UW Health l Carbone Cancer Center

23/07/2025

More than 350 people recently attended the 2nd annual Celebration of Life reunion - reuniting our stem cell transplant and CAR T-cell therapy survivors, families and friends with members of our program. It was a day filled with emotional memory sharing for patients and staff.

22/07/2025

Thanks to an incredible gathering of supporters, License to Cure raised an astounding $1.4 million to fuel innovative cancer research at UW Health | Carbone Cancer Center.

A huge thank you to our generous hosts, Todd and Shari Nelson and family, for opening their home—and their hearts—for an unforgettable spy-themed evening.

We were honored to welcome special guests Matt Barrie and Laura Rutledge of ESPN, along with Dr. Christian Capitini, acting director of the Carbone Cancer Center, who shared inspiring insights into the impact of this vital work.

We are grateful to Andy and Susan North’s ongoing generosity and commitment. Since its inception in 2009, Andy North and Friends has raised more than $20 million to advance cancer research at Carbone—a true testament to the power of community and compassion.

Together, we’re making strides toward a future free from cancer. Thank you for being part of our mission.

09/07/2025

Cachexia, or significant weight and muscle loss due to illness, is a common problem among pancreatic cancer patients, and the issue is much more complex than getting a patient to eat more.

Cancer cells take nutrients from a person’s body by hijacking the body’s normal signaling pathways and directing that fuel to its own benefit.

“Eventually cachexia becomes a multi-organ disease, where you get lots of the parts of the body that fail,” says Andrea Galmozzi, PhD, a researcher who specializes in metabolic disorders.

Galmozzi and Adam Kuchnia, PhD, a researcher specializing in nutrition and muscle health, are working together to improve early diagnosis and develop targeted treatment to lessen cachexia’s impacts and improve patient survivorship.

Kuchnia’s work focuses on identifying early biomarkers of muscle wasting associated with cachexia that can be seen through clinical imaging. While cachexia is a serious complication, not all patients will develop it, so Kuchnia is comparing imaging in both groups to find the diagnosable warning signs.

Early detection would improve treatment options and help patients maintain their strength to continue treatments. Right now, there is no FDA-approved treatment to cure cancer-related cachexia. Instead, treatments are focused on increasing patient appetite and eating high protein and high calorie foods.

Their research is supported in part by money raised through the annual Roll & Stroll for Pancreas Cancer fundraiser, happening this year on August 10 at Capital Brewery in Middleton, WI. This family-friendly event is organized by the Pancreas Cancer Task Force, a volunteer group of cancer survivors, caregivers and advocates who support new research as well as patient services at Carbone.

Learn more: https://uw.health/3GFekw6

25/06/2025

In 2022 Murla (second from left) was diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer. She underwent chemotherapy, radiation and immunotherapy.

Following treatment, she knew she had been given a second chance and decided to earn her GED at Madison College.

Her oncologist, Dr. Toby Campbell, says, “Murla serves as a source of inspiration to many people.” Two of those people are her sisters who also joined her in getting their own GEDs. Earlier this month, all three sisters graduated. Tracy Kussmaul, nurse navigator who worked with Murla during her treatment, was there to cheer on her graduation as well.

From stage 3 to the graduation stage, congratulations Murla!

24/06/2025

Our annual event reuniting stem cell transplant, CAR-T cell therapy survivors, family and friends is scheduled for Saturday, July 19. If you misplaced your invite or didn't receive one, please register by July 10: https://uw.health/3TqDCBf

11/06/2025

Scott was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor in late 2024. Seeking another opinion, his son Todd, a UW graduate, suggested he go to UW Health | Carbone Cancer Center based on his family’s support of Garding Against Cancer. Todd had met retired Carbone Cancer Center Director Dr. Howard Bailey through this annual event and reached out to him for advice. Bailey suggested a meeting with the Neuro-Oncology Clinic at Carbone to explore options.

Dr. Mustafa Baskaya, a specialist in complex brain tumors, reviewed Scott’s scans and saw the tumor, an aggressive high-grade glioma, was growing very close to the speech center in his brain. However, Baskaya believed Scott was a good candidate for surgery and that it would improve his quality of life and life expectancy.

