Many breast cancer patients at Rush are seen at The Coleman Foundation Comprehensive Breast Cancer Clinic, the first clinic of its kind in the Midwest. In the clinic, diagnostic data are correlated with a focused physical exam to determine disease staging and how treatment should be addressed. A multidisciplinary team then meets with patients and families to discuss the best course of treatment.Rush also has a robust breast cancer research program both in the clinic and in the laboratory.

2011 Highlights

Role of Runx2 in metastasis: In the laboratory, researcher Jitesh Pratap, PhD, is investigating the role of Runx2, a master regulator protein, in breast cancer metastasis. Runx2 is highly present in metastatic cancer cells. And in mouse cell lines, Rush researchers have demonstrated that its depletion reduces tumor growth and blocks bone loss. The researchers hope to determine if Runx2 promotes metastasis by activating gene regulatory networks in cancer cells.

A GI connection? Gastroenterologist Ece Mutlu, MD, is looking at gastrointestinal tract flora and their metabolic activity to see if the flora are altered in patients with breast cancer. This information could hold clues as to why certain people develop breast cancer and others do not.

Addressing nutritional needs: To assess how nutritional experts can best meet the needs of breast cancer survivors, Christy Tangney, PhD, and other nutritionists are surveying survivors in the Chicago area about the major lifestyle issues facing breast cancer survivors. Upon completion of an online questionnaire, participants will receive a health and nutrition summary and will be offered a free counseling session to review individual results and discuss recommendations.

Multidisciplinary Team

Diagnostic radiologists:
Anne Cardwell, MD; Carol Corbridge,MD; Janice Dieschbourg, MD; Mireya Dondalski, MD; Peter Jokich, MD; Gene Solmos, MD; Lisa Stempel, MD Medical oncologists: Melody Cobleigh, MD; Katherine Kabaker, MD; Ruta Rao, MD; Sarah Lincoln, MD; Lydia Usha, MD

Pathologists:

Paolo Gattuso, MD; Ritu Ghai, MD

Radiation oncologists:

Katherine Griem, MD; Krystyna Kiel, MD

Surgical oncologists:

Steven Bines, MD; Kambiz Dowlatshahi, MD; Darius Francescatti, MD; Alicia Growney, MD; Andrea Madrigrano, MD; Thomas Witt, MD; Norman Wool, MD

Breast Tumor Conference

Mondays, 4 to 5 p.m.
Janet Wolter, MD, Clinical and
Educational Conference Room
1010 Professional Building

Clinical research

Rush is currently participating in an international clinical trial in which a targeted therapy (Herceptin) is used to treat HER2-positive ductal carcinoma in situ. For more information about open clinical trials, visit www.rush.edu/cancerclinicaltrials. To enroll a patient in a
clinical trial, call (312) 942-0600.

For more information about the breast cancer program or to refer a
patient for an initial visit or a second opinion, please call (312) CANCER-1 (226-2371).