View source for Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center

{{Organization
|OrganizationName=Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center
|OrganizationType=Non-profit (Sub-organization)
|Mission=To prevent cancer in the community and transform cancer patient care through scientific discovery. The mission is accomplished through exceptional research, care, and education efforts aimed at understanding cancer mechanisms, developing new treatments, and providing comprehensive care.
|ParentOrganization=Washington University School of Medicine, Barnes-Jewish Hospital
|Employees=600
|OrganizationExecutive=Director
|Services=Cancer treatment; Research; Prevention; Education; Community outreach
|HeadquartersLocation=38.63853, -90.26336
|HeadquartersAddress=4921 Parkview Place, St. Louis, MO 63110, United States
|Website=https://siteman.wustl.edu/
}}
The '''Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center''' at [[Barnes-Jewish Hospital]] and [[Washington University School of Medicine]] is a cancer treatment, research and education institution with six locations in the [[St. Louis]] area. Siteman is the only cancer center in [[Missouri]] and within 240 miles of St. Louis to be designated a [[Comprehensive Cancer Center]] by the [[National Cancer Institute]] (NCI).<ref>{{cite news | last = VandeWater | first = Judith | title = St. Louis cancer center achieves highest designation | newspaper = St. Louis Post-Dispatch | date = 4 January 2005 | url = http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-7767343_ITM | accessdate = 27 June 2012}}</ref> Siteman is also the only area member of the [[National Comprehensive Cancer Network]],<ref>{{cite web | title = NCCN Member Institutions | publisher = National Comprehensive Cancer Network | url= http://www.nccn.org/members/network.asp | accessdate = 27 March 2012 }}</ref> a nonprofit alliance of 32 cancer centers dedicated to improving the quality and effectiveness of cancer care.<ref>{{cite news | title = Siteman joins cancer center alliance | newspaper = St. Louis Business Journal | date = 21 March 2006 | url = http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/stories/2006/03/20/daily21.html | accessdate = 29 June 2012}}</ref>

Siteman treats more than 75,000 individual patients, including 12,000 newly diagnosed patients, every year.<ref>{{cite news |title = Siteman Cancer Center earns highest NCI rating |newspaper= The Cancer Letter |url= https://cancerletter.com/articles/20200619_5 |date= 19 June 2020 |accessdate= 28 July 2020}}</ref>

==Locations==

Siteman's main facility is at [[Washington University Medical Center]] in St. Louis’ [[Central West End]] neighborhood. In 2021, work began on a new main facility on the medical campus that is scheduled for completion in summer 2024.<ref>{{cite news | last = Bryant | first = Tim | title = Washington U. to open 659,000-square-foot cancer center in Central West End | newspaper = St. Louis Post-Dispatch | date = 30 July 2021 | url = https://www.stltoday.com/business/local/washington-u-to-open-659-000-square-foot-cancer-center-in-central-west-end/article_2690d4c3-089a-5ccb-be7f-49a2debf1cd0.html | accessdate = 30 July 2021 }}</ref> Five other St. Louis-area sites offer specialized cancer care in suburban locations:

{{bulleted list |[[BJC HealthCare#Barnes–Jewish West County|Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital]] in [[Creve Coeur, Missouri]] |[[BJC HealthCare#Barnes–Jewish St. Peters Hospital|Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital]] in [[St. Peters, Missouri]] |Northwest HealthCare in [[Florissant, Missouri]], part of [[BJC HealthCare#Christian Hospital|Christian Hospital]]<ref>{{cite news | last = Rizvic | first = Veneta | title = Siteman Cancer Center unveils opening date for $26.3M facility in Florissant | newspaper = St. Louis Business Journal | date = 22 October 2019 | url = https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news/2019/10/22/siteman-cancer-center-unveils-opening-date-for-26.html | accessdate = 12 December 2019 }}</ref> |Siteman Cancer Center-South County in south St. Louis County, Missouri<ref>{{cite news | last = Liss | first = Samantha | title = $27.5 million outpatient Siteman Cancer Center to open Monday | newspaper = St. Louis Business Journal | date = 2 January 2013 | url = http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/blog/2013/01/275-million-outpatient-siteman.html | accessdate = 11 January 2013 }}</ref> |[[BJC HealthCare#Memorial Hospital Shiloh|Memorial Hospital Shiloh]] in [[Shiloh, Illinois]]<ref>{{cite news |last=Maddox |first=Teri |date=13 January 2020 |title= Siteman Cancer Center location opening in Shiloh; Swansea office complex for sale |url=https://www.bnd.com/news/local/article239139498.html |work=Belleville News-Democrat |accessdate=16 January 2020}}</ref>}}

==History and leadership==

In 1999, Alvin J. and Ruth Siteman committed $35 million to the development of the Siteman Cancer Center at Washington University School of Medicine and Barnes-Jewish Hospital. The commitment was the largest gift ever received by Barnes-Jewish and Washington University in support of cancer research, patient care and services, education and community outreach.<ref>{{cite news | title = Couple donate $35 million for cancer research | newspaper = St. Louis Post-Dispatch | date = 20 November 1999 | url = http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SL&p_theme=sl&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_dispstring=%20COUPLE%20DONATE%20$%2035%20MILLION%20FOR%20CANCER%20RESEARCH | accessdate = 24 June 2013}}{{subscription required}}</ref>

