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.
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
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.
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
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.
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
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.
Jason Weida
Secretary
Florida Agency for Health Care Administration
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.
First Lady Casey DeSantis launches innovative approach to fight against cancer
Collaborative News Releases
