How Academic Research Fuels the Future of Cancer Care
In this Q & A, Liza Villaruz, MD, a medical oncologist and hematologist at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, discusses her work as a researcher focusing on early drug development for lung cancer and why it’ s important to be affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh.
Q A
What are you working on at UPMC Hillman?
We’ re working on several newer therapeutic strategies and regimens that could potentially be very impactful for our lung cancer patient population. In particular, we’ re looking at medications that target specific genetic alterations that we oftentimes find in lung cancer. We’ re also looking at newer forms of immunotherapy.
Why is it important to have an academic research facility like UPMC Hillman
Q in our region?
A
Being an academic hub through our affiliation with Pitt is incredibly impactful for our patients because it brings state-of-the-art care into the communities through our large UPMC Hillman network of locations. The research we do in our labs can be applied throughout our clinics, allowing for opportunities to participate not only at the cutting edge of a rapidly evolving landscape of care, but also for patients to participate in newer types of programs such as clinical trials focused on novel therapies for lung cancer patients.
Q A
What tips do you have for preventing lung cancer?
Smoking is still the number one risk factor for the development of lung cancer so smoking cessation is very important. If you have a heavy smoking history, enroll in a lung cancer screening program.
Be mindful of other environmental risk factors such as radon exposure, which could be more prominent here in the Rust Belt. Also, be mindful of symptoms, because in most cases, the symptoms associated with lung cancer can be very subtle.