Imagine - Winter 2014 - University of Chicago Medicine

WINTER 2014

INSIDE THIS ISSUE PAGE 1

Heart Surgery Without Opening the Chest

PAGE 1

Microsurgery Eases Breast Cancer Complication

PAGE 3

Facts on Celiac

PAGE 4

Steps to Avoid Fragility Fractures PAGE 10

Meet an IBD Expert

Raising the Bar on Infl ammatory Bowel DiseaseIndividualized care keeps law student Ally Bain and others with IBD in good health

UCM_Imagine_6_v10.indd 1 12/21/13 12:53 AM

The University of Chicago Medicine

& Biological Sciences has been at the

forefront of medical care, research and

teaching for more than 90 years. Located in

historic Hyde Park on the South Side

of Chicago, the University of Chicago

Medicine & Biological Sciences includes:

Patient Care

» Bernard A. Mitchell Hospital

» Center for Care and Discovery

» Comer Children’s Hospital

» Duchossois Center for Advanced Medicine

» Numerous outpatient locations

throughout the Chicago area

Teaching Programs

» Pritzker School of Medicine

» Master’s and doctoral degree programs

» Postdoctoral programs

Research

» Medical and basic science units

Among our many honors and

acknowledgments: 12 Nobel laureates;

ranked 8th of all U.S. medical schools;

one of only 41 National Cancer

Institute–designated comprehensive

cancer centers; ranked third in nation

for National Institutes of Health grant

support per researcher.

University of Chicago Medicine & Biological

Sciences Executive Leadership

Kenneth S. Polonsky, MD, Dean of the

University of Chicago Biological Sciences

Division and the Pritzker School of Medicine,

and executive vice president for Medical

Affairs for the University of Chicago

Sharon O’Keefe, president of the

University of Chicago Medical Center

Jeffrey Glassroth, MD, dean for clinical

affairs, University of Chicago Medicine

T. Conrad Gilliam, PhD, dean for

research and graduate education,

Biological Sciences Division

Holly J. Humphrey, MD, dean for medical

education, Pritzker School of Medicine

ImagIne iS PubliSHeD THRee TiMeS

A YeAR bY THe univeRSiTY Of CHiCAGO

MeDiCine & biOlOGiCAl SCienCeS.

editor: Anna Madrzyk

Assistant editor: Gretchen Rubin

email us at: [email protected]

Design: TOKY Branding + Design

Contributing writers

Amy Alderman, Thea Grendahl Christou,

Tanya Cochran, John Easton, Kevin Jiang,

Gretchen Rubin, Molly Woulfe, Rebecca

Voelker and Matt Wood

Contributing photographers

David Christopher, Bob Coscarelli, Megan E.

Doherty, Robert Kozloff, Jean Lachat, Bruce

Powell, Jason Smith and Joel Wintermantle

ADDReSS

The university of Chicago Medicine

5841 S. Maryland Ave., Chicago, IL 60637

The university of Chicago Medicine

Comer Children’s Hospital

5721 S. Maryland Ave., Chicago, IL 60637

Telephone 1-773-702-1000

Appointments 1-888-824-0200

Follow the University of Chicago Medicine

on Twitter at twitter.com/uChicagoMed or

visit our Facebook page at facebook.com/

uChicagoMed. You can read more about our

news and research at uchospitals.edu/news

and at sciencelife.uchospitals.edu.

This publication does not provide medical

advice or treatment suggestions. If you have

medical problems or concerns, contact a

physician who will determine your treatment.

Do not delay seeking medical advice

because of something you read here.

For urgent needs, call 911 right away.

Read Imagine online at

uchospitals.edu/imagine.

For more than 85

years, patients have

been coming to the

University of Chicago

Medicine for treatment

of digestive diseases.

We’re proud of our international reputation

for exceptional care and leading-edge

research in digestive disorders and

gastrointestinal cancer.

As many as 1.4 million persons in the

United States suffer from inflammatory

bowel disease (IBD), which includes

Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

We provide an integrated approach to

the diagnosis and treatment of this

challenging condition that draws on

the expertise of many physicians,

surgeons and researchers. The dedicated

IBD unit in our new hospital, the Center

for Care and Discovery, accommodates

the most complex patients, supported

by highly trained IBD nurses and staff.

Colorectal cancer remains one of the

leading causes of cancer death in the U.S.

Every day, our physicians and researchers

are providing individualized care for

patients with colorectal and other types

of GI cancer and conducting clinical trials

of new therapies.

In this issue, you’ll meet patients whose

lives were changed by the care they

received at the University of Chicago

Medicine. Ally Bain, on our cover, is

pursuing a law degree and hopes to help

others with IBD. Michelle Jahnke is enjoying

first-time motherhood after being treated

successfully for stage 3 rectal cancer

during her pregnancy. And police officer

Stephen Hood is back on the beat soon

after robot-assisted heart surgery. You’ll

also learn about microsurgery for a painful

complication of cancer treatment, the

latest on celiac disease and our expanding

orthopaedic surgery services.

We wish you and your family good

health in 2014.

GReeTinGS fROM THe fORefROnT Of MeDiCine

In this issue, you’ll meet patients whose lives were changed by the

care they received at the University of Chicago Medicine.

