City of Hope
Cancer Center and Beckman Research Institute
1500 East Duarte Road
Duarte, CA 91010-3000
626-256-HOPE (4673) (Main)
866-434-HOPE (4673) (New Patient Services)
800-826-HOPE (4673)
http://www.cityofhope.org
http://www.cityofhope.org/patient_care/become-a-patient/
Summary
The City of Hope (COH) Comprehensive Cancer Center located in Duarte, California has been designated as a comprehensive cancer center by the National Cancer Institute and rated the 22nd best by U.S. News. COH is home to the Beckman Research Institute, known for its innovative biomedical research.
The center offers a wide array of services including expansive biomedical research, patient-centered medical care, and community outreach. A large team of doctors and a large amount of resources are dedicated to the treatment of multiple myeloma.
COH has long been a leader in myeloma research and frequently conducts clinical trials. Along with using stem cell transplantation, chemotherapy, and radiation for treatments, COH has pioneered the TomoTherapy System, a therapy that combines spiral CT scanning (the patient still moves through the CT unit but instead of a regular x-ray, a special therapy x-ray rotates around the patient) and intensity-modulated radiation therapy.
COH features special premises for patients and their families to comfortably live during treatment, providing a very positive and conducive environment for the patients. This living center allows patients to conveniently go and come from the treatment center via trams.
The center is also a pioneer in bone marrow transplantation, having had performed more than 9,000 bone marrow transplants since the inception of the program, and is coming to be recognized as one of the largest and most successful programs of its kind.
Doctors
The following doctors specialize in hematology/oncology:
Stephen J. Forman, M.D., F.A.C.P.
Specialty: Hematology/HCT
Accomplishments: Chair, Hematology & Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation
Francis and Kathleen McNamara Distinguished Chair in Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, Endowed Chair
Co-leader, Hematologic Malignancies Program, Comprehensive Cancer Center
Clinical Director, Cancer Immunotherapeutics & Tumor Immunology
Professor, Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research
Visiting Associate, Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology
Awards:
Francis and Kathleen McNamara Distinguished Chair in Hematology & Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation
Best Doctors in America®
City of Hope Gallery of Medical and Scientific Achievement
Chatchada Karanes, M.D.
Specialty: Hematology/HCT
Accomplishments:
Director, Cord Blood Transplant Program, Hematology & Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation
Associate Member, Hematologic Malignancies Program, Comprehensive Cancer Center
Amrita Y. Krishnan, M.D., F.A.C.P.
Specialty: Hematology/HCT
Accomplishments:
Director, Multiple Myeloma Program; Associate Director, Medical Education & Training, Hematology & Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation
Associate Member, Hematologic Malignancies Program, Comprehensive Cancer Center
Pablo M. Parker, M.D.
Specialty: Hematology/HCT
Accomplishments:
Professor, Hematology & Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation
Associate Member, Hematologic Malignancies Program, Comprehensive Cancer Center
Leslie L. Popplewell, M.D., F.A.C.P.
Specialty: Hematology/HCT
Accomplishments:
Staff Physician, Hematology & Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation
Associate Member, Hematologic Malignancies Program, Comprehensive Cancer Center
Awards:
Recipient, Tim Nesvig Lymphoma Fellowship Award
Recipient, Lymphoma Research Foundation Association (LFRA) Research Grant
Chief Fellow, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Firoozeh Sahebi, M.D.
Specialty: Hematology/HCT—Kaiser
Accomplishments:
Staff Physician, City of Hope - Kaiser HCT Program
Associate Member, Hematologic Malignancies Program, Comprehensive Cancer Center
Eileen P. Smith, M.D.
Specialty: Hematology/HCT
Accomplishments:
Associate Director, Clinical Research, Hematology & Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation
Associate Member, Hematologic Malignancies Program, Comprehensive Cancer Center
Awards:
Professionalism Award from Univ. of Wisconsin Department of Medicine Housestaff
American Medical Women’s Association Citation of Achievement
George Somlo, M.D., F.A.C.P.
