment, and between being a teacher and mom of two boys, she had always stayed active and fit.

Erring on the side of caution, she met with her nurse practitioner to discuss these symptoms. The appointment was helpful, but it still seemed as though her symptoms—very similar to what she’d experienced in the past—could be related to her existing digestive issues.

In the days that followed, Karen couldn’t ignore the feeling that it was something more serious. Her intuition was right; a follow-up CT scan revealed a tumor. She had stage four ovarian cancer. Finally, after all the seemingly innocuous symptoms, she had her answer—and while it wasn’t the one she was hoping for, Karen was ready to take her diagnosis head-on.

“I am glad that I persisted. I didn’t want to go Googling anything and freaking myself out, but I knew something wasn’t right and that I needed to get to Penn.” Karen reflected, “My family did do their own Googling, but I told them to save their questions for the doctors. I trusted them entirely. And rightfully so: my team at Penn has given me precious time.”

Karen was referred to Emily M. Ko, MD, MSCR, and Patricia Ford, MD, for her treatment, which included a year of chemotherapy as well as a trial oral chemotherapy. “Dr. Ko and Dr. Ford are kind, compassionate physicians. They treated me like a partner in my health plan,” says Karen. COVID-19 restrictions meant that Karen had to go through her treatment sessions without her family. Still, she took it in stride—and is grateful for the warm, welcoming staff that was there with her along the way, “I feel very fortunate to have access to Penn Medicine. Because you are in such capable hands, the Abramson Cancer Center is a place to concentrate on one’s physical and emotional needs while going through treatment.”

Unfortunately, Karen’s experience is all too common. Ovarian cancer is often called a “silent killer” because the symptoms are so mild and similar to digestive issues or other common, less serious conditions. When caught early enough, ovarian cancer can be treatable. Karen is proud that she was persistent to not ignore the warning signs—and that she came to Penn.

“They listened to me when I knew something was wrong and even thanked me for not backing down. I am so grateful,” says Karen.

Karen remains focused on the present and appreciates watching her family grow; her son and his new wife welcomed their first child, making Karen a proud grandma of three.

Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute UPDATE

Dr. Wan’s Lab is where cancer biology and epigenetics meet. Their work studies chromatin––a substance made up of DNA and other critical proteins––and its role in cell growth, spread, and tumor promotion. Previous studies have shown at least 50% of cancers contain mutations linked to the role of chromatin. By building on our knowledge of how chromatin directs gene expression, we hope to become better at understanding how tumor cells behave in cancer patients. Dr. Wan’s research also focuses on the basic structure and function of cancer mutations involving chromatin, and hopefully answering the question of how we can reprogram the cancerous chromatin state to control cancer cells behavior (most importantly in tumor growth and spread).

As a member of the AFCRI, Department of Cancer Biology, Epigenetics Institute, and Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Dr. Wan has access to tools and collaborators to advance her research. Using several different approaches including genome-wide sequencing, advanced imaging, biochemistry, structural biology, mouse models, and bioinformatics, the Wan Lab combines their intellectual power with the institutional resource power of Penn Medicine to develop therapeutics in the fight against cancer.

Recently Dr. Wan, along with Ben Black, PhD, and Michael Lampson, PhD, were recognized by the National Institutes of Health for their highly innovative and broadly impactful research. In addition to the NIH “New Innovator” prize, Dr. Wan also received a Pew-Stewart Scholar award and a V Foundation Scholar award.

When she’s not busy with soccer, basketball, track, dance, or her favorite subject in school, Language Arts, Ava Aita is hard at work raising money for Penn Medicine’s Abramson Cancer Center (ACC).

Inspired by the cancer journey of her father, Paul, who is now in remission and by her grandmother, who unfortunately passed away from pancreatic cancer this year, Ava decided to start selling handmade bracelets to family and friends in order to donate the proceeds to cancer research at the ACC.

Ava’s project quickly transformed into an activity for the Aita family to do together during COVID-19 related restrictions, and it also offered an opportunity for all to reflect on Paul’s recovery from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. This year marks five years in remission. As interest in the campaign grew, the entire family, including Ava’s mother, Jamie, her 8-year-old brother, Jake, and after some persuading even Paul pitched in to make the bracelets. “It represents everything Paul went through, and it brought us closer together,” shares Jamie, “the kids, especially Ava, have a better understanding of how important it is to help others by donating this money to research.”

The Aitas were shocked when Paul was diagnosed with cancer as a young father. Typically, the “rock” of the family, Paul approached his diagnosis with perspective and a positive outlook. Jamie emphasizes the importance of never giving up, and the family was always there for Paul to lean on. The Aitas turned to the ACC for treatment.