Sharon o’KEEfE

President of the University of Chicago Medical Center

KEnnETh S. PoLonSKy, MD

Dean of the University of Chicago Biological Sciences Division and the Pritzker School of Medicine, and executive vice president for Medical Affairs for the University of Chicago

UCM_Imagine_6_v10.indd 2 12/26/13 2:20 PM

UCM CONNECT 1 -888 -824 -0200 | UCHOSPITALS.EDU | UCHICAGOKIDSHOSPITAL.ORG » 1

AT THE FOREFRONTOF SURGERY

Innovative Procedure Relieves Swelling After Cancer Treatment

Rachel Jackson’s wish was simple: to wear her wedding ring on her left hand again.

Her left arm, hand and fingers were swollen as a result of lymphedema, a relatively common and painful complication following lymph node removal or radiation treatment. In 2010, Jackson had a double mastectomy for stage 2 breast cancer. Her surgeon also removed 36 lymph nodes on her left side.

Over the next couple of years, the swelling “got progressively worse, even though I had physical therapy and wore compression garments,” said Jackson, 37.

Jackson turned to surgeon David W. Chang, MD, now a plastic and reconstructive surgeon at the University of Chicago Medicine. Chang, who at the time was at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, had performed Jackson’s breast reconstruction. He explained that a procedure called lymphovenous bypass might alleviate some of her symptoms. Chang is one of only a few surgeons in the U.S. who routinely perform the complex procedure.

The surgery involves injecting a green dye that illuminates the lymphatic vessels as Chang views them with a sophisticated infrared camera. He traces the vessels on the skin and then makes several tiny incisions to reach them. Using microsurgical tools, he makes cuts in the vessels and nearby veins and then sews them together to bypass areas that have built-up fluid. As the lymph flows more freely, the swelling goes down.

The surgery is more effective in the earlier stages of lymph-edema and for swelling in the arms than in the legs.

Jackson had the surgery in April 2013, in Houston.

“When they took measurements a few months later, in July, my left arm was the same size as my right,” she said. Chang added, “It’s very rewarding to see this kind of result.”

Today, Jackson’s wedding ring is back in its rightful place, on her left hand.

For more information, visit uchospitals.edu/david-chang.

LYMPHEDEMA MICROSURGERY

Stephen Hood didn’t miss a beat after having triple bypass heart surgery. The Orland Park, Ill., resident was home in three days and back to work as a campus police officer for a local university just five weeks later.

The secret to his quick recovery: totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass (TECAB) surgery. Cardiac surgeon Husam H. Balkhy, MD, completed the robot-assisted procedure using miniature instruments to operate through four half-inch holes, or ports, in the chest area. Unlike traditional coronary bypass surgery, TECAB does not require opening the chest, cracking the ribs or stopping the heart. Balkhy is one of only a handful of cardiac surgeons in the country who perform this totally endoscopic procedure.

“Patients have noticeably less pain and experience fewer complications,” said Balkhy, director of minimally invasive and robotic cardiac surgery at the University of Chicago Medicine.

Balkhy and his team first met with Hood after cardiac catheterization tests showed

significant narrowing in three coronary arteries. An 85 percent blockage in his left anterior descending coronary artery — a condition referred to as the “widow maker” — put the 65-year-old at high risk for a massive heart attack.

“Stephen was in critical need of bypasses in all three areas of his heart,” Balkhy said. During the six-hour, closed-chest procedure, as Hood’s heart continued to beat, Balkhy harvested arteries from the chest wall and attached the grafts, restoring blood flow to the affected areas. It is uncommon to perform three bypasses totally endoscopically, but the location of his blockages made Hood a good candidate for this approach.

Within a couple of weeks after surgery, Hood went back to riding his bike three miles several times a week.

“I couldn’t be happier with the results from the surgery,” he said. “I had no pain at all; that’s the God’s truth. The recovery was fantastic.”

For more information, visit uchospitals.edu/husam-balkhy.

Coronary Bypass Without Opening the Chest

ROBOTIC HEART SURGERY

Husam H. Balkhy, MD

David W. Chang, MD


2 » THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO MEDICINE IMAGINE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2014

A FASTER MOOD BOOSTER

Faster relief from depression may be possible via a new class of medications discovered by University of Chicago scientists. More than one in 10 Americans take antidepressants, and these patients often wait weeks or months for relief from symptoms. The research team, led by Stephanie Dulawa, PhD, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral neuroscience, selectively blocked specific proteins in laboratory models and found that depression-like behaviors were reduced within five days. This is the first new biological process able to rapidly lessen symptoms of depression without severe side effects, according to Mark Opal, a graduate student and lead author of a paper published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry. The team is now investigating compounds suitable for clinical trials.

OUTPACING THE SNIFFLES

Want to avoid catching a cold? Take a walk, open a window, wash your hands and get a dog. Jack Gilbert, PhD, associate professor of ecology and evolution, joined National Public Radio’s “Here and Now” program to offer advice on giving flu bugs the cold shoulder. Indoor air tends to collect an imbalance of human-associated bacteria, including many that carry diseases, Gilbert explained. Opening a window or having a dog can introduce a healthier diversity. Washing your hands more often is another good idea. “More importantly, however, go outside more. Take a walk… You’ll get fit doing it, and you’ll also increase your microflora, which should help protect you from those bad pathogens your colleagues might be carrying.”

