Breast Cancer Awareness 'We're almost there': UPMC Hillman team leads push for individualized treatment

Oct. 1—Dr. Rashid Awan envisions a time, in the not-too-distant future, when cancer patients will receive highly individualized treatment, possibly even specifically designed medicines.

It would be the culmination of decades of clinical studies and development of new tactics for fighting the disease.

"I don't want you to be sick," said Awan, director of clinical services at the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center at John P. Murtha Pavilion.

"I don't want you to be throwing up. I don't want you to lose your hair. I don't want you to have nephropathy. I want you to take a pill, just like you take for sugar, and go home. That's what we want to do. That's what we're getting to. That's the goal.

"We're almost there. We're almost there."

Immunotherapy, 3D mammography and identifying genetic abnormalities are some of the most modern tools being used in breast cancer treatment.

"Targeted therapy is the very newest thing we're doing with the breast cancer. ... These targeted therapies are really revolutionizing the treatment for breast cancer at this time," Awan said.

'A chronic illness'

Dr. Michael Voloshin, an oncologist at the center, added: "I think a lot of the crux of where things are going this year — in terms of the more breakthrough treatments — have been more fine tuning of what to do in certain situations."

Those fine-tuned treatments are in contrast to previous forms of "one-size-fits-all" care, as Dr. Subarna Eisaman, a UPMC Hillman radiation oncologist, explained.

"I think the biggest thing for me is the fact that now our cancer patients are living longer and longer," Eisaman said.

"It has become more of a chronic illness than a life-or-death situation. It is very rewarding to see all the treatments that we combine — immunotherapy, chemotherapy, radiation, surgery. We're able to even (do that) for metastatic Stage 4 cancer. We're able to keep these patients alive, and functional and living their lives for years where it used to be months in the past."

'Targeted agent'

The current treatments were, of course, built upon the foundation of work by previous generations of medical professionals.

"What we did in the old days, it's not good for what we do now, but it was necessary because we needed that information," Voloshin said.

"We needed that base of knowing, without a doubt, that chemo does this, but with this expense, and the more you have that mountain of information, well then you can start making the jump to other things and targeted agents."

And, as treatments have improved, life expectancies have increased.

"I think taking care of cancer patients is really the most rewarding," Awan said.

"Because, if you think about it, patients come to our office with this very difficult diagnosis, and then you go into the room and you talk to the patient and you explain to them, 'It's not the end of the world. It's not a death sentence. Maybe it's not curable. But I can make you live with this disease a long time.' "

Dave Sutor is a reporter for The Tribune-Democrat. He can be reached at 814-532-5056. Follow him on Twitter @Dave_Sutor.