Focus on Uncommon Care

The presence of a large, world class cancer research program such as ours elevates the quality of patient care by providing a level of expertise unavailable at most other medical centers. Patients benefit not only from state-of-the-art medical technology, but also from a cadre of physicians known for their innovative thinking, their in-depth knowledge of emerging research, their focus on the best options for each patient, and a team approach that brings together multiple specialties to consider each case.

In the summer of 2007, a diagnosis of late-stage tongue cancer brought out the best in famed Chicagio chef Grant Achatz, and in the physicians at the University of Chicago Medical Center. standard treatment for stage 4b tongue cancer includes surgical removal of most of the tongue. Determined to keep his sense of taste, however, Achatz looked for physicians capable of providing another option. He found them in chicago's team of head and neck cancer specialists. They developed an aggressive treatment plan for him that combined chemotherapy and radiation. Within a few months, Achatz was cancer free, without the operation that would have threatened his life's work.

Twelve years aftter recovering from a double mastectomy, Shirley Mertz learned that her cancer had returned. she faced stage 4 breast cancer that had spread (metastasized) to her liver and spine. Doctors predicted that she had one year to live. Depite facing some incredible odds, the former high school principal was not ready to give up. She chose Olufunmilayo (Funmi) Olopade, MBBS, FACP, as her oncologist. Dr. Olopade modeled Shirley's treatment regiment on the biology of the tumor, choosing a combination of chemotherapy drugs that specifically targeted her types of cancer cells. Today, tests indicate that Shirley's cancer is in remission.