Timothy Eberlein has been director of the center since its inception.<ref>{{cite news | title = Siteman Cancer Center gets $23M | newspaper = St. Louis Business Journal | date = 1 November 2010 | url = http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news/2010/11/01/wash-u-gets-23m-for-siteman-cancer.html | accessdate = 27 March 2012}}</ref> John DiPersio is deputy director.<ref>{{cite web | title = National Comprehensive Cancer Network, MD, PhD | publisher= Siteman Cancer Center | url= http://www.siteman.wustl.edu/DocProfile.aspx?Type=Patient&memid=85 | accessdate = 29 March 2012 }}</ref>

In 2001, the NCI designated Siteman as a Cancer Center, which signaled that the institution had demonstrated significant scope and quality in its cancer research programs. The designation came with $850,000 per year in federal research grants.<ref>{{cite news | last = VandeWater | first = Judith | title = Siteman Center Here Wins Designation from National Cancer Institute | newspaper = St. Louis Post-Dispatch | date = 16 August 2001 | url = http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SL&p_theme=sl&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_dispstring=SITEMAN%20CENTER%20HERE%20WINS%20DESIGNATION%20FROM%20NATIONAL%20CANCER%20INSTITUTE&p_field_date-0=YMD_date&p_params_date-0=date:B,E&p_text_date-0=2001&p_field_advanced-0=&p_text_advanced-0=%28%22SITEMAN%20CENTER%20HERE%20WINS%20DESIGNATION%20FROM%20NATIONAL%20CANCER%20INSTITUTE%22%29&xcal_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&xcal_useweights=no | accessdate = 15 June 2012}}</ref> The NCI named Siteman a Comprehensive Cancer Center in 2005, recognizing its broad-based research, outreach and education activities, and awarded the center a five-year, $21 million support grant.<ref>{{cite news | last = VandeWater | first = Judith | title = Siteman Cancer Center here achieves highest designation | newspaper = St. Louis Post-Dispatch | date = 4 January 2005 | url = http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SL&p_theme=sl&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_dispstring=Siteman%20Cancer%20Center%20here%20achieves%20highest%20designation&p_field_date-0=YMD_date&p_params_date-0=date:B,E&p_text_date-0=2005&p_field_advanced-0=&p_text_advanced-0=%28%22Siteman%20Cancer%20Center%20here%20achieves%20highest%20designation%22%29&xcal_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&xcal_useweights=no | accessdate = 15 June 2012}}</ref> The NCI renewed the designation in 2010 and awarded another five-year grant, totaling $23 million. The grants fund programs and specialized services that promote multidisciplinary research, as well as shared scientific resources and seed awards that enable investigators to develop and pursue new research opportunities.<ref>{{cite news | last = Munz | first = Michele | title = Siteman Cancer Center designated as Comprehensive Cancer Center, gets $23 million | newspaper = St. Louis Post-Dispatch | date = 21 November 2010 | url = http://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/health-med-fit/health/health-matters/siteman-cancer-center-designated-as-comprehensive-cancer-center-gets-million/article_30960ad2-f5b2-11df-b89e-00127992bc8b.html | accessdate = 13 April 2012}}</ref>

Alvin J. Siteman announced in 2010 that he would donate $1 million annually to an endowment fund at the center to advance cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment programs that might not receive federal funding.<ref>{{cite news | title = St. Louis philanthropist endows cancer fund | newspaper = The Associated Press | date = 26 January 2010 | url = http://www.kmov.com/news/local/82667972.html | accessdate = 15 June 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100407040135/http://www.kmov.com/news/local/82667972.html | archive-date = 2010-04-07 | url-status = dead }}</ref>

==Patient care and services==

More than 350 Washington University research scientists and physicians provide inpatient and outpatient care at Siteman.<ref>{{cite web | title= NCCN Member Institution Profile | publisher= National Comprehensive Cancer Network | url= http://www.nccn.com/component/content/article/42/209-siteman-cancer-center.html | accessdate= 15 March 2012 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120512053015/http://nccn.com/component/content/article/42/209-siteman-cancer-center.html | archive-date= 2012-05-12 | url-status= dead }}</ref> The center also offers patient and family support services, including discussion and education groups.<ref>{{cite web | title = Patient & Visitor Information | publisher= Siteman Cancer Center | url= http://www.siteman.wustl.edu/SectionFront.aspx?id=3738&mid=9 | accessdate = 15 May 2012}}</ref>

In 2018, Siteman announced it would build a second [[proton therapy]] unit at its S. Lee Kling Proton Therapy Center. The first opened in late 2013.<ref>{{cite magazine | title = St. Louis Medical Organizations Plan More Proton Therapy | magazine= U.S. News & World Report | url= https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/missouri/articles/2018-12-10/st-louis-medical-organizations-plan-more-proton-therapy | accessdate = 10 December 2018}}</ref>

==Research==

Scientists and physicians affiliated with Siteman hold more than $145 million in cancer research and related training grants. The results of basic laboratory research are rapidly incorporated into treatment advances. This process is enhanced by patient access to more than 500 therapeutic clinical studies,<ref>{{cite web | title = Find A Clinical Trial | publisher= Siteman Cancer Center | url= http://www.siteman.wustl.edu/FindProtocol.aspx | accessdate = 15 October 2017}}</ref> including many collaborative efforts with other leading cancer centers throughout the country.<ref>{{cite web | title = About Siteman | publisher= Siteman Cancer Center | url= https://siteman.wustl.edu/about/about-siteman/ | accessdate = 27 October 2017}}</ref>