Specialty: Mdical Oncology
Accomplishments:
Medical Oncology, Co-director, Breast Cancer Program
Drector and Professor, Breast Oncology and High-Dose Therapeutics, Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research
Staff Physician, Hematology & Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation
Associate Member, Developmental Cancer Therapeutics Program, Comprehensive Cancer Center
Clinical Expertise/Interests (Multiple Myeloma):
The role of autologous and allogeneic stem cell transplantation; identification of targets, incorporation of novel therapeutic agents into the treatment fo myeloma.
The following doctors specialize in radiation oncology:
Yi-Jen Chen, M.D., Ph.D.
Specialty: Radiation Oncology
Accomplishments:
Clinical Assistant Professor and Staff Physician, Department of Radiation Oncology
Clinical Expertise/Interests:
3-D Conformal Irradiation, including Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT).
Awards:
"Young Clinician” Award of the 10th World Congresses of Gastroenterology, Los Angeles, CA
Khanh H. Nguyen, M.D. Radiation
Specialty: Oncology
Accomplishments:
Assistant Professor and Staff Physician, Radiation Oncology
Awards:
Resident Research Award, 1st Place: Annual Scientific Meeting of the Pennsylvania Society of Hematology and Oncology, King of Prussia, PA
National Institute of Health Research Award: “Cloning of a Gene Encoding a Tumor-Specific Antigen in a Patient with Melanoma.” Center for Biologic Therapy, UCSD Cancer Center
Richard D. Pezner, M.D.
Specialty: Radiation Oncology
Accomplishments:
Associate Chair and Professor, Radiation Oncology
Associate Member, Developmental Cancer Therapeutics Program, Comprehensive Cancer Center
Awards:
America’s Top Doctors for Cancer, Castle Connolly Medical Ltd., New York, NY
Recipient ASTRO Travel Grant to attend ESTRO Annual Meeting
Eric H. Radany, M.D., Ph.D.
Specialty: Radiation Oncology
Accomplishments:
Associate Professor and Staff Physician, Radiation Oncology
Associate Member, Cancer Biology Program, Comprehensive Cancer Center
Awards:
UCI COM candidate for Burroughs-Wellcome Fund Clinical Scientist Award in Translational Research
NCI Clinical Investigator Award
Nayana L. Vora, M.D.
Specialty: Radiation Oncology
Accomplishments:
Professor, Radiation Oncology
Associate Member, Developmental Cancer Therapeutics Program, Comprehensive Cancer Center
Awards:
ASTRO Quality of Life Research Award, Recipient: Grace E. Dean, M.S.N., Sponsor: Nayana L. Vora, M.D., ASTRO Education and Development Fund
Jeffrey Y.C. Wong, M.D.
Specialty: Radiation Oncology
Accomplishments:
Chair and Professor, Radiation Oncology
Full Member, Cancer Immunotherapeutics Program, Comprehensive Cancer Center
More information on each doctor, including their current research and clinical trials, can be found on their respective Web pages.
Multiple Myeloma Research Team Contact Information
Fermin Arceo, C.R.A.
Clinical Research Associate
farceo@coh.org
Wendy Cortez , R.N.
Nurse Coordinator
wcortez@coh.org
Lupe Duarte, C.R.A.
Multiple Myeloma Research Consortium Project Coordinator
lduarte@coh.org
Paul Frankel, Ph.D.
Solid Tumor Lead and Sr. Biostatistician
pfrankel@coh.org
Chona Gomez, R.N.
Nurse Coordinator
cgomez@coh.org
Donna Hawkins, R.N.
Nurse Coordinator
dhawkins@coh.org
Mirjana Kovacic, R.N.
Nurse Coordinator
mkovacic@coh.org
Nony Obadike, R.N.
Nurse Coordinator
nobadike@coh.org
Isa Quazi, C.R.A.
Clinical Research Associate
iquazi@coh.org
Amalia Rincon, C.R.A.
Clinical Research Associate
mrincon@coh.org
Sepideh Shayani, Pharm.D.
Clinical Pharmacist I
sshayani@coh.org
Eileen P. Smith, M.D.
