Cancer Connect Collaborative

Collaborative Releases New Cancer Materials

The Cancer Connect Collaborative’s recommendations for next steps in cancer innovation include removing barriers to utilizing biometric data, which better allows researchers and physicians to test for genes, proteins and other biomarkers that can guide treatment and create new cancer breakthroughs.

The Florida Cancer Report gives insight into trends for the most common cancers, highlights screening and prevention measures, and details the history of cancer research and care in Florida. Cancer is easiest to treat when caught early, and the report describes common symptoms to look for broken down by age, gender, and other demographics. Self-screening can be intimidating but is important to catch cancer in its early stages. At-home screenings and signs and symptoms for various cancers are detailed in the report.

The report provides the public information about the top five most frequently diagnosed cancers in Florida: which include breast, lung, prostate, colorectal and skin cancers. Since 2017, these top five cancers have accounted for just over half of all cancer diagnoses (50.3%) in Florida.

View the full Florida Cancer Report

Innovative Strategies for Cancer Treatment and Care

Read First Lady Casey DeSantis’ Announcement of the Cancer Connect Collaborative

First Lady Casey DeSantis announced the Cancer Connect Collaborative, an expansion of Florida Cancer Connect that will assemble a team of medical professionals to analyze and rethink Florida’s approach to combatting cancer.
The Cancer Connect Collaborative will break down longstanding silos between researchers, cancer facilities, and medical providers to improve cancer research and treatment.

  • Florida is home to more than 200,000 cancer patients treated at over 300 world-class health care facilities statewide.
  • It currently averages 10 to 12 years from discovery for a cancer treatment or surgery patent that advances cancer care to be shared and adopted into practice.
View the full roundtable announcement

The Florida Cancer Connect Collaborative’s five main objectives

Data

Data about the proliferation and treatment of cancer should be both timely available and easily accessible. The Collaborative will seek to identify the reasons data is slow to move or hard to access and dismantle those barriers.

Best Practices

When it comes to treating cancer, best practices shouldn’t be proprietary. The Collaborative will seek to streamline, encourage, and incentivize the sharing of treatment best practices among public and private entities so that everyone is treated with the most effective treatment possible.

Innovation

Cutting the red tape and fully unleash the power of innovation in the battle against cancer. Technology improves at an exponential rate yet application lags. The Collaborative will identify the reasons that technology gets held up – whether it be special interests, over-litigiousness, or bureaucratic red tape – and recommend ways to eliminate these barriers.

Funding

The Cancer Connect Collaborative will provide recommendations for the implementation of the Governor’s proposed $170 million in funding to improve the pace of cancer research and novel technologies. For record breaking funding, the Florida taxpayer deserves results. The Collaborative will deliver.

Honesty

We know a lot about cancer – what causes it, and in many cases, what preventative steps can minimize the risk of a diagnosis. It’s time to open the tap on cancer information, and the Collaborative will be tasked with identifying the ways to ensure this is done.

CANCER COLLABORATIVE MEMBERS

Scot Ackerman, M.D.

Medical Director

Ackerman Cancer Center

View Bio

Scot Ackerman, M.D.

Medical Director

Ackerman Cancer Center

Scot Ackerman, M.D., board Certified in Radiation Oncology, is the Medical Director of Ackerman Cancer Center. After completing his training at Columbia University in New York City, he came to Jacksonville and has been in private practice for more than 30 years. Currently, Dr. Ackerman oversees the Ackerman Cancer Foundation and is a board member of WeCare Jacksonville. He was also appointed to the Florida Board of Medicine and currently serves as the Chair of the Board.

X

Nicholas J. Panetta, M.D., FACS

Associate Professor of Plastic Surgery and Surgical Oncology Director

Chair of the Department of Plastic Surgery at USF

USF Cancer Related Lymphedema Program USF Health Morsani College of Medicine

View Bio

Nicholas J. Panetta, M.D., FACS

Associate Professor of Plastic Surgery and Surgical Oncology Director

Chair of the Department of Plastic Surgery at USF

USF Cancer Related Lymphedema Program USF Health Morsani College of Medicine

Nicholas J. Panetta, M.D., FACS is an Associate Professor in the Department of Plastic Surgery at the University of South Florida and the Department of Breast Oncology at the Moffitt Cancer Center. Dr. Panetta treats the full spectrum of complex, cancer-related reconstructive surgical needs, with a clinical and research focus on cancer-related lymphedema. He received national recognition for pioneering a clinical program to treat cancer-related lymphedema (USF/Moffitt Cancer Center Multidisciplinary Lymphedema Program). His research centers on the efficacy of microsurgical interventions in preventing breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL), identifying patient populations at greater risk for BCRL, and evaluating an applied multidisciplinary care algorithm aimed at the treatment and prevention of cancer-related lymphedema. He plans to validate this therapeutic approach to cancer-related lymphedema, paving the way for broad implementation and increased patient access.

