COLUMBUS -- The Ohio State University Board of Trustees, meeting on Wednesday (8/30), heard a presentation on the 10th anniversary of The Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute, which has become a campus landmark and a regional symbol of hope, discovery and top-quality care.

David E. Schuller, director of The James and deputy director of the Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC), said the anniversary represents a decade of the hospital's contributions to dramatic increases in productivity in all areas of cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment and education.

The hospital is named for Arthur G. James, now professor emeritus of surgical oncology, who spent more than 40 years pursuing his dream of locating a specialized cancer hospital at Ohio State. The James admitted its first patient on July 9, 1990. The hospital changed its name to the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute in 1999 in recognition of a $20 million donation from Solove to support cancer genetic research at The James.

During its first decade, the hospital has become the epicenter of Ohio State's cancer program. In 1998-99 alone, The James recorded 6,661 inpatient admissions and more than 110,000 visits to all outpatient areas. Annual cancer-related research funding has increased from about $18 million in 1990 to $62 million today. Philanthropic support has exceeded $60 million in commitments to the cancer program.

In 1997, three prominent cancer researchers, including CCC Director Clara Bloomfield, arrived at Ohio State to enhance the cancer research and treatment program. Bloomfield, also deputy director of The James, joined Schuller for the trustees presentation. Also arriving in 1997 were Albert de la Chapelle, director of the Human Cancer Genetics Program, and Michael Caligiuri, who holds the John L. Marakas Nationwide Insurance Enterprise Foundation Chair in Cancer Research. Since that year, 50 faculty members have been recruited to the Comprehensive Cancer Center; in all, more than 200 faculty affiliated with the center represent 12 Ohio State colleges.

The CCC at Ohio State dates to 1976, and recently received renewal of its designation from the National Cancer Institute. Schuller said the hospital has represented and enabled an expansion of space for the CCC and provided access to new technologies with the overall result of expanded research productivity.

In the next 10 years, James researchers and clinicians are likely to see an even more dramatic increase in successful prevention, detection and treatment of cancer.

"In the last five years, there has been exponential growth in the research discoveries that have impacted the level of care we can provide," Schuller said. "As we celebrate this decade of discoveries, the greater excitement is what we can anticipate in the near future."

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(LO)