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AACR president: Race, socioeconomic status should not determine cancer outcomes
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Michael A. Caligiuri, MD, director of The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, took over this spring as president of American Association for Cancer Research.
Caligiuri — who also serves as CEO of James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute at Ohio State — has been involved with AACR since 1990. He served 4 years on the association’s board of directors and has been chairman of the publications committee since 2003.
Caligiuri — known for his work in immunology, and his research into use of human natural killer cells for treatment of myeloma, leukemia and glioblastoma — spoke with HemOnc Today about what he hopes to accomplish during his term.
Question: Can you describe your reaction to being selected AACR president?
Answer: I was certainly shocked and surprised. I was pleased and humbled to be nominated — that alone is such nice recognition from my peers. I was up against a very good friend of mine for the role and that, of course, was a bit uncomfortable because he is such a wonderful scientist.
Q: What excites you most about this opportunity?
A: The opportunity to work with great leaders, including researchers, physicians, administrators and policymakers within our organization and external to our organization. This opportunity provides an exciting platform by which we can sow together an even tighter network of individuals who all focus on creating a world free of cancer.
Q: How has your experience prepared you for this role?
A: I am both a cancer center director and the CEO of our hospital. Part of my job is to think big and be a visionary to ensure that we are always thinking about the future and how to meet it. Having another platform on which to think about the future and try to anticipate the future is wonderful, and it is something for which I feel I am well prepared. At the same time, I am a scientist, oncologist and administrative leader. Having these experiences helped me to understand what AACR needs to do for our constituents. I have dealt with the heartbreak of losing patients we should not have lost had we had more research. I also have dealt with the frustration of not getting my research funded, so I know what it feels like. I believe these experiences have put me in a good place to lead this organization.
Q: Is there an area of policy that you would like to see AACR become more involved?
A: There is an area I would like to emphasize that the AACR has become involved in and I feel has had a leadership role in, but we need to enhance our presence even further. That is the area of cancer health disparities. My area of research is in immunology, molecular biology and leukemia, and I am very much a laboratory scientist. However, I have always had a pain in my heart to know that, if someone is born of a certain race or socioeconomic status, the deck is stacked against them with regard to cancer diagnosis and prognosis. I have, therefore, made it my platform to use our organization and all the resources we can bring upon it to further address the pressing issue of cancer health disparities. It seems to me that being born of a certain race or socioeconomic background in our country should not determine cancer outcomes. Yet, it does.
Q: How do you plan to tackle cancer health disparities during your term?
A: We have a robust effort going on with our policy for cancer health disparities. I am thinking less about changes in policy that are already ongoing within the AACR, and more assessment of the science of cancer health disparities — specifically, assessment of what we need to learn scientifically to improve outcomes. Secondly, an assessment is needed of how we can increase the representation of underrepresented minorities in the cancer research workforce.
Q: What are your expectations for the field of oncology during the next 5 to 10 years?
A: We have finally developed the tools and understanding that big data is going to be at the heart of it all. It is going to lead us to new discoveries and provide us with new answers. We also have the will to utilize the data to make new discoveries and answer questions that can only be made for this very complex disease. My expectation is that there will be more recognition that we must work together and share our data with one another to create the kind of Amazon.com–like database that we will be able to find many answers to many questions regarding the complexity of cancer. At this time, we know that no one cancer center has sufficient data to answer the complexities of any single cancer, and we need more data for more patients and more laboratories to put this complex puzzle together. We do have the tools to do this and the will to do this. AACR is moving forward with Project GENIE, the acronym for which stands for Genomics Evidence Neoplasia Information Exchange. This multiphase, multiyear, international data-sharing project catalyzes precision oncology through the development of a regulatory-grade registry that aggregates and links clinical-grade cancer genomic data with clinical outcomes from tens of thousands of patients with cancer treated at multiple international institutions. This is AACR’s version of assimilating big data to start to answer questions. We have six or eight institutions that are providing big genomic data into one common database. As a consequence, they are starting to ask and answer questions that could not be solved at any one of those institutions on their own. These data will be the most exciting thing that happens in oncology during the next 5 to 10 years. The challenge for us is in revamping our academic rewards system to be much more like the physicists who have figured out how to collaborate and share the prize of discovery collegially. This will invariably involve the pharmaceutical industry, and the barriers between academia and the pharmaceutical industry are breaking down very quickly.
Q: Is there anything else that you would like to mention?
A: Margaret Foti, PhD, MD(hc), the CEO of AACR, has been an unbelievable steward of this organization. The work she has accomplished for this nonprofit has, in my opinion, been unprecedented. I am incredibly proud to be working closely with her this year. – by Jennifer Southall
For more information:
Michael A. Caligiuri, MD, can be reached at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, 300 West 10th Ave., Columbus, OH 43210; email: michael.caligiuri@osumc.edu.
Disclosure: Caligiuri reports no relevant financial disclosures.