MD Anderson professor and ‘mentor’s mentor’ receives humanitarian award
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Nizar M. Tannir, MD, FACP, received the Nicholas J. Vogelzang Humanitarian Award from the Kidney Cancer Association.
The award — presented at International Kidney Cancer Symposium: North America — is named after the association’s co-founder and long-serving board member. Vogelzang — a genitourinary oncologist and former Healio | HemOnc Today Editorial Board member — died in September 2022 at age 72 years.
The award recognizes an individual who has exhibited outstanding service to and compassion for patients, colleagues, the association and the broader kidney cancer community.
“This is not an annual award,” Gretchen Vaughan, president and CEO of Kidney Cancer Association, said while introducing Tannir. “We created this only to be given when it is sincerely deserved. This year, the selection committee was swift and unanimous in its decision because Dr. Tannir is so worthy. He embodies so much of who [Vogelzang] was. Both devoted their lives to advancing kidney cancer treatment and patient care, both made a profound impact on the lives of their patients, and both gave freely of their time and talent to all who knew them. ... Dr. Tannir’s leadership in kidney cancer is nothing short of extraordinary, and it’s hard to imagine what the kidney cancer landscape would be without him.”
Tannir is professor in the department of genitourinary medical oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
His research focus is renal cell carcinoma, with emphasis on clinical and molecular characterization of non-clear cell subtypes — particularly translocation renal cell carcinoma and renal medullary carcinoma — as well as design and conduct of informative, biology-driven clinical trials for clear-cell and non-clear cell disease. His interests also include identification of circulating and tissue-based biomarkers of response to targeted agents and immune checkpoint antibodies. His research contributions have led to FDA approval of several therapeutics for renal cell carcinoma.
“Nizar Tannir is a mentor’s mentor whose compassion heals, research innovates and teaching inspires the future of patient care,” said Pavlos Msaouel, MD, PhD, one of Tannir’s mentees. “It’s hard to think of anyone more deserving [of this award].”
Tannir said he was humbled to receive a humanitarian award that bears Vogelzang’s name.
“Nick epitomized what a physician in our humble profession ought to be,” Tannir said. “I always admired him for his fierce advocacy for his patients, his wisdom and knowledge in oncology, his sponsorship of his fellows and faculty, and — above all — his humanity. ... Many of us in the field of oncology have aspired to emulate Nick and follow in his footsteps.”
During his acceptance speech, Tannir shared stories of two young patients he treated for renal medullary carcinoma — one who remains cancer free more than 11 years after beginning treatment, and another who died of his disease 15 months after diagnosis, and another.
Tannir said his experiences with these patients and their families shaped his career and continue to remind him that important work still must be done to improve outcomes for all patients.
In addition, both patients’ families spent unfathomable time and effort trying to overcome bureaucracy in the health system related to insurance coverage and authorizations, Tannir said.
“No one should have to endure what they went through,” Tannir said. “We need to use our platform to advocate for universal health care because health care is a right, not a privilege.”
Tannir also shared two principles that have guided his 42-year career in oncology.
One came from Emil J. Freireich, MD, a longtime MD Anderson oncologist who developed groundbreaking therapies for childhood leukemia.
“When I was a fellow at MD Anderson in the early 1980s, he told us, ‘If you want success, surround yourself with smarter people than you and be humble about it. Don’t have an ego,’” Tannir recalled.
“I took this advice to heart, but I also added my own,” he added. “When you have fellows who are bright and smart, give them wings and they’ll fly. I think this has served me well.”
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