MEET DAWN THE

DINOSAUR

Dawn the Dinosaur now greets young patients at the University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital, where she has taken up residence in the lobby. Dawn is a rare, museum-quality replica of the Herrerasaurus ischigualastensis discovered by renowned University of Chicago paleontologist Paul Sereno and donated by University of Chicago graduate and longtime supporter Nicholas Pritzker. Dawn is a fitting name for this species of dinosaur, which was among the first to walk the planet more than 230 million years ago. Sereno and a colleague unearthed her in Argentina’s badlands. He hopes the permanent exhibit of one of his mostprized discoveries will inspire future explorers.

“I’m thrilled that now children from across the city and around the world will fi nd joy in her.”NICHOLAS PRITZKER

FORETELLING SURGERY RECOVERY

University of Chicago Medicine physicians have been testing tools to predict outcomes from the Whipple procedure, a complicated surgery that currently is the only curative treatment available to pancreatic cancer patients. Researchers led by William Dale, MD, PhD, chief of geriatrics and palliative medicine, and Kevin Roggin, MD, oncologic surgeon, assessed older adults undergoing the procedure and found two simple questions highly predictive of outcomes. Patients who agreed with at least one of the statements about the previous week — “I felt that everything I did was an effort” and “I could not get going” — were three to four times more likely to suffer a serious complication from surgery, end up in the ICU and have a longer hospital stay.

Imagine that!

READ MORE IN SCIENCE

LIFE:a blog of news and ideas

in biomedicine

sciencelife.uchospitals.edu

AT THE FOREFRONT



Celiac disease is an immune reaction to eating gluten

(a protein found in wheat, barley and rye) that causes

infl ammation and damage to the small intestine. The

University of Chicago Medicine Celiac Disease Center — one

of the fi rst and few centers of its kind in the country — offers

expert diagnosis and treatment for children and adults.

GOING AGAINST THE GRAIN

HelpingDrew Thrive

The Mastrino family of Naperville, Ill., came to the University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital to find out why their young son, Drew,

refused to eat certain foods, choked while eating and had frequent bouts of vomiting.

After diagnosing Drew with a rare allergic inflammatory disease called eosinophilic esophagitis, pediatric gastroenterologist Timothy A. S. Sentongo, MD, performed several endoscopic procedures to pinpoint the foods that triggered Drew’s condition. Nutritional counseling, a modified diet and regular monitoring are helping Drew, now 6, eat well and feel better.

“We do everything we can to reduce Drew’s symptoms and to keep him growing,” Sentongo said.

| R IGHT | Drew Mastrino

The only treatment is a lifelong gluten-free diet. For most people, this will stop the symptoms and

reverse the damage.

CarePackage

The Celiac Disease Center sends gift baskets of gluten-

free foods and educational materials to biopsy-diagnosed celiac patients across

the nation.

To learn more, visit uchospitals.edu/

specialties/celiac.

Celiac disease can develop at

any age.

Early diagnosis helps prevent the

development of other autoimmune disorders

and complications.

The number of Americans with celiac disease would fi ll

Remarkably, passengers on

of those ships wouldn’t know they have it843

936 CRUISE SHIPS

AT THE FOREFRONT

28 RESEARCH PROJECTS

in the past decade

THE GOAL: cure celiac

disease by 2026

SENTONGO

C E L I A C F A C T S



Celiac disease is an immune reaction to eating gluten

(a protein found in wheat, barley and rye) that causes

infl ammation and damage to the small intestine. The

University of Chicago Medicine Celiac Disease Center — one

of the fi rst and few centers of its kind in the country — offers

expert diagnosis and treatment for children and adults.

GOING AGAINST THE GRAIN

HelpingDrew Thrive

The Mastrino family of Naperville, Ill., came to the University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital to find out why their young son, Drew,

refused to eat certain foods, choked while eating and had frequent bouts of vomiting.

After diagnosing Drew with a rare allergic inflammatory disease called eosinophilic esophagitis, pediatric gastroenterologist Timothy A. S. Sentongo, MD, performed several endoscopic procedures to pinpoint the foods that triggered Drew’s condition. Nutritional counseling, a modified diet and regular monitoring are helping Drew, now 6, eat well and feel better.

“We do everything we can to reduce Drew’s symptoms and to keep him growing,” Sentongo said.

| R IGHT | Drew Mastrino

The only treatment is a lifelong gluten-free diet. For most people, this will stop the symptoms and

reverse the damage.

CarePackage

The Celiac Disease Center sends gift baskets of gluten-

free foods and educational materials to biopsy-diagnosed celiac patients across

the nation.

To learn more, visit uchospitals.edu/

specialties/celiac.

Celiac disease can develop at

any age.

Early diagnosis helps prevent the

development of other autoimmune disorders

and complications.

The number of Americans with celiac disease would fi ll

Remarkably, passengers on

of those ships wouldn’t know they have it843

936 CRUISE SHIPS

AT THE FOREFRONT

28 RESEARCH PROJECTS

in the past decade

THE GOAL: cure celiac

disease by 2026

SENTONGO

C E L I A C F A C T S


Take steps to prevent fragility fracturesAnyone can slip on a patch of black ice, but the older you are, the greater your chance of breaking a bone.

