Division of Hematology/Oncology and Palliative Care
About the division |Contact information
Faculty members | Clinical research areas | Research areas
Fellowship training programs | Other points of interest
About the Division of Hematology/Oncology and Palliative Care
The Hematology/Oncology and Palliative Care Division constitutes a specialized group that provides for the unique medical and supportive care needs of patients in the greater Richmond area and throughout the state of Virginia. As part of the Massey Cancer Center, a National Cancer Institute designated cancer center, our members are also involved in developing the latest treatments by making new discoveries and translating their research findings into new treatment options for patients. Each member of our diverse faculty contributes his or her own brand of expertise and experience to our patient care, research, and teaching missions. A collaborative environment among division faculty, and with other specialists, provides a comprehensive approach to patient care and physician training.
Inpatient clinical services offered at the VCU Medical Center includes a 20-bed specialty floor in the Critical Care Hospital, a 21-bed Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit and the 11-bed Thomas Palliative Care Unit. Outpatient services are provided at our flagship location adjacent to the hospital housing our inpatient services and at our suburban practice at Stony Point. The Massey Cancer Center also provides a number of multidisciplinary programs, including the Chest Tumor Center, Breast Health Center, the Hematologic Malignancy Clinic, and the Pain and Symptom Management Program. Regular Hemostasis and Thrombosis and Sickle Cell Anemia clinics are provided as well. Several of our faculty members work in conjunction with the McGuire Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Several of our physicians also travel to Rappahannock and Emporia to provide patient services at hospitals as part of Massey’s Rural Cancer Outreach Program.
Teaching and training are core components of our practice. Seasoned faculty members are often paired with young physicians training in the hematology/oncology or palliative care specialties. These learning relationships help keep our division up-to-date on the latest advancements in the field and reinforce key concepts. The didactics curriculum allows faculty and trainees to review all areas of the specialty, and weekly conferences provide an opportunity to hear experts on specific topics and to learn about clinical research in the field. Practice-based learning and improvement conferences take place weekly, and regularly scheduled journal clubs provide a forum for nuanced discussion of the most recently published data. In addition, the Thomas Palliative Care Program offers clinical training for practicing health care professionals through the Center to Advance Palliative Care Leadership Program and the Virginia Initiative for Palliative Care.
Division Contact Information
1101 East Marshall Street
P.O. Box 980230
Richmond, VA 23298-0230
Phone: (804) 828-9723
Fax: (804) 828-8079
Division Chair
Steven R. Grossman, M.D.
Dianne Nunnally-Hoppes Endowed Chair in Cancer Research
Phone: (804) 828-5662
E-mail: srgrossman@vcu.edu
Division Administrator
Jerry Riggins
Phone: (804) 828-9643
E-mail: jriggins@vcu.edu
Fellowship Program Director
Christian Barrett, M.D.
Phone: (804) 828-9802
E-mail: jbarrett@vcu.edu
Hospice & Palliative Medicine Fellowship Program Director
Laurie Lyckholm, M.D., FACP
Phone: (804) 828-9766
E-mail: lyckholm@vcu.edu
Fellowship Coordinator
Rachel Ferguson
Phone: (804) 628-5016
E-mail: rferguson@vcu.edu
Faculty Members
Faculty members within the division are based in two primary locations: The VCU Medical Center and the McGuire Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Faculty collaborate with various departments at VCU Medical Center to advance patient care, research, and teaching in the fields of oncology, hematology and palliative care.
Clinical Research Areas
The division is involved in clinical trials and oncology-related palliative care. Most cancer-related clinical trials are conducted in collaboration with the Massey Cancer Center, a National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center. Current activities include initial (phase 1) clinical investigations of new agents, and participation in definitive, multi-institutional studies of new agents or approaches to treatment and prevention. We are members of the Cancer and Leukemia Group B, National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Program, the Community Clinical Oncology Program, North Central Cancer Treatment Group, and other research organizations. A major emphasis is placed on the translation of divisional laboratory research into Phase I and Phase II clinical studies, and the enrollment of patients in therapeutic clinical trials. The division also has ongoing programs in clinical research related to hemostasis and thrombosis, pain and symptom management, health literacy and patient-provider communication.
Research Areas
Basic Research
Hematology/oncology laboratories offer strong basic research programs that focus on the molecular level. A major research focus is directed at understanding the role of signal transduction processes in the regulation of apoptosis, or programmed cell death, in cancer cells, with a view toward developing novel clinical approaches to therapy of hematological malignancies and solid tumors. These strategies emphasize the rational combination of targeted agents that interrupt complementary survival signaling and cell cycle regulatory pathways. Numerous multi-institutional Phase I and II trials have emerged from such preclinical studies.
Health Services Research
Faculty in the Division of Hematology/Oncology and Palliative Care are nationally recognized for their health services research. Issues addressed include the quality of cancer care, treatment costs, cost-effectiveness, and the delivery of care to rural populations. They work with the American Society of Clinical Oncology, National Quality Forum, and other national organizations to develop practice guidelines and make important contributions in the technological assessment of novel approaches to cancer treatment. Special expertise has developed in the measurement of costs and clinical management of death, dying and patterns of care in medically under-served and indigent patients. A growing research program explores patient-family-healthcare provider communication and consequences.
Fellowship Training Programs
The division provides comprehensive clinical training in hematology, medical oncology and palliative care. Research training in preparation for academic careers is encouraged and is available in both areas of focus.
Our fellowship programs:
Other Points of Interest
Cancer Prevention and Control
The faculty members of the Division of Hematology/Oncology and Palliative Care are engaged in multidisciplinary prevention initiatives addressing a wide range of issues. Among these concerns are nutritional and behavioral intervention, community/provider health behavior, cancer screening and cancer epidemiology. The Massey Cancer Center also participates in large multi-center trials of Tamoxifen, Proscar and Aspirin as chemo preventive agents for breast, prostrate and colorectal cancer. Researchers are also studying communication issues such as patient-provider interaction, cultural differences in the understanding and use of palliative care and cancer treatment and the ways in which patients make decisions about cancer treatment.
2009/01/27
Massey Cancer Center website