Baylor Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center Adds Renowned Cancer Researcher

Dr. Daniel Von Hoff will guide Innovative Clinical Trials Center, Precision Medicine

DALLAS, Jan. 25, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Daniel Von Hoff, MD, is working with Baylor Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center at Dallas as it develops its Innovative Clinical Trials Center (ICTC). Dr. Von Hoff, who served on President George W. Bush's National Cancer Advisory Board, is an internationally renowned cancer researcher who has played a role in the development of more than 200 cancer drugs.

"We're very excited about working with Dr. Von Hoff and building upon our already robust cancer research programs," says Alan M. Miller, MD, PhD, chief of oncology for Baylor Health Care System and medical director of Baylor Sammons Cancer Center. "He is a leader in precision medicine–sometimes called personalized medicine–which tailors cancer treatment to the biology and genetics of each individual patient's tumor. Precision medicine will be one of the primary focuses of researchers at the ICTC."

The research facility will be located within Baylor's new, 467,000 square-foot outpatient cancer center opening in March.  When it opens, it will be the largest outpatient cancer center in North Texas. Dr. Miller says that the ICTC will be the centerpiece of cancer clinical research at Baylor, offering treatments that may not be available anywhere else, or may be available only at a limited number of facilities in the world.

"The ICTC will be the home of our Phase I clinical trials, which provide patients with the option to participate in clinical research, especially those patients whose cancers have resisted standard treatments," explains Dr. Miller. These early trials also will advance knowledge in the field of cancer treatment, hopefully leading to treatments that become available to all patients in the future.

Besides helping guide Baylor's precision medicine program, Dr. Van Hoff will assist Baylor investigators in identifying and bringing promising clinical trials and studies to Baylor, as well as help recruit physician scientists to ICTC.

Dr. Von Hoff is currently physician-in-chief at the Translational Drug Development Institute in Phoenix and also chief scientific officer for both Scottsdale Healthcare and US Oncology. Last year, he received the Karnofsky Award from the American Society of Clinical Oncology for his contributions to the treatment of cancer patients.

About Baylor Health Care System

Baylor Health Care System is a not-for-profit, faith-based supporting organization providing services to a network of acute care hospitals and related health care entities that provide patient care, medical education, research and community service. Baylor recorded more than 2.6 million patient encounters, $3.8 billion in total operating revenue, $4.4 billion in total assets and $513.5 million in community benefit in fiscal year 2010.  Baylor's network of more than 260 access points includes 26 owned/operated/ ventured/affiliated hospitals, 23 joint ventured ambulatory surgical centers, 50 satellite outpatient locations, four senior centers and 156 HealthTexas physician clinics.

SOURCE Baylor Health Care System