The James Cancer-Free World Podcast

To teach and inspire the students in his lab, Sameek Roychowdhury, MD, PhD, utilizes the words and wisdom of legendary basketball coach John Wooden, as well as a lesson learned from Star Trek. “My goal is to help each individual in my lab be the best they can be,” he said. This episode features Roychowdhury and two of the promising graduate students in his lab: Emily Hoskins and Raven Vella. “I re...

The role of James social workers is “to be an advocate for every patient and make sure they get the resources and services they need,” said Katie Klakos, MSW, LISW-S. In this episode, Klakos – the director of field education of the Ohio State College of Social Work – discusses the vital role of social workers in the treatment of cancer patients. “One of the great things about the James is we treat...

The James Cancer Diagnostic Center, which opened in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, recently celebrated its first anniversary. The cancer experts at the center have diagnosed a wide variety of cancers, according to medical director Raquel Reinbolt, “from early-stage cancers to, unfortunately, some late-stage cancers.” In this episode, Reinbolt visits and talks about how the center went from an...

Raphael Pollock, MD, PhD, has a very personal connection to Pelotonia-funded research. The annual fundraising bike ride provided the initial funding for Acalabrutinib, "the drug that’s keeping me alive," says the director of The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center. In this episode, Pollock – who was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia - provides an overview of several of the...

Relationships are “the glue” that connects caregivers and patients at the James Cancer Hospital. In this episode, James nurse Amy Rettig describes the fundamentals and importance of relationship-based care(RBC). “It’s at the center of everything we do, it’s seeing patients as people,” she said. “It’s seeing them as people with their own lives and hopes and dreams. They’re not their disease.” This...

Here's one of the most common cancer myths: When a surgeon performs a biopsy or surgery on a cancerous tumor, the exposure to the air causes the cancer cells to spread much faster throughout the body. “I hear this myth all the time, it’s the most common cancer myth I hear,” said Joel Mayerson, director of the James sarcoma program. In Episode 86 of the James Cancer-Free World podcast, we’ll explor...

A $10 million gift from the founder of Scottrade has created a unique and innovative new center at the James to fight multiple myeloma, a rare type of blood cancer. The goal “is to put drugs in veins, to give treatment to patients,” said Don Benson, MD, PhD. In this episode, Benson, one of the world’s leading myeloma experts, describes the impact and creation of the Paula and Roger Riney Family Fo...

In this episode, Alex Kim, MD, PhD, explains the innovation of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemoperfusion (HIPEC). It’s a complicated procedure in which heated chemotherapy is injected into a patient as part of the surgery to remove their metastatic tumors. HIPEC, Kim explained, is used most often to treat colorectal cancers that have spread to the stomach. “First, we surgically remove any visibl...

Stress and anxiety can be an issue for cancer patients. “It has an effect on cognition and the ability to focus, and it can lead to a cascade of physical effects,” said Maryanna Klatt, PhD, an Ohio State Professor of Clinical Family Medicine. In this episode, we talk with Klatt about how to handle the stress and anxiety of a cancer diagnosis and treatment, and the eight-week Mindfulness in Motion...

“We’re really excited about 2021,” said Doug Ulman, President and CEO of Pelotonia, the annual bike ride that has raised $219 million for research at the James. There was no ride in 2020, due to COVID-19, but Pelotonia is back, on the road again in August, with routes and safety precautions in place. Ulman talks about the new routes, the Granville and Bexley “experiences,” the changes due to COVID...

Everyone, and especially cancer patients, should get the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as they are eligible, says David Cohn, the James Chief Medical Officer. "Our patients have been very excited to get the vaccine, to be able to be with their families again and hug their grandchildren," he says. In this episode, Cohn explains the science of how the three vaccines work and “supplement your body’s natur...

Dogs are diagnosed with cancer at about the same rate as people, but seem to tolerate chemotherapy and other treatments a little bit better. In this episode, we talk with Rustin Moore, Dean of The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine. It's a fascinating discussion, as Rustin fills us in on cancer in cats and dogs. For example: The breeds with the highest cancer rates, and what type...