Bone mass peaks in the mid-30s and then slowly dwindles, so a misstep can mean a broken ankle, wrist, hip or spine. More than 2 million Americans age 50 or older suffer fragility fractures — broken bones related to osteoporosis — every year. Fragility fractures are far more common than heart attacks.

The snap, crackle and pop of middle-aged bones is epidemic, said Douglas R. Dirschl, MD, chair of orthopaedic surgery and rehabilitation medicine.

Dirschl spearheaded the American Orthopaedic Association’s “Own the Bone” fragility fracture prevention campaign during his tenure as the organization’s president.

“Every fracture is a fragility fracture if you’re over 50,” Dirschl said. Yet less than 20 percent of fracture patients age 50 or older are evaluated and treated for osteoporosis.

Many women lose as much as 20 percent of their bone mass within five to seven years after menopause. About half of all women older than 50 eventually break a bone due to osteoporosis.

Dirschl’s recommendation: Be smart, safe and proactive. Request a quick, painless DEXA (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) test at your next checkup. The DEXA scan measures bone mineral density and results are available within minutes.

Don’t be surprised to learn “your risk of fracture is much higher than you think,” he said.

Regular weight-bearing exercise and medications designed to increase bone density are the only measures that are effective at increasing bone density after bone loss, Dirschl said. Weight-bearing exercises include walking, running, climbing stairs and weight training.

To help protect your bones, maintain an active lifestyle, quit smoking and limit caffeine and alcohol. These steps “won’t increase density, but they reduce the rate of bone mineral loss and the chance of fracture,” he said.

Many adults are deficient in vitamin D and don’t get enough calcium in their diets. Discuss your vitamin supplement needs with your physician.

These simple steps beat breaking a hip, which not only is tremendously painful but also has long-term harmful effects.

“After a hip fracture, you lose 5 percent of bone density in the first year — at the opposite hip,” Dirschl said. “You’re also 7 to 12 times more likely to have another fragility fracture.”

WE’VE GOT YOUR

BACK

University of Chicago Medicine Orthopaedics Center physicians fielded questions on bone health

from fans at the Bears-Lions game at Soldier Field. From left: Douglas R. Dirschl, MD; James

Mok, MD; superfan Don “Bearman” Wachter; Daniel P. Mass, MD; and

Richard W. Kang, MD, MS.

Turn to our team for

advanced treatment of common and

complex orthopaedic conditions



Follow J. Martin Leland III, MD, orthopaedic sports surgeon

@DrMartinLeland

Getting you on your feet againUniversity of Chicago Medicine Orthopaedics Center physicians treat adults and children for a full spectrum of bone, joint and muscle conditions. The team includes leading experts in spine surgery; joint and bone reconstruction, replacement and preservation; degenerative diseases; and sports medicine.

We are committed to seeing patients quickly, and we offer same-day access for certain conditions.

Care is offered at both the Hyde Park campus and at our clinic in Matteson, Ill. Our physicians work on multidisciplinary teams with sports medicine specialists,

physiatrists, physical and occupational therapists, and advanced practice nurses.

For an appointment, please call 1-888-824-0200.

| AbOve | University of Chicago Medicine Physicians at Matteson, One Prairie Center, 4749 Lincoln Mall Drive, Suite 500, Matteson, Ill.

University of Chicago Medicine orthopaedics experts logged some time in wVoN’s South Side studio last fall to educate consumers about bone health.

To listen to the interviews, visit uchospitals.edu/ortho-wvon.

Douglas R. Dirschl, MD, chair of orthopaedic surgery and rehabilitation medicine: Fragility fractures

James Mok, MD: Demystifying spine surgery: Things you’d like to ask a spine surgeon but were too afraid to ask

Richard W. Kang, MD, MS: Hip preservation treatment for young people with hip pain

J. Martin Leland III, MD: Common sports injuries, prevention and treatment

HEAR OUR EXPERTS


Good traction Wear winter shoes and

boots with good traction,

even if you are just walking

to the car. Studies show

80 percent of slips and

falls are due to snow and

ice on sidewalks and in

parking lots.

Don’t rushMost falls occur between

6 a.m. and noon.

Take small steps

Use handrailsUse handrails

when walking on stairs

and ramps.

Stay balancedDon’t try to carry too

much — keep one hand

free for balance.

DOn’T SkATE WITH

DISASTERWInTER SAFETY TIPS FROM THE EXPERTS

WVOn talk show host Cliff kelley, left, and J. Martin Leland III, MD



Physicians who treated a mother-to-be for colorectal cancer meet the baby whose life they savedJust a few weeks after Michelle Jahnke learned she was pregnant with her first child, joy turned to sadness and fear. The 30-year-old had stage 3 rectal cancer.

The standard treatment for her disease included combined chemotherapy and radiation therapy, followed by surgery and then more chemotherapy. One physician after another told Jahnke she needed to terminate the pregnancy because her unborn child would not survive surgery or radiation. She quoted one oncologist as saying, “There is nothing I can do to help your baby.’’

