Hollings Headlines // July 2023

If you've ever strolled through the historic Charleston City Market, you might have seen Susan Shelton's booth and her dried flower art, created from flowers in her own garden.

What you won't immediately see is that Susan is an oral cancer survivor. Her treatment included surgery and radiation as well as a clinical trial.

Getting care within a clinical trial means she received the standard approved treatment plus a treatment that could eventually become the standard. In Susan's case, she used a topical cream to successfully shrink the tumor, which meant the surgeon didn't have to remove as much tissue as he would have otherwise.

Susan is continuing her recovery and will have additional reconstructive work next month. But for now, she says, “It’s been an experience. But I’m here.”

Alex Humphreys was smokefree for five years.

But when stresses started to build up, he again reached for cigarettes to cope.

Luckily, he knew where to go for help. He returned to Emily Ware, Pharm.D., and the MUSC Health Tobacco Treatment Program to help him to stop smoking.

“I said, ‘Hold up now. Emily got me to stop smoking one time. I’m going back in there.’ I told my wife, ‘I’m going back in there so I can stop again,’” he recalls.

With the help of nicotine lozenges and the "delay and distract" techniques that Emily taught him, Alex is once again smokefree!

Helping people to achieve these victories is what keeps our tobacco treatment specialists coming to work each day.

A better biomarker

Identifying intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, a lethal type of liver cancer, is tricky.

The symptoms are generally the same as other, more common, liver problems. So finding a biomarker – something that would not only identify intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma but also rule out other liver diseases, would be a huge step forward.

Drs. Anand Mehta and Shaaron Ochoa-Rios believe that they have found that biomarker.

A warm and fuzzy blanket is just the thing for sitting through long chemo treatments!

Thank you to Crews Subaru and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society for donating blankets and activity kits for Hollings patients as part of the nationwide Subaru Loves to Care month.

We were delighted to once again welcome these organizations to Hollings. This year they brought Rachel Darling (lower right photo), age 16, who is now five years cancer-free after being treated at MUSC Children's Health for acute lymphoblastic leukemia!

Please join us as we restart our South Carolina Virtual Blood Cancer Support Group, supported by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Meetings will occur on Zoom, on the third Thursday of each month from 2-3 p.m., beginning in August.

Click on the link below to register. Once registered with a valid email address and phone number, you will receive the meeting invitation and link.

For questions about this support group, please contact Hollings Cancer Center social worker Kristin Farris.

We look forward to seeing you then!

We are continuing to celebrate our 30th anniversary! We've collected memories from physicians, nurses and researchers who've seen how the cancer center has grown over the decades. Head over to our anniversary page to see these videos, some historical photos and a timeline of Hollings milestones.

Clinical Research News: Time is now to take a hard look at decentralized trials

July 18 - Online Breast Cancer Support Group

Join us online for a monthly support group moderated by MUSC Hollings Cancer Center providers with expertise in the psychological experience of people with breast cancer. You can participate however you feel most comfortable: video on, video off, or call in. All options are available.

The group meets on Zoom the third Tuesday of every month from noon to 1 p.m. Register to receive a link. 

July 20 - Head and Neck Cancer Survivors Support Group

Meet with other head and neck cancer patients and caregivers in a supportive environment. This group meets in a hybrid format; you may join online or in person. 

The Head and Neck Cancer Support Group meets 5:30–6:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of the month. To attend online, register on Zoom. To attend in person in room 121 of MUSC Hollings Cancer Center, RSVP to [email protected]. 

July 27 - LOWVELO Lunch and Learn

MUSC Hollings Cancer Center physical therapist Katie Schmitt, DPT, will talk about getting back to fitness after cancer. Topics will include safely exercising after cancer, dealing with lymphedema, core work, deep breathing, balance, building endurance through cycling and stretching post-workout.

Noon to 1 p.m. in auditorium 204 of the MUSC Wellness Center, 45 Courteney Drive. Lunch provided. RSVP to reserve your spot!

Send us your news

Got news? We have outlets, from our news site to our video boards! We’d love to help promote your latest journal publications, grants, clinical advances, awards, events and patient stories. Please contact the Hollings communications team to share your news or if you have questions.

Explore some of our featured trials being offered at Hollings.

Check out the latest publications from doctors and researchers at Hollings.