The James has one of the world's largest robotic cancer departments. In this episode, Dr. Fowler, the medical director of the Robotic Surgery Program, explains the history and introduction of robotic surgery; the many advantages for patients - and surgeons; the types of cancer are best suited for robotic surgery; and how the term "robotic surgery" is a bit of a misnomer, as actual surgeons o the s...

The James and the world lost two of the giants of cancer research in 2020: Clara Bloomfield and Albert de la Chapelle. In this episode, two of their many proteges, Heather Hampel and Ann-Kathrin Eisfeld, describe their work, how they inspired scientists and physicians around the world, and their enduring legacy. Dr. de la Chapelle was a leader in the field of cancer genetics, and Dr. Bloomfield wa...

The James Cancer and Aging Resiliency (CARE) Clinic is a world leader in treating older cancer patients. In this episode, Carolyn Presley, MD, the CARE co-director, explains the need for the clinic, the "all-in-one" services it offers patients and several clinical trails aimed at improving the outcomes and quality of life for older cancer patients.

The quantity and quality of the microbiomes in a patient's stomach can determine the effectiveness of their cancer treatment. In this episode, Daniel Spakowicz, PhD, a researcher in the OSUCCC - James Division of Mdical Oncology, explains how everyone's gut contains trillions of bacterial cells. By analyzing a patient's fecal sample, scientists can determine the genetic makeup of their microbiomes...

"Immunotherapy holds the key for curing cancer," says Zihai Li, the founding director of the Pelotonia Institute for Immuno-Oncology. In this episodes, Dr. Li provides an update on the important work of the institute, which has recruited 15 world-class cancer researchers in the past year, and describes two new genetic mutations that have been discovered — GARP and the hedgehog mutation — that hide...

“Lung cancer is the deadliest cancer in men and in women, and it all boils down to how it is detected and when it is diagnosed,” said Michael Wert, director of the James Lung Cancer Screening clinic. The James has become a leader in screening high-risk smokers for lung cancer, with the goal of detecting lung cancer in the earliest of stages when it can be more easily treated. “Because of our scree...

There's a direct correlation between the physical and emotional wellness of a physician and patient care, Jeff Fowler explains in this new episode. Stress and anxiety are growing issues for physicians that have worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. "We won't get anywhere by ignoring the problem and sweeping it under the rug," Jeff explains. "We need to recognize the issue and that translates into...

“If we can identify some of the tricks cancer is pulling to grow, travel or hide from the immune system, we can leverage that to flip the switch and help the immune system find the cancer cells, Sameek Roychowdhury, MD, PhD, says while discussing precision cancer medicine. “This is not a new idea.”

“I believe there are so many myths surrounding breast cancer because there is so much fear and uncertainty surrounding a diagnosis,” Sardesai said. In this episode, Sardesai and Agnese help us debunk several common breast cancer myths such as: Nobody in my family has had breast cancer, so I’m not at risk; I don’t feel a lump, so I can’t have breast cancer; Only older women get breast cancer. These...

“We used to call ovarian cancer the disease that whispers and now we say, let’s break that silence,” said David O’Malley, MD, director of the OSUCCC – James Division of Gynecologic Cancer. In Episode 69 of the James Cancer-Free World Podcast, O’Malley and Leigha Senter, an OSUCCC – James genetics counselor, help break the silence and talk about advances in the treatment of this type of cancer, and...

Good public policy helps push the needle forward for research and treatment, and also helps make cancer treatment more accessible to everyone, especially underserved populations that struggle to get access to good healthcare. In this episode, Jennifer Carlson, the James associate vice president for External Relations and Advocacy in the Office of Health Sciences, discusses the Stage IV Bill that a...

“Any type of skin cancer not properly treated can become aggressive and can be problematic,” says Carlo Contreras, MD, a James surgical oncologist specializing in skin cancer. In this episode, Contreras discusses the different types of skin cancer, including basal and squamous cell, the two most common and treatable forms of skin cancer, as well as the more rare and aggressive melanoma and Merkel...

Roman Skoracki and his team at the James Cancer Hospital and Stefanie Spielman Comprehensive Breast Center are national leaders in the development of new microsurgery techniques that prevent lymphedema in breast cancer patients. They are also leaders in lymph node transfer microsurgery, which can relieve the painful symptoms and swelling of patients who have had their initial breast cancer surgeri...