But University of Chicago Medicine oncologist Blase Polite, MD, told Jahnke and her husband, Mark, that a novel approach to therapy was possible — one that could treat the cancer and save their baby. To achieve that goal, Polite assembled a care team that incorporated six more specialists. The physicians and surgeons, all recognized experts in their fields, collaborated closely to plan and implement each step of Jahnke’s treatment and the delivery of her child. Today, Jahnke has a beautiful baby girl and shows no signs of cancer.

Jahnke recently visited with her physician team and expressed gratitude for her care:

“I want to thank you so much from the bottom of my heart, my husband’s heart and my daughter’s heart. We are so appreciative to have had each and every one of you along with us on this journey. My daughter and I are here today because of all of you.”

| ABOVE | A heart-warming moment: Michelle Jahnke stopped by the University of Chicago Medicine last summer to introduce members of her medical team to her daughter, Elana. From left, Blase Polite, MD; Mukta Krane, MD; Meaghan Tenney, MD; David P. Cohen, MD; and Mahmoud Ismail, MD. Not pictured: Stanley Liauw, MD, and Sonia Kupfer, MD.

| R IGHT | Mark and Michelle Jahnke on baby Elana’s first birthday.

MEET ELANA MARIE JAHNKE:

Elana Marie was born to Michelle and Mark Jahnke on November 30, 2012, weighing 6 pounds. “Elana continues to thrive and is reaching all of her milestones,” Jahnke said recently. “She is walking, dancing and loves all food. And she says ‘mom’ and ‘dada.’

“She is the light of my life,” Jahnke added. “I love being a mom.”

Celebrating New Life After Cancer



MEET MICHELLE JAHNKE’S PHYSICIANS:

Gastrointestinal on-

cologist Blase Polite,

MD, knew that a new treatment approach — chemotherapy alone before surgery — was on the horizon for rectal cancer. Based on studies of babies born to mothers who had chemotherapy for breast cancer during pregnancy, Polite believed giving the treatment to Jahnke during her pregnancy would be safe for her baby. Before moving forward, he conferred with pharmacists specially trained in how oncology drugs are handled in the body. He also sought input from many physician colleagues around the country. He concluded that surgery and, if needed, radiation could wait until after the birth.

High-risk obstetrician

Mahmoud Ismail, MD, used frequent ultrasounds to regularly observe the growth of Jahnke’s fetus throughout the pregnancy. He collaborated with Polite and other members of the medical team to monitor Jahnke’s overall health. Ismail delivered Jahnke’s healthy baby girl by cesarean section at 35 weeks.

Radiation oncologist

Stanley Liauw, MD, determined that while chemotherapy had successfully kept the cancer in check, radiation still was necessary. Jahnke elected to have proton therapy at a suburban location. Liauw consulted with the proton center, reviewing and fine-tuning Jahnke’s treatment plan.

Reproductive

endocrinologist David

P. Cohen, MD, joined Jahnke’s team early on to determine if anything could be done to save the function of Jahnke’s ovaries. After discussing every alternative with Cohen, the couple decided it was best not to pursue any treatment to preserve her fertility.

Gastroenterologist

and colorectal cancer

geneticist Sonia

Kupfer, MD, specializes in hereditary gastrointestinal cancer syndromes. In Jahnke’s case, genetic sequencing revealed a variant of a gene; however, the significance of the mutation is not yet known.

“Future advances in genetic testing may give us more information,” Kupfer said. “We may be able to tell her more later and also help future generations of her family.”

Colorectal surgeon

Mukta Krane, MD, performed Jahnke’s colorectal surgery six weeks after Jahnke finished radiation treatment and a second round of chemotherapy. The pathology report after surgery showed no remaining tumor cells.

“Michelle has a good prognosis,” said Krane, who, with Polite, will follow Jahnke for years to come.

Gynecologic

oncologist Meaghan

Tenney, MD, removed Jahnke’s uterus and ovaries as proactive measures to reduce the risk of endometrial or ovarian cancer later in life. Working in collaboration with Krane, Tenney completed the gynecologic surgery at the same time as the colorectal procedure.

BLASE POLITE, MD

“Our job was to figure out a way, first and foremost, to cure the cancer, but then also to come up with a way for Michelle to

carry the baby to term.”

She is walking, dancing and loves all food. And she says ‘mom’ and ‘dada.’MICHELLE JAHNKE



Now in law school, Ally Bain believes a legal career will help her give a voice to more people with chronic conditions and disabilities.

Ally Bain and other patients with inflammatory bowel disease benefit

from individualized care at the University of Chicago Medicine



Patient advocate, spokesperson, fundraiser and law student, Ally Bain has not let inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) stand in her way.

A well-known figure in the IBD community since her early teens, Bain was instrumental in drafting Ally’s Law, which mandates restroom access for medical emergencies. The legislation first passed in Illinois and is currently in effect in 15 states. During college, Bain expanded her advocacy work, spreading awareness and raising funds for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America. Now in her first year of law school, she plans to pursue a legal area that includes a public interest component.

“Her resilience in the face of her disease — and what she has accomplished — are an inspiration to her physicians and to many patients,” said David T. Rubin, co-director of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center. Rubin began treating Bain for Crohn’s disease in 2005 when she was 15, shy and afraid of doctors. Today, he regularly invites her to speak to patients about IBD, and the two often work together to educate the public and government officials.