Dr. Panetta graduated from the Indiana University School of Medicine and completed his general surgery training at the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine. He completed a plastic surgery research fellowship at Stanford University, where he served as the Hagey Fellow in Pediatric Regenerative Medicine. He completed his plastic and microvascular surgery fellowships at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. He holds board certifications in general surgery and plastic surgery. His memberships include the American College of Surgeons, the American Society of Plastic Surgery, the American Society of Reconstructive Microsurgery, and the American Council of Academic Plastic Surgeons.

X

Raj Bendre, M.D.

Radiation Oncologist

View Bio

Raj Bendre, M.D.

Radiation Oncologist

D.D. Raj Bendre, M.D., is a board-certified radiation oncologist. He is also board certified in Lifestyle Medicine. He was pursuing a graduate degree at Columbia University in the molecular basis of Human Nutrition when he decided to switch tracks and pursue a medical degree. Dr. Bendre went on to earn his medical degree from the Rutgers University-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. In 2000, he started practicing Radiation Oncology. He practiced in Chicago, Illinois, for 14 years and then relocated to Tallahassee, Florida. Dr. Bendre advises and encourages patients to control their dietary intake and physical activity to optimize their health as a preventative measure and in survivorship free of disease.

X

Mehmet F. Hepgur, M.D.

Hematology & Oncology Specialist

Broward Health

View Bio

Mehmet F. Hepgur, M.D.

Hematology & Oncology Specialist

Broward Health

Mehmet F. Hepgur, M.D. is a hematology and oncology specialist at Broward Health who attended medical school at the University of Istanbul and continued to his residency program at the University of Istanbul (2004) and University at Buffalo, (2011). He completed fellowships at, the Americans Sports Medicine Institute (2006), University of Toledo Medical Center (2007), University of Virginia School of Medicine (2007), and Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (2014).

X

Joseph A. Ladapo, M.D., Ph.D

State Surgeon General of Florida Professor of Medicine

University of Florida

View Bio

Joseph A. Ladapo, M.D., Ph.D

State Surgeon General of Florida Professor of Medicine

University of Florida

Joseph A. Ladapo, M.D., Ph.D. is the State Surgeon General of Florida. He also serves as Professor of Medicine at the University of Florida, where his research examines behavioral economic strategies to reduce cardiovascular risk in low-income and disadvantaged populations. Dr. Ladapo graduated from Wake Forest University and received his medical degree from Harvard and PhD in Health Policy from Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. He completed his clinical training in internal medicine at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

X

DR. ROBERTO DIAZ, PH.D., M.S., M.D.

Breast Section Chief

Moffitt Cancer Center Department of Radiation Oncology

View Bio

DR. ROBERTO DIAZ, PH.D., M.S., M.D.

Breast Section Chief

Moffitt Cancer Center Department of Radiation Oncology

Dr. Roberto Diaz is a tenured Senior Member of the faculty at Moffitt Cancer Center and a Professor in the Oncologic Sciences Department at the University of South Florida. He also serves as the Clinical Director of Network sites for the Department of Radiation Oncology at Moffitt and the Medical Director of the Moffitt Medical Group at Morton Plant Hospital. Dr. Diaz earned his MS, PhD, and MD degrees from New York University School of Medicine, specializing in molecular oncology as part of the medical scientist training program. He completed his training in radiation oncology at Vanderbilt University, serving as chief resident in his final year. Dr. Diaz is board-certified in Radiation Oncology and focuses his research on translational and clinical breast cancer, particularly bioinformatics and genomics-based analysis of gene expression and recurrence in breast cancers. Additionally, he is fluent in both English and Spanish and has mentored numerous students and resident physicians who have gone on to successful careers in medicine and research.

X

Sam Garrison

Florida Representative

District 11 Florida House of Representatives

View Bio

Sam Garrison

Florida Representative

District 11 Florida House of Representatives

Sam Garrison is a Florida Representative representing District 11 in the Florida House of Representatives. He first received a BA in International Relations from Sanford University, before continuing on to graduate from the University of Illinois College of Law. He served as the Assistant State Attorney, 4th Judicial Circuit, from 2001-2011.

X

Jason Weida

Secretary

Florida Agency for Health Care Administration

View Bio

Jason Weida

Secretary

Florida Agency for Health Care Administration

Jason Weida serves as the Secretary at the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration. He is a former Assistant United States Attorney at the United States Department of Justice, where he received the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service. Weida earned his bachelor’s degree in Latin and history from Gettysburg College and juris doctorate from the University of Connecticut School of Law.

X

 

First Lady Casey DeSantis launches innovative approach to fight against cancer

The Cancer Connect Collaborative is an expansion of Cancer Connect, an initiative launched by First Lady Casey DeSantis in August 2022 to provide cancer information and survivor stories. Florida is second in the nation for newly diagnosed cancer cases. First Lady DeSantis is committed to supporting those facing cancer and promoting the world-class care Florida offers cancer patients. No matter how cancer is affecting someone, support is available.

Collaborative News Releases