In 2013, three scientists affiliated with Siteman, Washington University School of Medicine and the [[McDonnell Genome Institute]] were included on the [[Thomson Reuters]] list of “Hottest Scientific Researchers of 2012”: [[Richard K. Wilson]], [[Elaine Mardis]], and Li Ding. The list recognized the 21 most-cited researchers of 2012. Robert Fulton, a fourth scientist from Washington University School of Medicine and the [[McDonnell Genome Institute]], also made the list.<ref>{{cite web | title = Who and What Was Hot in Scientific Research in 2012 | url = http://sciencewatch.com/articles/hottest-research-2012  | accessdate = 5 June 2013}}</ref>

===Research advances===

Researchers affiliated with Siteman and/or Washington University School of Medicine have pioneered important advances in cancer research, prevention, education and treatment. Highlights and ongoing studies include these projects:

'''2018 — Personalized brain cancer vaccines'''

* In a clinical trial to test the effectiveness of a [[glioblastoma]] vaccine, some patients "lived significantly longer" - up to seven years longer - than most people who are diagnosed with the brain cancer. Researchers developed personalized vaccines for each patient, removing as much of the brain tumor as possible, then combining pieces of the tumor with cells from the patient's immune system. This "trains" the immune cells to attack tumor cells.<ref>{{cite news |last=Berson |first=Scott |date=30 May 2018 |title=Scientists created a brain-cancer vaccine - and so far it's 'remarkably promising' |url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/national/article212173189.html |work=The McClatchy Company/Miami Herald |accessdate=14 August 2018}}</ref>

'''2017 — CAR-T cell therapy and using Zika virus to fight brain cancer'''

* In a clinical trial at Siteman, at least 16 of 20 people who received a new treatment called CAR-T cell therapy saw their cancers disappear after treatment. The patients had previously failed standard therapies.<ref>{{cite news |last= Bernhard |first= Blythe |date= 19 August 2017 |title= New treatment for deadly blood cancers expected to be approved soon |url= http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/new-treatment-for-deadly-blood-cancers-expected-to-be-approved/article_14a09d12-5eea-5c3f-94bd-2a216e1eb58f.html |newspaper= St. Louis Post-Dispatch |access-date= 3 October 2017}}</ref> The therapy, [[Axicabtagene ciloleucel]], received FDA approval on Oct. 18, 2017.<ref>{{cite news |last= McGinley |first= Laurie |date= 18 October 2017 |title= Cutting-edge immunotherapy treatment approved for another deadly cancer |url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2017/10/19/cutting-edge-immunotherapy-treatment-approved-for-yet-another-deadly-cancer |newspaper= The Washington Post |access-date= 25 October 2017}}</ref>
* While Zika virus causes devastating damage to the brains of developing fetuses, it one day may be an effective treatment for glioblastoma, a deadly form of brain cancer. Joint research from Washington University School of Medicine and [[UC San Diego School of Medicine]] shows that the virus kills brain cancer stem cells, the kind of cells most resistant to standard treatments.<ref>{{cite news |last= Roberts |first= Michelle |date= 5 September 2017 |title= Zika virus used to treat aggressive brain cancer |url= http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/new-treatment-for-deadly-blood-cancers-expected-to-be-approved/article_14a09d12-5eea-5c3f-94bd-2a216e1eb58f.html |newspaper= St. Louis Post-Dispatch |access-date= 3 October 2017}}</ref>

'''2016 — Chemotherapy for brain tumors'''

* Neurosurgeons using lasers to treat brain cancer discover that the technique breaks down the blood-brain barrier for about four weeks, allowing them to use chemotherapy to treat the tumor. A clinical trial is still ongoing, but Eric C. Leuthardt, M.D., considers the initial results promising.<ref>{{cite news |last= Gruber |first= Ben |date= 4 May 2016 |title= Laser brain cancer treatment may bring extra advantage |url= https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-cancer-brain-idUSKCN0XV28A |newspaper= Reuters |access-date= 13 May 2016}}</ref>

'''2015 — Melanoma vaccine and urine test for kidney cancer'''

* In a proof of concept study, a research team led by Beatriz Carreno, Ph.D., shows that personalized medicine can "wake up" the immune systems of melanoma patients. Further study needs to be done to see if the customized vaccines can prevent recurrence in patients with advanced melanoma.<ref>{{cite news |last= Norton |first= Amy |date= 2 April 2015 |title= Experimental Melanoma Vaccine Shows Early Promise |url= http://consumer.healthday.com/cancer-information-5/mis-cancer-news-102/experimental-melanoma-vaccine-shows-early-promise-698026.html |newspaper= HealthDay |access-date= 14 September 2015}}</ref>
* A urine-based screening test is found to be more than 95 percent accurate in identifying early-stage kidney cancer, according to a study led by Evan Kharasch.<ref>{{cite news |date= 20 March 2015 |title= Urine Test Shows Promise for Early Diagnosis of Kidney Cancer |url= http://consumer.healthday.com/cancer-information-5/kidney-cancer-news-431/urine-test-shows-promise-for-early-diagnosis-of-kidney-cancer-697607.html |newspaper= HealthDay |access-date= 14 September 2015}}</ref>