Associate Director, Clinical Research, Hematology & Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation
Yun Yen, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor and Director, Clinical & Molecular Pharmacology
Mortality and Safety Indices*
Mortality index: 0.72/1.00
The mortality index compares actual to expected numbers of Medicare inpatient deaths within 30 days after admission. Anything lower than 1.00 is better than expected and higher than 1.00 is worse than expected.
Patient safety index: 1/5
The patient safety index is based on the success of the center’s minimization of patient injuries and deaths from avoidable accidents and poor medical care. Higher is better.
Reputation and Efficiency
Reputation*: 4.9%
Percentage of cancer specialists responding to U.S. News surveys in 2007, 2008, and 2009 who recommended the hospital for challenging cases and procedures.
Number of Patients Treated/Discharged*: 1,159
All Medicare inpatients who received defined kinds of medical or surgical care between 2005-2007.
Treatments/Procedures Offered
- Drug therapy
- Chemotherapy
- Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
- Radiation therapy
- Peripheral blood stem cell transplantation
- Autologous (self) stem cell transplantation
- Allogeniec (matched donor) stem cell transplantation
- TomoTherapy System: This system combines radiation delivery with real-time imaging, allowing doctors to create a higher energy dose that targets bone marrow more precisely. It also reduces unwanted exposure of normal tissues thus reducing potential complications. More information on this can be found on the TomoTherapy System Web site.
Patient Services Offered
- Genetic testing/counseling
- Hospice
- Pain-management program
- Palliative care
- Patient-controlled analgesia
- Translators
- Infection isolation room
- Wound-management services
Hope and Parsons Village:
City of Hope offers patients and their caregivers temporary, on-site housing in a home-like setting. Features of these rooms include a fully equipped kitchen, two twin beds, television, VCR, DVD player, phones, trams that run 24 hours a day to transport patients and their families from and to infusion centers, laundry room, computer room, and many other amenities to make the patient’s and the family’s stay more comfortable.
Patient/Doctor Testimonies
To be updated.
Current Research/Clinical Trials
The City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center is part of the Multiple Myeloma Research Consortium, a small group of institutions collaborating to bring new drugs to clinical trials.
The following clinical trials are available for multiple myeloma:
An International Multicenter, Open Label Study of Zolinza (vorinostat) in Combination with Velcade (bortezomib) in Patients with Relapsed and Refractory Multiple Myeloma (NCT00773838)
Phase I Study of Escalating Doses of Radiation Therapy Using Helical Tomotherapy in Combination with fludarabine (Fludara) and melphalan (Alkeran) as a Preparative Regimen for Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell (HSC) Transplantation in Patients with Advanced and Hematological Malignancies who Are Not Eligible for Fully Myeloblative Regimen (NCT00800150)
Evaluation of Revlimid (lenalidomide) as Maintenance Therapy Post Allogenic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for High Risk Multiple Myeloma (NCT00847639)
Evaluation of Clinical Utility of the Cylex and ImmunKnow Assay in Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation (NCT00813501)
An Open Label, Single Arm, Phase 2 Study of Carfilzomib in Patients with Relapsed and Refractory Multiple Myeloma (NCT00511238)
A Phase 1 Protocol of the Combination of Velcade (bortezomib) and Zarnestra (tipifarnib) for Relapsed or Refractory Multipe Myeloma (NCT00972712)
A Phase 2 Study of Maintenance Treatment with Sequential Velcade (bortezomib), thalidomide (Thalomid) and dexamethasone (Decadron) Following Autologous Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplant in Patients with Multiple Myeloma (NCT00792142)
Tandem High-Dose Therapy with melphalan (Alkeran) and Total Marrow Irradiation (TMI) with Peripheral Blood Progenitor Cell Support and dexamethasone (Decadron) and thalidomide (Thalomid) Maintenance in Multiple Myeloma: A Phase 1/2 Trial (NCT00112827)
For more information and to see full eligibility criteria, please visit the City of Hope Cancer Center Clinical Trials Web site.
* These statistics and figures are from U.S. News Health. For more on these figures or how they are determined, please visit the U.S. News and World Report UAB page.
Updated November 4, 2009