Jamie was appreciative of the compassion, attention, and empathy his family received from Daniel J. Landsburg, MD, and his entire care team, “We were just so overwhelmed by the kindness. We also had a nurse, Theresa, who answered every question. She let me text her, which was so helpful in moments of doubt or anxiety.”

After the bracelet fundraiser took off, Ava pivoted to t-shirts and, now, keychains. Despite only being in seventh grade, Ava is already acutely aware of the power of charitable giving. Her bracelet, t-shirt, and keychain fundraisers were not even Ava’s first time giving back to Penn Medicine. She also encouraged her entire school, almost 200 students, to create cards for Penn’s Hall of Heroes during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. To all those looking to get involved in philanthropy, Ava says, “Doing what I can and helping out people is good. I’m proud I can do that even though I’m young. Everything helps.”

Unrestricted funds, like those from the Aita family, provide essential resources that have an extraordinary impact across Penn Medicine in basic science, clinical trial development, and collaborative and innovative research. These funds are uniquely positioned to support cancer breakthroughs and interventions of the future—helping patients facing all types of cancer. From revelatory discoveries, to the simple kindness from a nurse to a patient, the ACC is an institution that provides hope and healing.

So, what does Ava want to be when she grows up? A teacher. She’s motivated to continue to help others, even in her future career.

A team led by Emily F. Conant, MD, is exploring the potential impact of expanded use of the Abbreviated

Breast MRI (AB-MR or “Fast MRI”) to detect cancer in Black women. AB-MR is a new, low-cost breast MRI exam that has been developed for screening women with dense breasts. AB-MR does not emit radiation, does not require breast compression, and finds four times more breast cancers than mammography.

Prior research at the ACC showed Black women tend to have larger volumes of glandular breast tissue than Caucasian women, but are often graded “less dense” by traditional mammographic density scoring. The AB-MR protocol aims to improve cancer detection in women with dense breasts and help guide precision screening for women of diverse ethnicities. Currently, insurance does not cover AB-MR exams, so establishing its efficacy for this population is important to its affordability in the future.

Powered by Siemens Healthineers’ 54-foot-long mobile mammography unit, a Penn Medicine team, led by Brian Englander, MD, brought free 3D mammograms to women in need over the age of 40 in West Philadelphia. Not only did hundreds of women get screened, many also became champions advocating for friends and family to sign up. The initiative was also an opportunity to involve students from The

Murrell Dobbins Career and Technical Education High School, located across the street from the unit who learned first-hand from the team what it takes to become a certified imaging technician and more about the field.

For cancers that are close to critical organs like the heart, proton therapy’s precision has shown to lead to improved outcomes, fewer side effects, and greater quality of life during and after treatment.

The Roberts Proton Therapy Center provides the most advanced research and the latest therapies, including clinical trials for treatments not available at most other cancer centers. New proton facilities at the Ann B. Barshinger Cancer Institute in Lancaster, PA and plans for another facility in South Jersey to strengthen the strategic alliance with Virtua Health—the exceptional care at Penn Medicine is available closer to home.

As a national leader in developing and conducting clinical trials Penn Medicine knows that results are most meaningful if all patients have access to these innovative and potentially life-saving options regardless of their location.

A $2.5 million gift from Drs. Andrea and Robert Orsher is helping Angela M. DeMichele, MD, MSCE, mobilize and unify metastatic breast cancer clinical trials across Penn Medicine’s sites. The Metastatic Breast Cancer Collaborative (MBCC) is expanding access to studies that will help better detect and treat advanced and recurrent cancer. This patient-centered initiative provides more options for cutting-edge care while bringing faculty together to advance critical research.

Oluwadamilola “Lola” Fayanju, MD, MA, MPHS, joins Penn from Duke University where she was known for her acumen not only as an expert breast surgeon, but also as a physician focused on research and advocacy to address challenges she sees breast cancer patients and families experiencing.

From establishing a support group for women veterans with breast cancer to contributing her professional and personal experiences confronting racism and disparities in medicine, Dr. Fayanju brings a passion that truly matches Penn’s spirit and will enhance our efforts to improve breast cancer outcomes, particularly for communities of color. With extensive NIH-funded research experience using patient reported outcomes and as leader amongst professional and academic societies, Dr. Fayanju holds a powerful voice to help bring people together at Penn and across the country in our shared mission for equitable care.