'''2014 — Breast cancer vaccine and cancer goggles'''

* A breast cancer vaccine developed by William Gillanders is shown to activate the immune system to fight tumor cells and slow down cancer progression. The vaccine, which targets [[mammaglobin-A]], a protein expressed in breast tumors, involved very few side effects.<ref>{{cite news |last= Mahesh |first= Roshni |date= 2 December 2014 |title= Vaccine to Slow Down Metastatic Breast Cancer |url= http://www.ibtimes.co.in/vaccine-slow-down-metastatic-breast-cancer-615771 |newspaper= International Business Times |access-date= 14 September 2015}}</ref>
* High-tech goggles developed by [[Samuel Achilefu]] help surgeons see cancer cells in real time. The technology, which includes a digital display, infrared light and use of an intravenous dye, could negate the need for follow-up surgeries due to undetected cancer cells.<ref>{{cite news |last= Mintz |first= Joe |date= 11 February 2014 |title= New Glasses Makes Sure 'No Cancer Is Left Behind,' Causes Malignant Cells To Glow Blue |url= http://www.ibtimes.com/new-glasses-makes-sure-no-cancer-left-behind-causes-malignant-cells-glow-blue-photo-1554755 |newspaper= International Business Times |access-date= 14 September 2015}}</ref>

'''2013 — Endometrial cancer and leukemia'''

* In separate studies, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine and the [[McDonnell Genome Institute]] help identify major genetic mutations that promote [[endometrial cancer]] and [[acute myeloid leukemia]]. The research, part of [[The Cancer Genome Atlas]] project, provides new information that could change treatments for patients and aid drug development.<ref>{{cite news | last = Winslow | first = Ron | title = Genomic Studies Unlock Details on Two Cancers | newspaper = The Wall Street Journal | date = 1 May 2013 | url = https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887324582004578456701717954658 | accessdate = 1 May 2013}}</ref>

'''2012 — Leukemia, breast cancer research and cancer prevention'''

* Siteman leukemia doctor Lukas Wartman who was diagnosed with the disease himself, goes into remission for an unprecedented third time after [[Timothy Ley]] and his colleagues at the [[McDonnell Genome Institute]] sequenced Wartman's cancerous and normal genes. Researchers also analyzed his [[RNA]]. By doing so, his treatment team, which includes John DiPersio deputy director of Siteman, discovered that a normal gene might be contributing to the growth of Wartman's cancer by producing mass amounts of a certain protein. They found that a drug used to treat a type of kidney cancer was able to inhibit the gene.<ref>{{cite news | last = Kolata | first = Gina | title = In Treatment for Leukemia, Glimpses of the Future | newspaper = The New York Times | date = 7 July 2012 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/08/health/in-gene-sequencing-treatment-for-leukemia-glimpses-of-the-future.html?pagewanted=all | accessdate = 20 July 2012 }}{{cite episode | title = Frontiers in Cancer Research | url = http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/12455 | series = Charlie Rose | network = PBS | location = New York | airdate = 17 July 2012 | minutes = 28 | access-date = 2012-07-20 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120721201331/http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/12455 | archive-date = 2012-07-21 | url-status = dead }}</ref>
* Scientists including Matthew Ellis use [[whole genome sequencing]] to compare differences between the [[DNA]] of breast cancer tumors and healthy cells in 46 women. While revealing the complexity of the disease, the analysis suggests routes to personalized medicine that may have a greater probability of healing patients.<ref>{{cite news | title = Gene therapy: Genetic mutations predict which cancers will respond to treatment | newspaper = The Economist | date = 16 June 2012 | url = http://www.economist.com/node/21556896 | accessdate = 16 June 2012}}</ref>
* Building on his research for the [[Nurses Health Study]] and [[Growing Up Today Study]],<ref>{{cite news | title = In Nurses' Lives, a Treasure Trove of Health Data | newspaper = The New York Times | date = 15 September 1998 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1998/09/15/science/in-nurses-lives-a-treasure-trove-of-health-data.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm | accessdate = 29 June 2012}}</ref> [[Graham Colditz]] continues to examine links between cancer and alcohol use,<ref>{{cite news | last = Dohney | first = Kathleen | title = Teen Drinking May Boost Odds of Precancerous Breast Changes | publisher = HealthDay News and U.S. News & World Report | date = 9 April 2011 | url = http://health.usnews.com/health-news/news/articles/2012/04/09/teen-drinking-may-boost-odds-of-precancerous--breast-changes | accessdate = 16 April 2012}}</ref> diet, exercise and other factors<ref>{{cite magazine | last = Harmon | first = Katherine | title = U.S. Cancer Rates Could Be Cut in Half Today Based on What's Already Known | magazine = Scientific American | date = 28 March 2011 | url = http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/2012/03/28/u-s-cancer-rates-could-be-cut-in-half-today-based-on-whats-already-known/?WT.mc_id=SA_syn_HuffPo | accessdate = 16 April 2012}}</ref> and what individuals and communities can do to reduce disease risk. In a 2012 paper, Colditz argues that half of all cancer cases can be prevented, thereby saving more than 280,000 people in 2011, and that individuals, medical and health experts, government officials and others must start taking already known steps to reduce cancer's impact.<ref>{{cite news | last = Harmon | first = Katherine | title = U.S. Cancer Rates Could Be Cut in Half Today Based on What's Already Known | newspaper = Scientific American | date = March 2012 | url = http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/2012/03/28/u-s-cancer-rates-could-be-cut-in-half-today-based-on-whats-already-known/ | accessdate = 6 April 2012}}</ref>

