UK Markey Cancer Center

09/10/2025

Did you know that whether someone smokes at the time of a lung cancer diagnosis can have such a big impact on survival that it may need to be included in cancer staging?🫁

A new international study co-authored by Dr. Graham Warren at the UK Markey Cancer Center found that patients who smoke or formerly smoked have significantly lower survival rates than those who never smoked, even within the same cancer stage.

This research could change how lung cancer is diagnosed and treated around the world, while also highlighting how important quitting smoking is for improving outcomes.

Learn more about this groundbreaking study ➡️ https://uknow.uky.edu/research/smoking-status-should-influence-lung-cancer-staging-new-study-shows

09/08/2025

Big news for our hometown! Lexington has been nominated for Southern Living’s South’s Best Cities and College Towns. At the Markey Cancer Center, we’re proud to call Lexington home. A place where cutting-edge cancer research, exceptional care, and incredible community spirit come together. 💙 Help shine a spotlight on Lexington and show the South why there’s no place like it. Cast your vote by September 30!
👉 Learn more + vote here: https://bit.ly/3VtJ0US

09/05/2025

UK Markey Cancer Center 's Dr. Ren Xu shares what inspired him to become a cancer researcher and his passion for advancing breast cancer research. The Why We CARE video series highlights the inspiring people behind cancer research and shares what drives their work. Advancing research impacts the communities that Markey serves.

Watch the full video https://bit.ly/3HMFJgu

Hear about research opportunities with Markey Cancer Center – Join the Markey Cancer Center Research Interest List bit.ly/MarkeyResearch

Hear about research opportunities in Kentucky and beyond – Sign up for ResearchMatch https://www.researchmatch.org/?rm=mcc3

09/05/2025

🌟 Congratulations to Dr. Krystle Kuhs, UK College of Public Health professor and Markey Cancer Center researcher, on being named a 2025–26 University Research Professor!

With this recognition, Dr. Kuhs will continue to advance her research, partnering with the National Cancer Institute, and work to bring new screening tools to patients across Kentucky. 💙Her group has developed a new screening method that may help detect throat cancer early, before symptoms appear, giving more patients a chance at life-saving treatment.

📖 Learn more about her honor and innovative research:https://bit.ly/3JLs6hX

09/04/2025

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Terra Armstrong, MS, LGC, is a licensed genetic counselor at the UK Markey Cancer Center. She helps patients and families understand how genetics may play a role in their cancer risk and guides them through genetic testing and counseling.
By combining compassion with expertise, Terra empowers patients to make informed decisions about their care and their future.
Learn more about cancer genetic counseling at Markey and how Terra contributes➡️ https://bit.ly/3VoVWva

09/03/2025

As kids return to classrooms, it’s a good time to take action against future cancers. The HPV vaccine is recommended for kids ages 9–12 and helps prevent 6 types of cancer. It’s safe, effective, and belongs on every parent’s back-to-school to-do list.

09/03/2025

💡 New hope for patients with advanced prostate cancer.
Researchers at the UK Markey Cancer Center have identified a cellular pathway that drives drug-resistant prostate cancer, opening the door to new treatment possibilities.

The study, led by Dr. Ka Wing Fong and published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, found that blocking a protein called RSK1 disrupts tumor growth, even in cancers that no longer respond to current therapies.

This breakthrough could pave the way for new treatment strategies for patients with limited options. 💙

🔗 Read more: https://bit.ly/4mIJ9Qu

09/02/2025

👏 Congratulations to Dr. Eric Durbin, DrPH, associate professor in the UK College of Medicine and director of the Kentucky Cancer Registry, on being named president of the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries (NAACCR).

With more than 35 years of experience in population-based cancer surveillance, Dr. Durbin is helping to modernize cancer data collection through innovations like electronic health records and artificial intelligence, work that will advance cancer research and care across the U.S. and Canada.

We’re proud to see his leadership recognized on the national stage.

💙Read more about his vision: https://bit.ly/4g4fAq3

09/01/2025

This Labor Day, we celebrate and thank the incredible staff of the UK Markey Cancer Center.
From our physicians and nurses to our researchers, support teams, and everyone in between, your dedication, compassion, and expertise bring hope to patients and families every single day.
Today and every day, we honor the people who make Markey’s mission possible.💙

08/29/2025

Dr. John D'Orazio with UK Markey Cancer Center shares his journey to becoming a pediatric oncologist and scientist fueled by a passion to improve outcomes for young cancer patients. The Why We CARE video series highlights the inspiring people behind cancer research at Markey Cancer Center—sharing what drives their work and why it matters to the communities they serve. Building trust in cancer research starts with telling the stories behind it.

Watch full video https://youtu.be/kko3M8PRzuI
Sign-up and hear about research opportunities at Markey Cancer Center – https://bit.ly/MarkeyResearch
Sign-up and hear about research opportunities in Kentucky and beyond – https://www.researchmatch.org/?rm=mcc3

08/28/2025

👋 Dr. Avinash S. Bhakta, MD
Dr. Bhakta is a colore**al surgeon at UK Markey Cancer Center and Associate Professor of Surgery. He specializes in treating appendix, colon, re**al, and a**l cancers, providing compassionate and individualized surgical care.
Patients consistently praise his expertise and bedside manner:
“Dr. Bhakta is top notch. He is very personable. Even when delivering less than welcomed news, he has a calming effect.”
📍 Learn more about Dr. Bhakta: https://ukhealthcare.uky.edu/researchers-doctors/avinash-bhakta

08/27/2025

Coach Mark Pope and members of the Kentucky Men's Basketball visited the Kentucky Cancer Program- East mega lung exhibit at an event hosted by Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH) in Hazard. Lung cancer screening saves lives. There's so much hope with early detection and we are grateful Coach Pope stopped by to learn how we can encourage Kentuckians to get screened.
Anyone who is at high risk for lung cancer qualifies for screening.