Leisha Elmore, MD, MPHS, brings to Penn an interest in improving breast cancer outcomes for underserved populations and extensive knowledge of how to mediate cultural, literacy, and numeracy barriers to cancer care and surgical decision-making. Patients and families—including veterans—will benefit as she helps expand the breast oncology programs at Penn Presbyterian and as Chief of Breast Surgery at the Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center.

Dr. Elmore attended medical school, completed residency in general surgery, and received a Master’s of Population Health Sciences from Washington University in St. Louis, and went on to do a fellowship in Breast Surgical Oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Dr. Zhang received a BS in Chemical Engineering from MIT and her MD from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She went on to complete residency in general surgery at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston and fellowship in Breast Surgical Oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York.

The most rewarding aspects of being a breast surgical oncologist is forming long-lasting relationships with my patients, so I am looking forward to building that at Penn. Although I initially see families in crisis during diagnosis, seeing the resiliency with which our patients handle their treatment and recovery brings great meaning to my life.

Penn has this massive clinical and research infrastructure that I know will help me provide my patients with the most compassionate, up-to-date, and evidence-based breast cancer care. I was also excited for the opportunity to investigate breast cancer immunology under the guidance of Drs. Bob Vonderheide and Ronald DeMatteo (again). Having good mentors is incredibly important for young faculty members like myself and they are two of the best at guiding physician scientist towards successful careers.

My husband and I live in the Fitler Square area of Philadelphia, right next to the park! It’s a beautiful neighborhood full of wonderful restaurants, quiet spaces to read, and so close to work. It’s been great to be able to walk and take in the sights and sounds of the city.

Every person’s future is written, in part, by their genes—but never set in stone.

An estimated 1 million Americans are currently living with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation, placing them at heightened risk for developing certain cancers including breast, ovarian, prostate, and pancreatic. The Basser Center for BRCA at Penn has changed outcomes for this community through research, education, and an expansive outreach program to help empower people at risk with knowledge.

While our community is growing, most people with BRCA mutations are unaware of their status and are not accessing life-saving options such as increased cancer screening and risk-reducing surgeries.

For communities of color, there are often even more obstacles. A 2017 study found Black women were 16 times less likely to have a medical provider discuss genetic testing as compared to White women. This disparity may be compounded by the lopsided demographics of Genetic Counselors: out of the roughly 5,000 currently practicing in the U.S., less than 2% are Black.

Such underrepresentation can stifle important dialogue between genetic counselors and patients, whose health outcomes are often improved through interaction with medical professionals with whom they can relate more personally.

Philanthropy has helped expedite solutions to diversify our frontline with a new scholarship funded by members of the Basser Center Advisory Board. Designated for underrepresented minorities pursuing a Master’s Program in Genetic Counseling, this endowed scholarship will cover full tuition costs for Black or Latinx students enrolled in the two-year graduate program at the Perelman School of Medicine (PSOM). This vital aid will create opportunities for many promising scholars set to make a difference in this vital field of preventative medicine.

The Basser Center’s original goal to raise $1 million in funds for this initiative was quickly met and exceeded through the support of several generous donors, and matching funds from PSOM, to provide the necessary funding to endow the scholarship in perpetuity. Thank you to Mara Burros-Sandler, Michele and Kevah Konner, Heidi and Richard Rieger, Helene and Rob Sorin, for endowing this scholarship, as well as Angie and Joe Campolo, and Cindy and Brian Gavin for their additional philanthropic support. Together they made this scholarship immediately available to be awarded.

Just as patients need not allow a genetic variant to dictate their health outcomes, neither should a student’s racial background prevent them from pursuing their chosen career. Through this pivotal initiative, the Basser Center is building a better future for patients and the medical community that serves them.

The ACC has a well-established West Philadelphia GI Colorectal Screening Program where navigators like Diann Boyd, BSN, RN, OCN, help people overcome barriers to important colorectal screening from understanding colonoscopy prep to assisting with transportation to and from appointments. But at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the nation saw a dramatic decrease in cancer screening— which was particularly concerning for communities of color already facing significant disparities.

Carmen Guerra, MD, MSCE, FACS, and Armenta L. Washington, MS, from the ACC’s Community Outreach and Engagement Program, pivoted to a novel strategy combining a drive-through flu vaccination clinic with an opportunity for participants to use a take-home fecal immunochemical test (FIT) to screen for colorectal cancer. FITs solve many of the challenges of traditional colonoscopy: They are inexpensive, widely available, portable, and can be used in the privacy of one’s home. Positive results are then followed up with additional screening, like colonoscopy.