'''2011 — Blood-related cancers'''

* Siteman completes its 5,000th [[hematopoietic stem cell transplantation]], a common therapy for patients with blood-related cancers such as [[leukemia]], [[lymphoma]], and [[multiple myeloma]] or another blood-related cancer.<ref>{{cite news | last = Gamble | first = Molly | title = 70 Hospitals and Health Systems With Great Oncology Programs | newspaper = Becker’s Hospital Review | date = 18 January 2012 | url = http://www.beckershospitalreview.com/lists/hospitals-and-health-systems-with-great-oncology-programs/all-pages.html  | accessdate = 20 June 2012}}</ref>

'''2010 — Pediatric cancers'''

* Washington University School of Medicine and [[St. Jude Children's Research Hospital]] announce their joint Pediatric Cancer Genome Project to identify the genetic changes that give rise to some of the world's deadliest childhood cancers. The team plans to decode the genomes of more than 600 childhood cancer patients who have contributed tumor samples.<ref>{{cite news | last = Szabo | first = Liz | title = Genetic study targets cancer in kids | newspaper = USA Today | date = 26 January 2010 | url = https://www.usatoday.com/printedition/life/20100126/genome26_st.art.htm | accessdate = 20 June 2012}}</ref>

'''2008 — Genetic sequencing'''

* For the first time, scientists decode all the genes of a cancer patient and find a suite of mutations that might have caused the disease or aided its progression. [[Timothy Ley]], [[Elaine Mardis]], [[Richard K. Wilson]], and their colleagues at [[McDonnell Genome Institute]] say the finding could lead to new therapies and could help doctors make better choices among existing treatments, based on a more detailed genetic picture of each patient's cancer. Though the research involved [[acute myelogenous leukemia]] (AML), the same techniques can also be used to study other cancers.<ref>{{cite news |last=Grady |first=Denise |date=6 November 2008 |title=Experts Decode Cancer Patient's Genes, Seeking Treatment Clues |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/06/health/research/06cancer.html |accessdate=20 July 2012 |newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref>

'''2007 — Nanotechnology and radiation therapy'''

* Gregory Lanza, Samuel Wickline, and researchers in their labs announce the development of [[nanoparticles]], significantly smaller than the width of a human hair, aimed at attacking cancer by locating and "latching on" to tumors. Used in conjunction with [[magnetic resonance imaging]], the nanoparticles could help physicians monitor cancerous tissue and deliver medicine directly to the tumor, not to the rest of the body.<ref>{{cite news | title = Nanoparticles used to track cells | newspaper = UPI | date = 27 July 2007 | url = http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2007/03/27/Nanoparticles-used-to-track-cells/UPI-90741175008534/ | accessdate = 25 July 2012}}</ref>
* Researchers led by Daniel Low and Parag Parikh develop a machine called the 4D Phantom that follows a patient's complex breathing pattern to deliver radiation therapy to tumors that move, such as those in the lung.<ref>{{cite news | last = Melcer | first = Rachel | title = Innovating with Daniel Low | newspaper = St. Louis Post-Dispatch | location = St. Louis | pages = B4 | date = 27 July 2007 }}</ref>

'''2006 — Photoacoustic imaging'''

* Lihong Wang announces his work on [[photoacoustic imaging]], a new technique that uses light and sound to create detailed, color pictures of tumors and organs. The noninvasive imaging technique, which can be performed without the dangers of radiation exposure associated with [[X-ray]] and [[CT scans]], also may help doctors detect cancer earlier than ever before, its developers say.<ref>{{cite video | people = Lihong Wang, Ph.D. | title = New technique brings cancer screening into sharper focus | medium = Web news | publisher = Reuters | location = St. Louis | date = 30 April 2012 | url = https://www.reuters.com/video/2012/04/30/new-technique-brings-cancer-screening-in?videoId=234198822 | accessdate = 25 June 2012}}ß</ref>

'''2003 — Breast cancer'''

* Thalachallour Mohanakumar and other researchers at Siteman develop and test on mice a prototype vaccine that causes cancerous tumors to stop growing, then to shrink. The vaccine, which is being developed to fight breast cancer in humans, helps the immune system target a protein found in 80 percent of breast tumors.<ref>{{cite news | title = Breast cancer vaccine ready for tests soon | newspaper = The Daily Telegraph | date = 10 March 2005 | url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/3315963/Breast-cancer-vaccine-ready-for-tests-soon.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120206144310/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/3315963/Breast-cancer-vaccine-ready-for-tests-soon.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = 6 February 2012 | accessdate = 15 June 2012}}</ref>

'''2001 — Imaging and the immune system's role in controlling cancer'''

