Jim Finkel was never one to shy away from a challenge. After battling cancer, he’s taking on the Ride to Conquer Cancer.

Jim Finkel was never one to shy away from a challenge.

As a competitive cyclist in the 70s, he rode alongside some of the best cyclists in the world. Jim didn’t know it at the time, but his constant challenges to go faster, work harder, go longer distances, and fuel his body with proper nutrition got him in shape for the greatest challenge of his life – cancer.

“Towards the end of 2012 I was having trouble breathing, either on or off the bike,” says the 61-year-old mechanical engineer. “I was unable to clear my nostrils on the road, and when over-the-counter medications and antibiotics didn’t work, we knew it was time to take the next step toward a proper diagnosis.”

After scopes and scans revealed a tumor in his nasal cavity, Jim’s ear/nose/throat specialist in Delaware performed surgery. The hospital was not able to easily identify the tumor so the tissue samples were sent to the Mayo Clinic. The malignant tumor type was rare, as was the location of the tumor. Typing is important in deciding the treatment course and this tumor was resistant to chemotherapy.

Knowing the type of tumor, and the precision needed to make sure all “margins” were clear, Jim was referred to Penn Medicine’s Abramson Cancer Center by his own doctor, and father in law, who happened to be a retired physician.

“They assured me Dr. Bert O’Malley was the best out there, and the one who could take care of what needed to be done,” says Jim. “Because the tumor was rare, my case made it to the tumor board. This is not an honor you want!”

Jim needed more surgery to be sure the tumor had not spread, and radiation therapy was planned for after. But before his second surgery, he had some time to heal… and get back on the bike.

“My breathing was immediately better following the first surgery and I could not wait to get back on the bike,” he remembers. “While I was permitted to ride, I was told to ‘take it easy,’ which I did, sort of. I kept my maximum pulse to 90% and I turned down the watt rating also to 90%.”

“When it was warm enough to ride outside, I started to kick up my mileage, without pushing it. By the time the second surgery was to take place, I got in a nice 31-mile ride on Sunday, in advance of the Tuesday surgery,” Jim remembers. “The day after the surgery, Dr. O’Malley walked in, looked at me, and said, ‘You look great!’”

Jim’s second surgery was called “clean-up” and was intended to clear out any tissue that was seen as “PET active.” All of the tissue samples came back clean, so he was breathing easier on all fronts once again.

For six weeks after surgery, Jim received radiation therapy at Penn Medicine Valley Forge.

“The treatments were relatively smooth sailing, and the staff was great,” says Jim. “I am nearly bald, but I was told that I might suffer some hair loss, and my only question was ‘How would I know?’”

“Even though I’d started radiation therapy, I was back up to doing at least four hours a week of saddle time on a bike,” says Jim. “Keeping my weight up during treatment was a challenge, but cycling actually helped. Though my sense of taste was dulled, I was used to getting calories back into my body. I knew I had to eat and carefully match my calories taken in to my calories burned. I managed to hold weight throughout the process – eating a lot of Indian food!” Jim jokes.

Now, nearly two years after his journey with cancer started, Jim remains cancer-free and is still cycling like a champ.

In fact, he is joining the Abramson Cancer Center’s Ride to Conquer Cancer, a 2-day, nearly 150 mile bike ride that benefits cancer research at the Abramson Cancer Center.

“I can’t say enough about the Abramson Cancer Center,” says Jim. “My surgeon Dr. O’Malley, my oncologist, Dr. Chip Staddon at Penn Medicine at Radnor, and Dr. Geoffrey Geiger at both the Valley Forge and the Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine always put me as a person in front of me as a patient. Plus the staff at all locations have been phenomenal.”

Jim adds, “I want my story to give others hope.”

Learn more about, or join the Ride to Conquer Cancer here. 

Investigators from Penn Medicine’s Basser Research Center for BRCA present their scientific findings at ASCO.

Early this summer, oncologists from around the world gathered to hear cutting-edge scientific presentations showcasing new findings in oncology at the American Society of Clinical Oncology. Investigators from Penn Medicine’s Basser Research Center for BRCA presented on a range of topics related to hereditary breast and ovarian cancer. 

Multiplex Testing

Katherine L. Nathanson, MD, presented on ‘multiplex testing” for hereditary cancer risk. Historically, individuals with family histories of cancer were told about the individual genes that may be at the root the family’s history of cancer.

For example, a 40-year-old woman with breast cancer whose paternal grandmother also had the disease might be advised to consider BRCA1 and BRCA2 testing. Similarly, a 25-year-old woman with breast cancer might be offered testing for BRCA1 and BRCA2 but also a gene called TP53 associated with much younger breast cancers.

Now, in 2014, multiplex or “panel” testing allows a healthcare provider to offer individuals testing for genes which have a predisposition to cancer all at once. This commercially available test has brought opportunities and challenges to the world of cancer genetics for patients and providers alike. ASCO 2014 highlighted the divergent opinions on the new technology.