NOTHING LESS THAN REmISSION

Bain still remembers what Rubin promised her the first time they met: “You will be in remission within six months.” She responded well to infliximab, a biologic therapy that targets an inflammatory protein in the body. Over the past decade, the regular infusion therapy has kept Bain’s disease in remission. She continues

to see Rubin every four to six months for monitoring.

“I tell my patients to expect nothing less than remission,” Rubin said. “And if they are not there, we will keep working on it. We want all of our patients to have the stability and good health Ally has achieved.”

Rubin encourages patients to stay informed about IBD and the advances in treatment and research. “The more patients know, the less out of control they feel,” he said. Rubin and his colleagues share the latest information about the rapidly changing field through regular community education events and social media.

At the University of Chicago Medicine, patients can expect individualized care for Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis as well as access to the latest clinical trials. On the horizon: a gut-specific biological therapy that targets receptors only in the bowel, reducing side effects.

In addition to offering innovative therapies and leading-edge technology, the IBD Center ties clinical work to basic and translational research. Studies focus on identifying the causes and understanding the mechanisms behind IBD, the function of the microbiome in digestive diseases, and the role of environment and diet.

Crohn’s and Colitis Patient Support Group UPCOmING DATES:

FEbRUARy 10, 2014, mARCH 10, 2014,

APRIL 14, 2014 AND mAy 12, 2014

University of Chicago Medicine Duchossois Center for Advanced Medicine (DCAM), Room 1005, 7–9 PM

IBD Community Education Event

mARCH 5, 2014

Time and location to be announced.

For more information about our IBD care, visit uchospitals.edu/specialties/ibd.

To learn more about support groups and events, email [email protected].

SAvE THE DATES!

Inflammatory bowel disease (IbD) refers

to a group of chronic diseases of the

gastrointestinal tract, including:

ULCERATIvE COLITIS

inflammation of the inner lining of the

large intestine (colon) and rectum

CROHN’S DISEASE

inflammation deeper into the wall of the small

intestine; it may also affect other parts of the

digestive system

2001The first gene

associated with IBD was discovered at the University of Chicago.

ToDay 190 genetic variations

are known.

CLINICaL TRIaLS The University of

Chicago Medicine has about 20 active clinical

trials for IBD.

WHAT IS IbD?

Ally Bain, hospitalized as a teenager, and David T. Rubin, MD


AT THE FOREFRONT


David T. Rubin, MD, is the co-director of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center at the University of Chicago Medicine.

WHAT DO PATIENTS NEED TO KNOW

ABOUT CURRENT TREATMENT FOR

INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE?

The days of giving everyone the same drugs and the same therapy are going by the wayside. Today, we customize therapy to the individual patient based on such factors as the exact location of the disease, treatment history and response to medications. We want to emphasize that early intervention and effective therapy are critical to treatment success.

WHAT SETS CARE AT THE UNIVERSITY

OF CHICAGO MEDICINE APART?

Our multidisciplinary IBD team has extensive experience in accurately diagnosing and effectively treating Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis. Because we believe that ongoing treatment is more effective than periodic interventions for acute episodes, we continually monitor our patients’ progress and quality of life. And our center integrates compassionate patient care with innovative research.

HOW IMPORTANT

ARE CLINICAL TRIALS?

Clinical trials of new and emerging therapies hope to offer patients more effective treatments. At this time, we have about 20 clinical trials open to our patients. When patients participate in a clinical trial, they are helping to guide our therapies and to advance the field.

WHAT ARE IBD RESEARCHERS

FOCUSING ON?

Much is happening in basic, translational and clinical research for IBD. Our clinicians interact closely with immun-ologists, microbiologists, geneticists, pathologists and other scientists at the University of Chicago who are working in the field of digestive diseases. Current studies are looking at the many genes associated with IBD and the role of intestinal microflora in contributing to the disorder. Whatever the area of research, we all have the same goals: to develop better and more specific treatments for IBD and ultimately to prevent and cure the disease.

Where to Find UsADULT

Duchossois Center for Advanced Medicine (DCAM)HYDE PARK CAMPUS

The University of Chicago Medicine at 150 E. Huron 150 E. HURON ST., CHICAGO

PEDIATRICS

Comer Children’s HospitalHYDE PARK CAMPUS

DAVID T. RUBIN, MD

THE TRANSITIONAL IBD CLINIC, located in the Duchossois Center for Advanced Medicine (DCAM), was created to meet the unique needs of teens and young adults ages 15–22.

THE IBD INPATIENT UNIT in the Center for Care and Discovery is designed to care for patients with the most complex cases of Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis.

The University of Chicago Medicine IBD Team

ADULT

David T. Rubin, MD

Co-director, Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center;Interim Section Chief, Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition

Russell D. Cohen, MD

Co-director, Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center

Sushila Dalal, MD

Ira Hanan, MD

John H. Kwon, MD, PhD

Joel Pekow, MD

Atsushi Sakuraba, MD

PEDIATRIC

Barbara S. Kirschner, MD

Director, Pediatric IBD Program

Stacy A. Kahn, MD

Director, Transitional IBD Clinic

Ranjana Gokhale, MD

SURGERY

Roger D. Hurst, MD

Mustafa Hussain, MD

Mukta Krane, MD

Vivek Prachand, MD

Konstantin Umanskiy, MD

Ask the Expert

FOLLOW IBD EXPERTDavid T. Rubin, MD

@IBDMD



GOING BEYOND WITH SCOPES

University of Chicago Medicine physicians are diagnosing and treating complex digestive system disorders — including early cancers — using high-tech, minimally invasive tools.

