Everyone knows someone who has battled cancer. The assault on the disease at UAB is happening on many fronts, from petri dishes to population studies that span the globe. We will feature a special wellness series this week by Matt Windsor, taking a look at how this institution is fighting back against the ravaging effects of cancer at home and abroad. 

In Alabama, where cancer rates have historically been among the worst in the nation, Edward Partridge, M.D., has spent more than four decades treating women who have been devastated by ovarian and other gynecological cancers.

He was a medical student at UAB in 1971 when the National Cancer Act designated the first eight comprehensive cancer centers across the country, including one at UAB. He saw basic research in UAB labs pave the way for the development of monoclonal antibody therapies, which are now a mainstay of cancer treatment. He helped lead a grassroots effort to overturn disparities in cancer screening in the Deep South. Because of that work, thousands of women in Alabama’s Black Belt, where Partridge was born and raised, now receive early intervention. Hundreds of thousands more, around the world, may be spared the ravages of cervical cancer thanks to genetic discoveries and vaccines tested in Birmingham.

Edward Partridge (right), director of the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center, with Eddy Yang, the center’s vice chair for translational science. “I believe that by 2050 we can eliminate cancer as a public health problem,” Partridge said. “That doesn’t mean cancer will go away, but that we can treat cancer just like we do other diseases so patients can lead long, productive lives.”

As the director of the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center since 2007, and the 2010 president of the American Cancer Society, Partridge is well suited to gauge scientific progress against the disease. And he is optimistic.

“I believe that by 2050 we can eliminate cancer as a public health problem,” said Partridge, who is also the Evalina B. Spencer Chair in Oncology at UAB. “That doesn’t mean cancer will go away, but that we can treat cancer just like we do other diseases so patients can lead long, productive lives.”

In May, the Cancer Center announced a significant step toward that goal: a five-year, $29-million renewal of its core grant from the National Cancer Institute. The Cancer Center is a massive enterprise, with 242 clinician-scientist members representing 30 departments in nine UAB schools, Partridge explains. Those investigators receive more than $92 million in direct research funding each year — a return on investment of 14 to 1, he points out. And the core grant, which supports crucial shared research facilities and an administrative branch that sets strategic direction, is crucial to that success.

Learn more about initiatives supported by the previous five-year installment of the core grant in this story from UAB News. 

“We are now poised to take our research to the next level and deliver new and advanced treatments to our patients as quickly and safely as possible,” Partridge said. “This critical funding from the NCI helps us get there.“

In August, Becker’s Hospital Review named the Cancer Center one of the nation’s “100 Hospitals and Health Systems with Great Oncology Programs.” The UAB Cancer Center, the only one listed from Alabama, was selected for the 2016 edition for leading the way in clinical expertise, patient outcomes and influential cancer research. Specifically, UAB was noted for offering patients comprehensive cancer care involving teams of specialists, participation in clinical trials and personalized treatment programs.

Becker’s Hospital Review is a monthly publication offering up-to-date business and legal news and analysis relating to hospitals and health systems. It also publishes a number of lists of outstanding facilities and individuals throughout the year.

Hospitals were selected for inclusion on the list based on recognitions received and accreditations earned. The editorial team at Becker’s examined U.S. News & World Report cancer care rankings, CareChex cancer care rankings, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association Blue Distinction Center designation, National Cancer Institute designations, and American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer accreditations and awards.

Tuesday: A professor’s detective work could change cancer treatments around the world.

Wednesday: Patient Care Connect Program provides cancer answers patients need.

Thursday: How a superstar surgeon can make a difference.

Friday: The economic impact of cancer research.