Your doctor can order a lung cancer screening for you. Low-dose CT screening is recommended if you meet all of these criteria:
- Adult age 50–80
- Have a 20 “pack year” or more smoking history - this equates to an average of one pack per day for 20 years or two packs per day for 10 years. (A “pack year” is a way to quantify to***co exposure.)
- You currently smoke or quit within the past 15 years

08/22/2025

The University of Kentucky Center of Excellence in Rural Health will host the 10th Annual Kentucky Rural Telehealth Summit on Sept. 25 at the Administrative Office of the Courts in Frankfort, Ky.

Learn more and register 👇

The University of Kentucky Center of Excellence in Rural Health (UK CERH) will host the 10th Annual Kentucky Rural Telehealth Summit on Sept. 25 in Frankfort, Ky.

08/22/2025

The UK College of Dentistry recently hosted more than 400 orthodontic residents from across the U.S. and Canada for the 36th annual Graduate Orthodontic Residents Program.

"It’s a great feeling to be able to show off our campus and the Lexington area.”

The University of Kentucky College of Dentistry hosted over 400 orthodontic residents from across the U.S. and Canada for the 36th annual Graduate Orthodontic Residents Program (GORP).

08/21/2025

At the foundation of UK’s Neuroscience Research Priority Area is the belief that an environment that promotes dedicated research and teamwork enhances problem-solving, accelerates learning, promotes creativity and builds stronger relationships.

Kentucky Neuroscience Institute Research team is working together across campus to turn scientific discoveries into real treatments that improve brain health and help patients in Kentucky and beyond.

08/21/2025

Up to one-third of stroke survivors go on to develop dementia and cognitive impairment. But is it possible to predict, at the time of a stroke, who will have the best cognitive recovery?

That’s a question neuropsychologist Dr. Jordan Harp hopes to answer.

UK researchers are studying stroke-related brain changes to better predict who is at risk for dementia and aim to improve recovery, especially for patients in rural and Appalachian areas.

08/21/2025

UK HealthCare has implemented a powerful new tool in the ongoing effort to save lives through organ donation: a seamless registration feature within the MyChart patient portal.

Learn more, including how to easily navigate the registration process in MyChart 👇

UK HealthCare UK HealthCare launches new organ donation sign-up through MyChart By Jared Holt Wednesday Video provided by UK HealthCare Corporate Communications LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 20, 2025) — UK HealthCare has implemented a powerful new tool in the ongoing effort to save lives through organ dona...

08/20/2025

UK HealthCare was designated as a Magnet organization in 2016 and 2021 by the ANCC Magnet Recognition Program® and we are now applying for redesignation. We invite patients, family members, staff, and other interested parties to provide feedback via email or direct mail by Sept. 19, 2025.

Read our official public notice announcement with full details.

08/20/2025

On this episode of “Behind the Blue,” Dr. Larry Goldstein talks about the origins of the Department of Neurology in the UK College of Medicine and its evolution into a leader in patient care, education and research.

UK HealthCare ‘Behind the Blue’: Larry Goldstein on 60 years of neurology at UK By Kody Kiser and Rick Childress Monday LEXINGTON, Ky. (August 18, 2025) – The University of Kentucky College of Medicine’s Department of Neurology is marking its 60th anniversary, celebrating a legacy that began...

08/19/2025

Dr. Brooke Hudspeth, UK College of Pharmacy Chief Practice Officer, shares what you should know about two common new weight-loss drugs.

You’ve likely heard about glucagon-like peptide-1 agonists — commonly referred to as GLP-1 medications, and more widely recognized through pharmaceutical brand names like Ozempic and Mounjaro.

08/19/2025

Our robust and growing epilepsy program has become known for its innovative approach to successful patient assessments. It is the goal of the epilepsy team, the Kentucky Neuroscience Institute and the UK HealthCare Comprehensive Epilepsy Program to bridge the treatment gap.

UK’s epilepsy team is using advanced imaging and teamwork to better pinpoint where seizures start in the brain, helping more patients find effective treatments and improve their quality of life.

08/18/2025

Neurologist Dr. Sharoon Qaiser goes beyond the typical history and physical exam for young patients. The director of UK HealthCare’s Children and Young Adult Headache & Research Program asks patients to draw pictures that reflect their headaches and pain.

The Children and Young Adult Headache Research Program is using innovative tools like AI, patient drawings, and new medications to improve diagnosis and treatment for children suffering from migraines, especially in underserved areas.

08/18/2025

Meet Brad Tannen, our new chair of ophthalmology and visual sciences!

08/15/2025

Lisa Buede is among the first patients at UK Markey Cancer Center to benefit from a new treatment approach that uses advanced surgical robots to diagnose and treat early stage lung cancer in one session.

“We’re now able to take patients from ‘you might have cancer’ to ‘your cancer is gone’ in a single day.”

By the time 59-year-old Lisa Buede learned she had stage 1 lung cancer, the tumor was already gone. The UK Markey Cancer Center’s new same-day procedure combines diagnosis and treatment for early stage lung cancers using advanced surgical robots, eliminating weeks of waiting between biopsy and sur...