Our specialists, called gastrointestinal interventional endoscopists, are able to look and work inside the upper and lower digestive tract using long, thin, lighted scopes equipped with miniaturized cameras, transducers, microscopes and other surgical tools. They perform a high volume of these cases and are continually developing expanded uses for this safe, effective alternative to surgery.

Removing a Stomach Tumor from the Inside OutA University of Chicago Medicine team removed Steven Kiraly’s stomach tumor last summer in a novel way — through his mouth.

Irving Waxman, MD, director of the Center for Endoscopic Research and Therapeutics at the University of Chicago Medicine, gently guided an endoscope down the 76-year-old Hobart, Ind., man’s throat and into his stomach. He used the scope’s tiny fiber-optic camera and minute grasping and electrosurgical tools to cut the tumor, with tumor-free margins, out of the stomach wall. After removing the tumor, the team closed the wound using a new tool, an over-the-scope clip.

In the past, removal of a stomach tumor was major surgery. Then surgeons learned how to perform it using minimally invasive tools and a few small incisions. Now, the operation can be done without a visible incision.

The procedure took just 30 minutes. Kiraly left the hospital the next day. Although he was sore for a few days, by the end of the week Kiraly’s biggest concern was how soon he could eat apples.

“Our team was encouraged by the results,” Waxman said.

“This is moving toward gastrointestinal cancer surgery on an outpatient basis at a fraction of the cost of surgery.”

| R IGHT |

Irving Waxman, MD

With exceptional clarity and precision, our GI endoscopy experts can:

Visualize Visualize individual layers of the gastrointestinal tract

View View tissue cells of the digestive system

Detect Detect precancerous lesions and early stage cancer

Stage Stage cancers

Determine Determine if cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes

Pinpoint Pinpoint cancerous and noncancerous cells without taking a tissue sample

Biopsy Biopsy when a tissue sample is needed

Assess Assess noncancerous conditions, such as gallstones and pancreatitis

Remove Remove abnormal lesions, polyps, tumors or small cancers



The University of Chicago

Medicine is the fi rst

hospital in Chicago to

be recognized as an

Advanced Comprehensive

Stroke Center, the highest

level of certifi cation

granted by the Joint

Commission and

the American Heart

Association/American

Stroke Association.

The University of

Chicago Medicine once

again achieved an “A”

grade in hospital safety

from The Leapfrog Group.

The rating is based on

how well a hospital

protects patients from

accidents, errors, injuries

and infections.

Presented by oncologist Grace K. Suh, MD, clinical associate at the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center at Silver Cross Hospital.

University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center at Silver Cross Hospital

Pavilion AConference Center1890 Silver Cross Blvd. New Lenox, Ill.

To register, call 1-888-660-HEAL or visit silvercross.org.

Treatment of Breast Cancer: History & ProgressMARCH 25, 6:30 PM

Multi-ethnic Fashion Show Celebrates Cancer SurvivorshipThe University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Office of Community Engagement and Cancer Disparities (OCECD) presented the first-ever “I’m a Survivor” minority fashion show in November.

The OCECD partnered with local hairstylists, makeup artists and fashion designers to style two dozen cancer survivors, who modeled their new looks for an audience of 200 African-American, Asian and Hispanic community members at Art Revolution in Chicago.

Other sponsors of the event included Exelon, Chicago State University, the University of Chicago Urban Health Initiative, the University of Chicago Institute for Translational Medicine, Marimarshe Salon and the Paul Mitchell School. Local personality and TV show host Jacinda Lockett emceed the event, while translators were on hand to tell the survivors’ stories in Mandarin, Cantonese and Spanish.

“This event was an opportunity to celebrate cancer survivorship and to showcase the resilience and strength of minority communities, together,” said Karen E. Kim, MD, MS, director of OCECD. “We want to send the message that cancer awareness, early detection and prevention can lead to improved quality of life for all cancer patients, including in communities of color.”

THE BEST MINDS IN MEDICINE COLLABORATING WITH YOU ON YOUR HEALTH QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS

Attendees of the OCECD’s multi-ethnic fashion show join hands and dance in celebration of cancer survivorship.

‘TOP DOCTORS’

LISTMore than 100 University

of Chicago Medicine

and Comer Children’s

Hospital physicians are

recognized as the

“best of the best” in their specialties in

Chicago magazine’s

January 2014 issue.


daily bike rides to raise funds for Liauw’s research. To date, he has raised more than $15,000.

“To have this type of unrestricted funding is really a blessing,” said Liauw, an expert on genitourinary and gastrointestinal cancer. The funds will benefit several projects, including maintenance of a database that analyzes treatment of all prostate cancer patients at the medical center.

“The ultimate goal is to supplement our clinical care with new data that can help make treatments better in terms of higher cure rates and tolerability of therapy,” said Liauw.

On his last trek to Hyde Park for treatment, Navin was brought to tears when he opened his door to find 15 of his friends and supporters geared up to bike alongside him. “It was really something special,” Navin said. “I think

it’s important when you’re going through something like this to find people you’re

comfortable with. I was very fortunate to have found Stanley and Dr. Stadler.”

