FOCUS ON: RESEARCH
Drawing on the
Strength of the
Human Body
for Innovative
Clinical Trials
New chief of oncology at Baylor Scott & White Health –
North Texas is poised to help cancer patients benefit
through greater access to novel research investigating
next-generation immunotherapies.
he cancer research and treatment than what is achieved with the older for many years and ultimately reach their
centers of Baylor Scott & White chemotherapy regimens oncologists have normal life expectancy.”
Health provide coordinated care used for decades.
across nearly every cancer, and do so
Dr. Kelly and his colleagues within the
As a thoracic oncologist and former
Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center are
with a multidisciplinary team driven to director of the Gastroesophageal currently conducting clinical trials through
incorporate advanced therapies and Cancer Therapeutics Program at Johns Baylor Scott & White Research Institute
research into patient care. At the heart of Hopkins, Dr. Kelly developed an innovative that are enrolling patients to investigate
the collaborative effort to bring innovative portfolio of clinical trials in lung cancer next-generation immunotherapeutics,
treatments to our patients is Ronan Kelly, and gastroesophageal cancer. He or “living drugs.” Blood is drawn from a
MD, MBBCH, MBA, a medical oncologist, continues to lead numerous national and patient, and the strongest cancer-fighting
clinical researcher, and now one of the international phase II and phase III clinical immune cells are isolated and genetically
anchors of cancer care within the system. trials investigating immunotherapeutic altered in the lab to target specific areas of
approaches and the patient’s cancer. The cells are grown in
novel targeted huge numbers and then given back to the
drugs in both patient as an infusion of “supercharged”
cancer types. immune cells in an attempt to overwhelm
As chief of
oncology for the
organization’s
North Texas cancer
centers and medical
director of oncology
“We are getting closer
to our goal of turning
cancer into a chronic
disease that patients
can live with for many
years and ultimately
reach their normal
life expectancy.”
“In the early
2000s, the human
the patient’s tumor.
Exciting results have come out of
genome project these clinical trials to date across a range
to map and of tumor types. For this reason, Dr. Kelly
understand all of the encourages patients to participate in
genes that make research efforts whenever appropriate.
up human DNA was When completed, the American Cancer
being completed Society Gene and Jerry Jones Family Hope
and I was aware that Lodge in Dallas will support the effort to
significant advances make important clinical trials available to
as a destination were on the more patients who live far away.
for patients horizon for cancer seeking advanced patients,” Dr. Kelly potentially do better on a clinical trial
immunotherapeutic said. “Although we than with the standard treatment, but
for Baylor Charles A.
Sammons Cancer
Center in Dallas, Dr.
Kelly is making it his
mission to position
the Baylor Scott &
White Health cancer
center network
treatments. Immunotherapy
— Dr. Kelly
have made amazing strides over
“Data has shown that patients can
only 2 to 3 percent of American patients
uses a patient’s immune system to fight the last 15 to 20 years, we have to continue participate in clinical trials. We need to
cancer. When stimulated to work harder to push forward. With the introduction of get that number up. That’s how we’re
or smarter, the immune system has been immunotherapies, we can harness the going to learn why some people respond
found to have the capability to attack inherent cancer-fighting ability of every to treatment and why some people
cancer and interfere with the ability of patient’s immune system. We are getting do not, and learn to overcome that
tumor cells to grow and spread. This closer to our goal of turning cancer into a resistance. That’s how we’re going to
response can often be much more durable chronic disease that patients can live with beat cancer,” he added.
10
THE COMPASS / BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE FOUNDATION NEWS / SUMMER 2019