* Research led by Joanne Mortimer shows that [[positron emission tomography]] (PET) scans can often identify within two weeks which women with advanced breast cancer are likely to respond to [[hormone therapy]], a gentler alternative to chemotherapy that is usually just as effective.<ref>{{cite news | last = Hesman | first = Tina | title = Scan test may aid choice for breast cancer therapy | newspaper = St. Louis Post-Dispatch | location = St. Louis | pages = C5 | date = 15 June 2001 }}</ref>
* [[Robert D. Schreiber]] and colleagues publish the first evidence that the immune system plays a role in controlling cancer, a process called immunosurveillance.<ref>{{cite news | last = Siegel | first = Judy | title = Immune system shown to prevent and shape cancer susceptibility | newspaper = The Jerusalem Post | location = Jerusalem | pages = 4 | date = 29 April 2001 }}</ref> In 2007, they find in mice that some cancers are kept in a state of "equilibrium," which leads them to suggest that one day [[immunotherapy]] may convert cancer into a chronic but controllable disease.<ref>{{cite news | last = Derbyshire | first = David | title = Living your entire life with cancer – Keeping disease dormant | newspaper = The Daily Telegraph | location = Surry Hills, Australia | pages = 25 | date = 21 November 2007 }}</ref>
* Molecular oncologist Howard McLeod announces research on a genetic mutation that affects how well patients will respond to chemotherapy. The findings may make possible a blood test that would determine what dose, or even which drugs, would be most effective for each patient.<ref>{{cite news | title = Cancer Care Tied to Genetic Makeup | newspaper = The Toronto Star | pages = A06 | date = 26 March 2001 }}</ref>

'''1998 — Biopsies'''

* Ralph G. Dacey Jr. performs the world's first magnetic [[stereotactic surgery]] to biopsy a human brain tumor using an indirect route to the tumor. The route is designed to avoid regions that would normally be entered when a surgeon manually inserts a surgical tool straight at a site. The investigational computerized system allows surgeons to carefully manipulate surgical tools inside the brain through the use of a catheter driven by precisely controlled magnetic fields.<ref>{{cite news | title = First magnet-controlled brain surgery performed | newspaper = BBC News | date = 23 December 1998 | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/241244.stm | accessdate = 13 April 2012}}</ref>

'''1994 — Genetic screening test for thyroid cancer'''

* Led in part by [[Helen Donis-Keller]], researchers for the first time develop genetic screening tests that detect a rare, lethal form of [[thyroid cancer]] in the preclinical state, permitting early treatment in children predisposed to the disease. It was the first surgical prevention of cancer based on genetic test results.<ref>{{cite news | last = Signor | first = Roger | title = WU Surgeons Remove Gland, Cancer Threat | newspaper = St. Louis Post-Dispatch | location = St. Louis, Missouri | pages = 1A | date = 29 June 1994 }}</ref>

'''1979 — Bone marrow transplants'''

* As part of a clinical trial, [[leukemia]] patients at Washington University in St. Louis and four other medical centers receive transplants of their healthy bone marrow cells to determine how effective the procedure is in conjunction with chemotherapy and radiation treatment. The new technique would later be called autologous [[hematopoietic stem cell transplantation]].<ref>{{cite news | title = Leukemia Victims Get Own Marrow In Transplants | newspaper = The Washington Post | location = Washington, D.C. | pages = A9 | date = 24 August 1979 }}</ref>

'''Mid-1970s — Imaging'''

* [[Michel Ter-Pogossian]] leads the research that will turn the PET scanner from an intriguing concept to a medical imaging technique used by hospitals and laboratories everywhere to scan the working brain.<ref>{{cite news | last = Saxon | first = Wolfgang | title = Michel M. Ter-Pogossian, 71; Led Research on PET Scanner | newspaper = The New York Times | date = 21 June 1996 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1996/06/21/us/michel-m-ter-pogossian-71-led-research-on-pet-scanner.html | accessdate = 4 April 2012}}{{cite journal | last1 = Ter-Pogossian | first1 = M.M. | last2 = Phelps | first2 = M.E. | last3 = Hoffman | first3 = E.J. | last4 = Mullani | first4 = N.A. | title = A positron-emission transaxial tomograph for nuclear imaging (PETT) | journal = Radiology | volume =  114| issue = 1 | pages = 89–98 | publisher = Radiological Society of North America | location = Philadelphia, Pa.  | date = January 1975  | issn = 0033-8419 | doi = 10.1148/114.1.89 | pmid=1208874}}</ref>
'''1954 — Growth factors and cancer'''

* [[Rita Levi-Montalcini]] and [[Stanley Cohen (biochemist)|Stanley Cohen]] isolate for the first time [[nerve growth factor]], a potent substance that promotes nerve cell growth. The discovery later leads to insights into cancer and birth defects, and in 1986 the two are awarded a [[Nobel Prize]] for their work.<ref>{{cite news | title = The New Nobels | newspaper = Newsweek | pages = 111 | date = 27 October 1986 }}</ref>

'''1946 — Radiocarbon in cancer research'''

