John gets the bad news; he is in the early stages of lung cancer. He knew it, but without an official diagnosis, it wasn’t real – even though his cough kept getting worse, and he began experiencing shortness of breath. Lately he’d been feeling tired all the time, even after a good night’s sleep. And his appetite, always hearty, had all but disappeared.

Now it’s official. It’s real. How long does he have? Will he be around to watch his grandson play Little League? He will if Karen Kelly, MD, has her way. The internationally recognized expert in lung cancer, who became deputy director of the KU Cancer Center in early October, is contributing to a growing arsenal of treatments to battle the disease. “In the past three years, we’ve made historic advances in understanding lung cancer that have translated into current therapies,” she said. The use of adjuvant chemotherapies, those where a secondary drug or agent is added to a primary drug to enhance its effectiveness, is now considered the standard of care.

In John’s case, his tumor will be treated surgically to remove the section of the lung where the cancer grows at a lethal pace. After the tumor is removed, John will be given an adjuvant chemotherapy to ensure that microscopic cancer cells don’t have a chance to flare up again. At this point, his prognosis is good.

Emerging therapies are major news given that lung cancer results in more deaths than breast, colon, and prostate cancer combined. Not only has there been a dearth of effective therapies for the disease in the past, there also hasn’t been a reliable screening test. But Kelly believes a validated computerized tomography screening test may be just a few years away.

In the meantime, she will continue to study the biology of lung cancer and the efficacy of the various treatment options. She’ll be doing her research and clinical work as a new member of the faculty at the University of Kansas Medical Center, where she holds one of three Frank B. Tyler chairs in cancer research and is deputy director of the KU Cancer Center.

Her dedication and expertise are particularly welcome at a time when the university strives to elevate its cancer program to the next level. Along with Roy Jensen, MD, director of the KU Cancer Center, and Scott Weir, PharmD, PhD, who was recently named director of the KU Office of Therapeutics, Discovery and Development, Kelly will play a key role in helping the center achieve designation as a Comprehensive Cancer Center from the National Cancer Institute.

She’s had a firsthand look at an NCI center. Before coming to KUMC, Kelly was the director of the Clinical Thoracic Oncology Program and professor of medical oncology at the University of Colorado Cancer Center, one of 39 institutions in the nation to attain the prestigious NCI Comprehensive Cancer Center designation. She played a critical role in building the CU Cancer Center into one of the finest lung cancer research and treatment facilities in the world.

Barbara Atkinson, executive vice chancellor of the Medical Center and executive dean of the School of Medicine, said, “We are indeed fortunate to attract an internationally recognized clinical oncologist like Dr. Kelly. Her exceptional clinical skills, administrative ability, and experience in clinical trials are a tremendous asset.”

The National Cancer Institute plans to focus more of its investments in lung cancer research, an area that has long been under funded despite its status as the number one cancer killer. The unfortunate deaths of Peter Jennings and Dana Reeve have helped raise public awareness and support for lung cancer research. Kelly is optimistic that this continued support will be instrumental in winning the war against lung cancer.

Joining the team at KUMC represents a homecoming for Kelly. A native of Derby, Kansas, she received her medical degree from KU and her undergraduate degree from Emporia State University. Despite the strong lure of the Rockies, the lure of building a robust cancer research and clinical enterprise at her alma mater proved to be even stronger.

“This is an extraordinary opportunity,” Kelly said. “I’m excited to be back at KU to help develop not only a premier lung cancer program, but also an overall comprehensive clinical and research program in cancer.” +