To learn more:

• Watch Kate Nathanson, MD, discuss her gene panel abstract in an interview with MedPageToday.
• Read coverage in an article on HemOnc Today
• Listen to Basser staff Susan Domchek, MD, Kara Maxwell, MD, PhD, and Katherine Nathanson, MD, on WHYY Radio

Breast Cancer Worry in Teens

Families with BRCA mutations or unrelated histories of breast cancer often wonder how this history can impact their girls as they grow into young adults.

Basser Investigator, Angela Bradbury, MD, has devoted her career to studying these issues and discusses her abstract on worry and behavior among teens at higher risk for breast cancer.

To learn more:

• Angela Bradbury, MD, speaks with WHYY Radio 
• Read the Penn Medicine press release
• Angela Bradbury, MD, comments on incidental findings from genetic testing here

Side Effects of Risk-Reducing Salpingo Oophorectomy

For women who carry BRCA mutations, in is standard practice to discuss preventative removal of the ovaries and fallopian tubes between ages 35 to 40 or after child-bearing is complete.

These discussions inevitably lead to concerns about the potential impact of the procedure, which is called risk-reducing salpingo oophorectomy.

To learn more about Susan Domchek MD’s research, you can read her interview with MedPage Today or see the Penn Medicine News Release.

Rob is riding in this fall’s Philadelphia Ride to Conquer Cancer®, a 2-day, 150*-mile bike ride that benefits the Abramson Cancer Center. In 2006, Rob’s wife, Edith, lost her battle with cancer leaving behind three young children. Just months later, Rob was diagnosed with melanoma. In this blog, he shares his story. In 2005, I had it all – a beautiful wife, a high profile job on Wall Street, a wonderful home in the Philadelphia suburbs, and three adorable children. But our lives were about to dramatically change. It was New Year’s Eve, and my wife complained of shortness of breath and started vomiting. At the emergency room, a scan revealed a large mass in her chest cutting off her main artery and crowding her lungs and stomach. Three days later she was diagnosed with PMBL lymphoma – a form of cancer that strikes women of child-bearing age. Six short months later, she had failed all therapies and we were in a desperate fight to delay the inevitable. When she died in early October, she left behind three small children – ages 4, 6 and 7 – and a huge hole in our lives.Two months after her death I was diagnosed with stage 3 melanoma – a mole on my back that had been neglected while I cared for my wife. I remember telling my dermatologist “I can’t have cancer. My wife just died and I have three small children to care for.” The standard of surgical care for the mole on my back involved removing an area the size of a salad plate. I returned to work two days later pretending that nothing had happened. Miraculously, I was able to keep up with my high stress job while holding things together as a single parent.However, melanoma is terribly tenacious. In less than two years it was back. This time in my lymph system and the odds were not in my favor.I must admit that I hesitated to get treatment. There was a high probability the surgery, which would remove 22 lymph nodes from my groin and left leg, would lead to lymphedema – a progressive, degenerative swelling of my leg. I had led a very active life and I had no desire to spend the rest of it disabled. I delayed the decision for almost two months. In the end, I decided to have both the surgery and follow-up chemotherapy in the hope of remaining healthy enough to care for my children. Post-surgery, the physical therapist told me it was unlikely that I would be able to ride a bike again. Cycling was my passion.But here I am. I received my treatment at the Abramson Cancer Center under the supervision of Dr. Lynn Schuchter. Thankfully, due to their excellent care, I am NED (no evidence of disease). In an effort to help fight this disease, I have signed up for the Ride to Conquer Cancer, and am a member of Team Mission Melanoma. We plan to ride 150 miles this October 11 and 12 to help support cancer research at Abramson Cancer Center. Won’t you join us in supporting the fight against cancer? Sign up to ride with us, or, make a donation to my team here. My family and I thank you. Together we can find a cure.The Ride to Conquer CancerJoin Penn Medicine’s Abramson Cancer Center (ACC) on October 11 to 12, 2014 in the Philadelphia Ride to Conquer Cancer (RTCC)—an unforgettable and epic bike ride through Pennsylvania’s picturesque landscape -towards one life-changing destination: to cure cancer. The ride isn’t just for cyclists, it’s for anyone who wants to see a cure for cancer. At two-days and 150+ miles, the RTCC will be a physical challenge—and an emotional and inspirational weekend—that will give you a chance to ride side by side with physicians, patients and families –raising serious funds and awareness in the ACC’s fight to cure cancer. Before the ride, you will have access to:Expert coachingTraining rides in your areaPersonal web page for fundraisingHelpful manual2014 ride commemorative itemDuring the ride, participants will have access to:Event-day ride jerseySupport along the routeCatered mealsEntertainment at campMassage and medical careThe funds raised through the ride will be put to use immediately, powering the ACC’s vision to eradicate cancer as a cause of human disease and suffering through precision medicine, novel research, next-generation therapies, and compassionate care. Join TodayThis event will be remarkable, bringing together communities of cancer survivors, cyclists, and their supporters with a common goal to conquer this disease. Join the ride in October by registering today at www.ridetovictory.org or by calling (844) 777-7433.*actual route distance may vary by up to 30 miles.