* For the first time, the [[United States Department of War]] releases [[carbon-14]] isotopes to a civilian entity, Siteman's predecessor institutions, Barnard Free Skin and Cancer Hospital (founded in 1905) and the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology (founded in 1923), where they are used in cancer studies.<ref>{{cite journal | last = Tilyou | first = Sarah M. | title = History of Nuclear Medicine in St. Louis: A City of Nuclear Medicine Landmarks and Innovators | journal = The Journal of Nuclear Medicine | volume = 30 | issue = 5 | pages = 569–579 | publisher = Society of Nuclear Medicine | location = Reston, Va. | date = May 1989  | url = http://jnm.snmjournals.org/search?submit=yes&pubdate_year=1989&volume=30&firstpage=569&doi=&author1=&author2=&title=&andorexacttitle=and&titleabstract=&andorexacttitleabs=and&fulltext=&andorexactfulltext=and&fmonth=&fyear=&tmonth=&tyear=&journalcode=jnumed&flag=&format=standard&hits=10&sortspec=relevance&submit=yes&submit=Submit | issn = 0161-5505 | accessdate = 13 April 2012}}</ref>

'''1941 — Cyclotron'''

* At the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, construction begins on the first [[cyclotron]] devoted to medical and biological research.<ref>{{cite journal | last = Tilyou | first = Sarah M. | title = History of Nuclear Medicine in St. Louis: A City of Nuclear Medicine Landmarks and Innovators | journal = The Journal of Nuclear Medicine | volume = 30 | issue = 5 | pages = 569–579 | publisher = Society of Nuclear Medicine | location = Reston, Va. | date = May 1989  | url = http://jnm.snmjournals.org/search?submit=yes&pubdate_year=1989&volume=30&firstpage=569&doi=&author1=&author2=&title=&andorexacttitle=and&titleabstract=&andorexacttitleabs=and&fulltext=&andorexactfulltext=and&fmonth=&fyear=&tmonth=&tyear=&journalcode=jnumed&flag=&format=standard&hits=10&sortspec=relevance&submit=yes&submit=Submit | issn = 0161-5505 | accessdate = 13 April 2012}}</ref>

'''1933 — Lung cancer surgery and the disease's link to smoking'''

* [[Evarts Ambrose Graham]] becomes the first surgeon to cure a human case of lung cancer by removing an entire lung during a procedure known as [[pneumonectomy]].<ref>{{cite news | title = Medicine: Death of a Surgeon | newspaper = Time | date = 18 March 1957 | url = http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,809201-2,00.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070930093412/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,809201-2,00.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = September 30, 2007 | accessdate = 6 April 2012}}</ref> In 1950, he and [[Ernst Wynder]] publish the results of the first large-scale research on smoking, linking prolonged cigarette use to lung cancer.<ref>{{Citation | last = White | first = Larry C. | title = Merchants of Death: The American Tobacco Industry | publisher = Beech Tree Books | orig-year = 1988 | date = June 1988 | edition = 1 | isbn = 978-0688067069 | url-access = registration | url = https://archive.org/details/merchantsofdeath00whit }}</ref>

==Cancer prevention and control==

Siteman and Washington University School of Medicine are actively engaged in many projects to prevent cancer in the St. Louis region and across the United States. These efforts include:
* The [[Your Disease Risk]] website, an interactive tool that helps people estimate their risk of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis and stroke, and suggests preventative measures that help lower the likelihood of developing each disease.<ref>{{cite news | title = Health Scan: Scientists learn how colon cancer spreads | newspaper = The Jerusalem Post | date = 23 September 2007 | url = http://www.jpost.com/HealthAndSci-Tech/Health/Article.aspx?id=76039 | accessdate = 15 June 2012}}</ref>
* Zuum, a free [[mobile app]] for [[iPad]] that estimates a person's risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes and other diseases, and offers customized tips for prevention and boosting one's overall health.<ref>{{cite web | title = Zuum – Health Tracker | website=[[iTunes]] | url= https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/zuum-health-tracker/id521273376?mt=8 | accessdate = 26 June 2012}}</ref>
* "Together - Every Woman's Guide to Preventing Breast Cancer," a free e-book for iPads that provides practical, science-based advice for lowering breast cancer risk at nearly every stage of life.<ref>{{cite web | title = TOGETHER - Every Woman's Guide to Preventing Breast Cancer | website=[[iTunes]] | url= https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/together-every-womans-guide/id1020301603?mt=11 | accessdate = 14 September 2015}}</ref>
* Research examining cancer disparities, cancer communications and tobacco use.<ref>{{Cite news | last = Wittenauer | first = Cheryl | title = Mo. Blacks closing racial gap in new cancer cases | newspaper = The Associated Press | location = St. Louis |date = 24 September 2008 | url = http://www.semissourian.com/story/1464327.html | accessdate = 26 June 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Jackson Jr. | first = Harry | title = Black St. Louisans get healthy at church | newspaper = St. Louis Post-Dispatch | date = 23 August 2004 | url = http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SL&p_theme=sl&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_dispstring=%22Black%20St.%20Louisans%20get%20healthy%20at%20church%22 | accessdate = 24 June 2013}}{{subscription required}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news | last = Sheridan | first = Kerry | title = Half of all cancers are preventable: study | newspaper = Agence France Presse | location = Washington, D.C. | date = 28 March 2012 | url = https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iuoQoozpIQ53OFgTHAGLP0EpsN9Q?docId=CNG.26c55fbe5d76c994d00951f5556fe438.2e1 | archive-url = https://archive.today/20130125134007/http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iuoQoozpIQ53OFgTHAGLP0EpsN9Q?docId=CNG.26c55fbe5d76c994d00951f5556fe438.2e1 | url-status = dead | archive-date = January 25, 2013 | accessdate = 26 June 2012}}</ref>

