DURHAM -- Dr. Gary Lyman was drawn into cancer research by the allure of finding a cure for a killer disease.

But he has found acclaim in a less splashy, yet equally vital arena making sure the tools used to treat cancer are put to their best use.

The Duke doctor and researcher has played a key role in establishing guidelines for cancer treatments, both as an adviser to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and a leader in the countrys major oncology association.

He co-chaired a panel that earlier this month found that obese breast cancer patients are often not given full doses of cancer drugs, which likely contributes to their higher death rates. The researchers from the American Society of Clinical Oncology recommended that all patients receive doses based on their weight and height, a practice many doctors have shied away from for fear of serious side effects from large doses of toxic drugs.

The change will impact an oncologists daily practice and could save thousands of lives a year. Its a good example of Lymans focus on research that can be put into practice quickly, says Dr. Jeffrey Crawford, chief of the division of medical oncology at Duke Medicine.

A lot of the breakthroughs that we see come from clinical trials and we think weve made advances, but those advances dont really happen until they get translated into the community, Crawford said. Hes really trying to do work that improves the care of patients right away.

Earlier this year, the FDA panel Lyman serves on made a controversial decision not to approve the drug Avastin for use in breast cancer patients because of concerns about the drugs effectiveness and side effects. He has also done research on minimizing blood clots during cancer treatment, a problem so common that it was largely dismissed as inevitable.

Lymans research fits in well with a current emphasis on practicality when it comes to cancer treatments, says Dr. Howard McLeod, an expert in analyzing cancer treatments at UNC-Chapel Hill. As hopes for a single magic bullet cure have faded, maximizing the effectiveness of existing treatments has become a major research focus.

Were at the point where we have a lot of patients and we dont know if theyre being best served, said McLeod, director of the UNC Institute for Pharmacogenomics and Individualized Therapy. Lyman has been one of the first to really grab onto this idea that weve got to take the complex science and make it practical.

Cancer hits home

Original post:
Doctor’s role is key to cancer fight