The FluFIT initiative was a grassroots community partnership between Penn Medicine, the Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church—the largest Baptist church in the Philadelphia region— and the Einstein Healthcare Network. Community members registered online for one of three scheduled drive-by vaccination clinics, and those eligible took home FITs that could be returned at a church drop box. Health care workers and members of the Chi Eta Phi Sorority were recruited to administer the flu vaccines, which were donated by the Philadelphia Public Health Department. The FIT tests were donated by Polymedco.

From the 300+ registrants, just over half were eligible for FIT, and more than 80% of the kits were returned. Stacy Hill was among the 13 who tested positive.

Stacy knew she was due for a colonoscopy. She’d been scheduled to get one years ago, but cancelled it when she lost her job—and with it, her health insurance. A member of Enon Tabernacle since 2004, Stacy attended the Flu-FIT clinic to support her community, but when her results came back, it was the church who had helped her. “I was shocked with my results, but I’m a proactive-type person so I was glad to know,” shared Stacy.

Her follow-up colonoscopy revealed two polyps that were removed before they turned cancerous. The team also helped Stacy get health insurance, and she will continue to be monitored for any new growths. Stacy said, “I feel more in control, and am grateful to everyone who is helping keep me, my friends, my family safe.”

Armenta presented the model at AACR during a research conference that brings cancer experts together from across the country. “This model can be widely replicated, offering an evidence-based strategy for improving access to colorectal cancer screening during the pandemic and afterward for diverse populations,” shared Dr. Guerra, the senior author of this work.

Replication of the model is exactly what the team has done by partnering with the Drexel’s Dornsife Center for Neighborhood Partnerships, Main Line Health and the leadership of the Christian Stronghold Church to bring drive through FIT testing and Flu and COVID-19 vaccinations to West Philadelphia in December, 2021, with plans to continue to expand.

Tara Miller Melanoma Foundation—Make The Best Of It Bash

Supporters of the Tara Miller Melanoma Foundation gathered in Atlantic City on October 15th for the 8th annual “Make The Best Of It Bash.” An evening of spectacular cocktails and hors d’oeurves, followed by a silent auction and cant-miss after party, resulted in more than $800,000 raised for melanoma research at the ACC’s Tara Miller Melanoma Center and the Melanoma Research Alliance. Thank you to the Miller family who covers all costs related to the event, allowing all of the proceeds to benefit melanoma research.

5th Annual Golf for Rob

Golf for Rob is a New Jersey-based event focused on “driving out” cancer by raising funds for melanoma research at the Abramson Cancer Center. The event honors the memory of Robert Stoffel and continues his generous and golf-loving legacy with an afternoon on the green, followed by dinner, prizes, auctions—and lots of fun.

HEADstrong Foundation—Limelight Gala

Golf for Rob is a New Jersey-based event focused on “driving out” cancer by raising funds for melanoma research at the Abramson Cancer Center. The event honors the memory of Robert Stoffel and continues his generous and golf-loving legacy with an afternoon on the green, followed by dinner, prizes, auctions—and lots of fun.

Bourbon, Blues, and Brews

In memory of her husband and long-time ACC member, Stephen, Nancy Tuttle hosted the 2nd Annual Bourbon, Blues, and Brews event at the Loch Aerie Mansion in Malvern: a fun night of—you guessed it—signature bourbon cocktails, delicious brews, and blues to dance along to. Thank you for another successful event that benefits the department of Radiation Oncology’s Summer Undergraduate Program for Educating Radiation Scientists.

Race for the Stripes

Meeting among the Zebras and animals at the Philadelphia Zoo, this loyal group of advocates helped to raise critical funding for neuroendocrine (NET) cancer research at the ACC to improve treatment options and cures for this rare cancer.

Duffield’s Farm Corn Maze Fundraiser for Prostate Cancer Research

During the height of their busiest season, the Duffield family farm generously donated all proceeds from their corn maze to prostate cancer research at the ACC.

Slay Sarcoma

The Slay Sarcoma Research Initiative hosted their 8th annual 5K Run/Walk in October at Core Creek Park in Langhorne, PA. This fun, family-friendly event raises important funds for sarcoma research at the ACC.

Jay Sigel Invitational

Now in its 29th year, this loyal community of golfers and friends once again joined forces to raise support for breast and prostate cancer research at Penn’s Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute.

Support the Abramson Cancer Center’s mission to advance cancer research, education, and patient care and to fuel hope.

ONLINE: PennMedicine.org/Abramson/Donate

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EMAIL: Abramson-gifts@upenn.edu

PHONE: 215.898.0578