==Education and community outreach==

In addition to treatment and research programs, Siteman is involved with community outreach, education and screening. Efforts include:

* The Program for the Elimination of Cancer Disparities (PECaD), which develops cancer prevention and awareness messages, reports research findings to the community, hosts continuing medical education events and engages in other activities.<ref>{{cite news | last = Gregorian | first = Cynthia Billhartz | title = Researchers target cancer screenings among blacks | newspaper = St. Louis Post-Dispatch | date = 27 October 2010 | url = http://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/health-med-fit/fitness/article_add43c5c-bece-5d13-b935-ca4e3642dada.html | accessdate = 20 July 2012}}</ref>
* Placing information about breast cancer and mammograms in Laundromats, where a study has shown it's more likely to be seen than in other community settings by women who lack access to adequate health care.<ref>{{cite news | last = Jackson Jr. | first = Harry | title = Black St. Louisans get healthy at church | newspaper = St. Louis Post-Dispatch | date = 23 August 2004 | url = http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SL&p_theme=sl&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_dispstring=%22Black%20St.%20Louisans%20get%20healthy%20at%20church%22 | accessdate = 24 June 2013}}{{subscription required}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Kreuter | first1 = Matthew W. | last2 = Alcaraz | first2 = Kassandra I. | last3 = Pfeiffer | first3 = Debra | last4 = Christopher | first4 = Kara | title = Using Dissemination Research to Identify Optimal Community Settings for Tailored Breast Cancer Information Kiosks | journal = Journal of Public Health Management and Practice | volume = 14 | issue = 2 | pages = 160–169 | publisher = Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc. | date = March–April 2008 | doi = 10.1097/01.PHH.0000311895.57831.02 | pmid = 18287923}}</ref>
* A mobile mammography van that offers screenings by appointment in St. Louis and surrounding communities.<ref>{{cite news | title = Charity Race Raised More Than $500,000 to Fight Breast Cancer | newspaper = St. Louis Post-Dispatch | date = 28 October 2000 | url = http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SL&p_theme=sl&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_dispstring=CHARITY%20RACE%20RAISED%20MORE%20THAN%20$%20500,000%20TO%20FIGHT%20BREAST%20CANCER | accessdate = 24 June 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = Mammography Van | publisher= Siteman Cancer Center | url= http://www.siteman.wustl.edu/contentpage.aspx?id=188 | accessdate = 6 April 2012}}</ref>

==Siteman Cancer Network==

In 2017, Siteman Cancer Center launched the Siteman Cancer Network, an affiliation with regional medical centers that is aimed at improving the health of individuals and communities through cancer research, treatment and prevention. Network members are [[BJC HealthCare#Boone Hospital Center|Boone Hospital Center]]'s Stewart Cancer Center in [[Columbia, Missouri]],<ref>{{cite news |last=Jackson Jr. |first=Jodie |date=4 March 2017 |title=Stewart Cancer Center joins new Siteman network |url=http://www.columbiatribune.com/65654686-05b9-50e7-9129-58b2de5be8e4.html |work=Columbia Daily Tribune |accessdate=14 August 2018}}</ref> Phelps Health's Delbert Day Cancer Institute in [[Rolla, Missouri]],<ref>{{cite news |last=Amos |first=Lori |date=26 June 2018 |title=PCRMC advancing treatment in the community |url=http://www.therolladailynews.com/news/20180626/pcrmc-advancing-treatment-in-community |work=Rolla Daily News |accessdate=14 August 2018}}</ref> [[BJC HealthCare#Alton Memorial Hospital|Alton Memorial Hospital]] in [[Alton, Illinois]]<ref>{{cite news |last=Robbins |first=Brian |date=2 May 2019 |title=Siteman continues push into Illinois as Alton hospital joins cancer-treatment network |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news/2019/05/03/siteman-continues-push-into-illinois-as-alton.html |work=St. Louis Business Journal |accessdate=17 May 2019}}</ref> and Southern Illinois Healthcare in [[Carbondale, Illinois]].<ref>{{cite news |last = Halstead |first = Marilyn  |date = 9 December 2020 |title = Southern Illinois Healthcare is now a Siteman Cancer Network affiliate |url = https://thesouthern.com/news/local/southern-illinois-healthcare-is-now-a-siteman-cancer-network-affiliate/article_c20f5c1b-b688-5793-9637-328fb6a9f5f4.html |work = The Southern Illinoisan |accessdate = 30 July 2021}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [http://www.siteman.wustl.edu/ Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center]
* [http://medschool.wustl.edu/ Washington University School of Medicine]
* [http://www.barnesjewish.org/ Barnes-Jewish Hospital]
* [http://www.yourdiseaserisk.wustl.edu/ Your Disease Risk]
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[[Category:Cancer hospitals]]
[[Category:NCI-designated cancer centers]]
[[Category:Academic health science centres]]
[[Category:Medical research institutes in the United States]]
[[Category:Cancer organizations based in the United States]]
[[Category:Teaching hospitals in Missouri]]
[[Category:Hospitals in St. Louis]]
[[Category:Central West End, St. Louis]]
[[Category:Hospitals established in 1999]]
[[Category:1999 establishments in Missouri]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in St. Louis]]
[[Category:Research institutes in Missouri]]