For more information or to support the research of Stanley Liauw, MD, please contact Ellen Clarke at [email protected].

| LEFT | Stanley Liauw, MD

One thing I’ve really come to

appreciate about the medical center

is the amount of effort that’s put into

research, because that’s where the

breakthroughs happen.

THE RIDE OF HIS LIFE

Pat Navin is an avid cyclist who’s pedaled nearly 7,000 feet to reach the highest point east of the Mississippi River. His determination is as rock solid as his bronze 2003 steel-framed road bike.

So when Navin, then 55, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer in the fall of 2012, he did what has always sustained him in challenging situations.

“I knew the fear could cripple me and eat up a lot of my energy, and I just didn’t want that to happen,” said Navin, head of Inverse Marketing, a downtown Chicago advertising agency. “My mental outlook needed to be strong, and I knew riding my bike would give me the positive outlook to beat the disease.”

So ride he did. For 38 radiation treatments over the course of nearly eight weeks, Navin laced up his shoes at 6:30 a.m. and cycled 44 miles roundtrip from his home in Evanston, Ill., to the University of Chicago Medicine’s Hyde Park medical campus.

As his friends put it, Navin literally rode his cancer into the ground.

But Navin credits his doctors, Walter M. Stadler, MD, section chief of hematology/oncology and director of the genitourinary program, and radiation oncologist Stanley Liauw, MD, for his now cancer-free status.

“I was very impressed with the doctors at the University of Chicago Medicine,” said Navin. “One thing I’ve really come to appreciate about the medical center is the amount of effort that’s put into research, because that’s where the breakthroughs happen.”

After learning about a clinical trial Liauw is conducting, Navin decided to use his

Pat Navin

PATIENT SUPPORTS

Prostate Cancer Research


daily bike rides to raise funds for Liauw’s research. To date, he has raised more than $15,000.

“To have this type of unrestricted funding is really a blessing,” said Liauw, an expert on genitourinary and gastrointestinal cancer. The funds will benefit several projects, including maintenance of a database that analyzes treatment of all prostate cancer patients at the medical center.

“The ultimate goal is to supplement our clinical care with new data that can help make treatments better in terms of higher cure rates and tolerability of therapy,” said Liauw.

On his last trek to Hyde Park for treatment, Navin was brought to tears when he opened his door to find 15 of his friends and supporters geared up to bike alongside him. “It was really something special,” Navin said. “I think

it’s important when you’re going through something like this to find people you’re

comfortable with. I was very fortunate to have found Stanley and Dr. Stadler.”

For more information or to support the research of Stanley Liauw, MD, please contact Ellen Clarke at [email protected].

| LEFT | Stanley Liauw, MD

One thing I’ve really come to

appreciate about the medical center

is the amount of effort that’s put into

research, because that’s where the

breakthroughs happen.

THE RIDE OF HIS LIFE

Pat Navin is an avid cyclist who’s pedaled nearly 7,000 feet to reach the highest point east of the Mississippi River. His determination is as rock solid as his bronze 2003 steel-framed road bike.

So when Navin, then 55, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer in the fall of 2012, he did what has always sustained him in challenging situations.

“I knew the fear could cripple me and eat up a lot of my energy, and I just didn’t want that to happen,” said Navin, head of Inverse Marketing, a downtown Chicago advertising agency. “My mental outlook needed to be strong, and I knew riding my bike would give me the positive outlook to beat the disease.”

So ride he did. For 38 radiation treatments over the course of nearly eight weeks, Navin laced up his shoes at 6:30 a.m. and cycled 44 miles roundtrip from his home in Evanston, Ill., to the University of Chicago Medicine’s Hyde Park medical campus.

As his friends put it, Navin literally rode his cancer into the ground.

But Navin credits his doctors, Walter M. Stadler, MD, section chief of hematology/oncology and director of the genitourinary program, and radiation oncologist Stanley Liauw, MD, for his now cancer-free status.

“I was very impressed with the doctors at the University of Chicago Medicine,” said Navin. “One thing I’ve really come to appreciate about the medical center is the amount of effort that’s put into research, because that’s where the breakthroughs happen.”

After learning about a clinical trial Liauw is conducting, Navin decided to use his

Pat Navin

PATIENT SUPPORTS

Prostate Cancer Research


The University of Chicago Medicine

5841 S. Maryland Ave., MC 1110

Chicago, IL 60637

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LOOKING OUT FOR OUR

PATIENTSWhether we are serving

patients from our neighborhood, city, region, or from across the world, we strive to live up to our reputation for exceptional

and compassionate medical care.

Enhancing the patient and family experience is the Center

for Care and Discovery, our new state-of-the-art hospital.

On the top three floors are 240 private patient rooms

with family accommodations that include added space, comfortable furniture and many thoughtful amenities.

When you visit the University of Chicago Medicine, our valet

parking attendants, guest services ambassadors and

public safety officers are on hand to assist you. They are dedicated to making your

experience here convenient and comfortable.

Light-filled private rooms in the Center for Care and Discovery offer views of the city and Lake Michigan.


Documents

Imagine - Winter 2014 - University of Chicago Medicine