How has the Hillman Cancer Center Contributed to Today’s Cancer Treatments?

By Jack Etzel

It has been documented that the earliest battles against cancer were waged as long ago as 1500 B.C. in ancient Egypt. That’s more than 35 centuries! If that’s bad news, the good news is that we have never known so much about the human body and especially the causes and treatment of various cancers as we do today. As you are reading this, some of the world’s most extensive knowledge and successful research on cancer is being conducted only a short drive away from where you’re sitting.

Nancy E. Davidson, MD, is an oncologist, professor of medicine and currently the director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute and UPMC Cancer Centers, of which the Hillman Cancer Center is the most important and prestigious treatment and research facility. She is an internationally renowned expert in cancer research and treatment and a past president of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. North Hills Monthly talked to Dr. Davidson to find out more about where the battle against cancer stands today.

North Hills Monthly Magazine (NHMM): Statistically, we’ve read that cancer deaths overall are lower today than in many decades. To what can this be attributed?

Dr. Nancy E. Davidson: That’s true. In the United States, the number of deaths from cancer has dropped in both 2008 and in 2009. We think that reflects on a number of things. One of those is the appropriate use of early detection, the second, we hope, is the continuing decrease in smoking, and the third thing is much better treatment and support for those who are receiving cancer treatment.

NHMM: Exactly what purpose does the Hillman Cancer Center serve?

Dr. Davidson: The Hillman Cancer Center here in Shadyside is the flagship center for our entire University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute. The Institute is one of 40 national cancer institutes designated ‘comprehensive cancer centers,’ meaning that it is one of the top cancer centers in the country. You are only awarded that designation if you are an expert in clinical care as well as in research, education and outreach into the community. So this means that we’re among the best of the best. The Hillman Cancer Center is not only the flagship cancer care and research building in Pittsburgh, but across the region where it serves as the central focal point for so much of what we do concerning cancer.

NHMM: Let me zero in on that word ‘research.’ What’s going on inside these walls on a day-to-day basis?

Dr. Davidson: In medicine in general, but especially in cancer, medical research is going in the direction that allows us to provide everyone with personalized care for cancer. We now know that each cancer is unique, and each person who has cancer is unique. We want to use our biological understanding of the little nuances of a particular cancer and the particular patient to select the best possible treatment for that individual based on the biology of that cancer and the biology of that individual. That’s the crux of a lot of our research. We’re practicing personalized cancer care right now, and we’ll do even more in the future. We’re increasingly getting insights and results in the laboratory and also in the clinic.

NHMM: Many cancers show no symptoms—for example, nothing hurts. Does that call for some of the education that you mentioned?

Dr. Davidson: Absolutely. We’re very interested in the education of the population at large for a number of reasons. One, there are steps you can take to better prevent yourself from getting cancer. Avoid tobacco, control your weight, practice moderation or abstinence from alcohol. Two, we want people to take advantage of the opportunities that we offer for early detection. For example, talk to your own health care provider about tests such as mammography for breast cancer, pap smears, prostate screenings, getting a colonoscopy, and ask what is the best time to incorporate these procedures into your own health care plan.

NHMM: People may not realize the true scope of this network of experts and locations in western Pennsylvania.

Dr. Davidson: That’s a good point. The Cancer Institute includes about 350 faculty members around the University of Pittsburgh in a variety of fields. We are very fortunate to be completely aligned with the UPMC Cancer Centers, a group of some 40 cancer centers that are located in communities in western Pennsylvania, so that we can deliver state-of-the-art cancer care right in people’s own communities. If they need some type of subspecialty service that would be best done in Pittsburgh, they can get the appropriate referrals to come in for treatment.

Within our network, we have 100-plus physicians who are cancer experts in 29 counties in western Pennsylvania, and we’re also going into Ohio and West Virginia. We are also increasingly trying to make sure that our stature and our scope are recognized across the nation whenever it’s appropriate.

NHMM: In the next decade or so, what do you envision in cancer care and treatment?

Dr. Davidson: We’re making very good headway in the direction of personalized medical care, but we have more work to do. It’s my hope that we can truly harness the fruits of the scientific revolution that we’ve seen over the last decade or two. In short, I’m very optimistic about the future of cancer treatment.

The Hillman Cancer Center is located in Shadyside at 5330 Centre Avenue and can be reached at 412-623-4000.

UPMC Passavant in the North Hills is also a UPMC Cancer Center.
To learn more about cancer information, patient care, clinical trials, research and locations of UPMC Cancer Centers, visit www.upmccancercenters.com.