In Scott’s case, the neurosurgery and anesthesiology teams planned for Scott to be awake during the surgery so that he could be asked and respond to questions. Because the tumor was so close to the speech center of his brain, Baskaya removed the tumor piece by piece to make sure Scott’s ability to understand and respond were not affected by what was removed in each point.

The tumor was completely removed along with some surrounding tissue where the cancer may have spread and could form new lesions. Because of that risk of new spread, Scott also took oral chemotherapy and underwent radiation treatments five days a week over the course of six weeks.

Todd urges anyone with a cancer diagnosis to contact Carbone to provide an expert review and explore all treatment options available.

“I think my dad’s story is about being your own biggest advocate,” he says. “I know a lot of people get second opinions, but some don't.

05/06/2025

Scott was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer in late 2011. The metastatic cancer had spread extensively into his liver and was considered unresectable, or not able to be removed by surgery.

Medical oncologist Michael Eastman determined that he was eligible for a clinical trial testing a combination of chemotherapy with a drug that cuts off blood supply to tumors. Scott began this treatment in December 2011 and responded very well. After finishing the chemotherapy in March 2012, he was eligible for surgery.

After his initial surgery, six more rounds of chemotherapy, and another surgery to return his colon to normal function, Scott has been cancer-free for 12 years with no recurrence. He reconnected with his oncologist Dr. Sharon Weber in May 2024 and thanked her once again. “At the stage I was diagnosed, results of the work usually prolong life for a few months,” he says. “I was able to thank her in person 12 years later.”

Dr. Weber tells her patients to be open to clinical trials during their treatment and uses Scott’s outcome as a story of hope.

“Scott’s cancer started out as totally unresectable, which meant not curable,” Weber says. “Clinical trials are available in major cancer centers and help us understand what the best treatments are for the next generation of patients. It’s probably because Scott agreed to enter that clinical trial and had such a great response to it that he was able to have his tumors removed and be cured of his very advanced colorectal cancer.”

01/06/2025

Honoring all cancer survivors on National Cancer Survivors Day. Today, we highlight your strength, raise awareness about the ongoing challenges faced by all survivors and inspire hope for the future. 💪❤️

27/05/2025

Yoga 4 Cancer is a group medical visit that features modified yoga poses and calming techniques specifically geared to cancer survivors’ physical capabilities and emotional needs. The next session begins on June 18. Learn more about group medical visits and how to register: https://uw.health/3CQYxZt

23/05/2025

Several local high school students became physician scientists for a day during a recent visit to Dr. Jane Churpek's lab. As part of the Health Occupations and Professional Exploration program, students were challenged to diagnose a "patient" by listening to their symptoms and family history and conducting critical lab work to uncover the mystery illness.

With limited time and budget, small groups had to strategize the most effective way to reach a diagnosis. The Churpek Lab team set up interactive, hands-on stations where students could track possible inherited disease risks, test the patient's "blood" sample to see how it clots, examine the "blood" smear under a microscope, and review DNA results for possible genetic mutations.

By piecing together their findings, students solved a realistic medical mystery. They gained insight into how physician scientists use genetics, lab testing, and clinical reasoning to diagnose hereditary diseases.

UW Health Career Pathways inspires the next generation of health care workers and scientists by bringing students into clinics and labs to see these careers in action and provide mentorship for their educational path.

23/05/2025

Sexual dysfunction is an extremely common issue for women who have gone through cancer treatment, though the topic may be difficult for some to talk about. The Women’s Integrative Sexual Health (WISH) program at UW Health aims to empower female cancer survivors to seek out their options for improved sexual health.

The UW Health Women's Integrative Sexual Health (WISH) program offers a range of resources, education, support and treatment options to help cancer patients

13/05/2025

Clinical trials are a significant step in bringing lab discoveries to patient care. Our multidisciplinary team of experts and state-of-the-art facilities means we can host trials that are only available at a few sites nationally and globally, making Carbone a destination for emerging cancer care options.

Carbone Cancer Center's Early Phase Oncology Therapeutics team oversees emerging treatment research, spanning all cancers from a wide range of specialties.