Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute
March 14, 2025
Myeloma Warrior Offers Support to Others in Fight
Alan Stephenson has taken his myeloma diagnosis and turned it into a positive for himself and others in this situation. “One of the reasons I’m passionate about being an advocate is to let people know what to expect. The fear of the unknown is often a lot more than what you actually face,” he said….
Partners in Care: Prevention is the Key for Keeping Infectious Diseases at Bay
Myeloma patients face several issues, one being compromised immune systems that make them more prone to infection. The UAMS Division of Infectious Diseases plays an important role in ensuring patients are in the best position to continue their cancer treatment. Under the direction of Michael Saccente, M.D., the Division of Infectious Diseases is part of…
70 Years after Discovery, UAMS Myeloma Center, Castleman Disease Collaborative Network Lead the Way in Understanding Disease
By Frits van Rhee, M.D., Ph.D. Castleman disease was first described in 1954 by Benjamin Castleman, M.D., longtime chief of the Division of Anatomic Pathology at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Patients with Castleman disease have enlargement of one or more lymph node areas. Patients who have the disease in one area, unicentric Castleman disease,…
Myeloma Center Physician Driven by Desire to Help Patients
In his 11th year with the Myeloma Center at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), Sharmilan Thanendrarajan, M.D., Ph.D., knew he wanted to be a physician at a young age. “When I was in high school, I liked biology, chemistry and physics and decided to go in that direction,” said Thanendrarajan, an associate…
Funding Awards Amplify Myeloma Research
At the UAMS Myeloma Center, Fenghuang (Frank) Zhan, M.D., Ph.D., knows that research plays an immensely important role in the fight against multiple myeloma. Numerous federal grants allow the center’s director of research and his team to continue to advance and improve treatments, benefitting myeloma patients around the world. The latest is a $1.1 million…
Myeloma Center Focuses on Immunotherapy Drugs in Latest Clinical Trials
Multiple myeloma treatment is advancing with the advent of bispecific antibody drugs, which use the patient’s T cells to fight the disease. Myeloma Center physicians and researchers Carolina Schinke, M.D., and Samer Al Hadidi, M.D., M.S., are leading clinical trials exploring combinations of these novel therapies. Schinke’s trial is studying the effects of using teclistamab…
Nurse Inspired to Serve by Memory of Grandparent’s Health Struggles
Christina Ketchum, MSN, clinical services manager for myeloma stem cell transplants at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), cites a childhood memory as her inspiration to become a nurse. “My grandfather was at home on hospice care,” Ketchum said. “I was in fourth or fifth grade at the time and didn’t fully understand…
From The Clinical Director
It is my great pleasure to present the Winter 2024-25 issue of the Myeloma magazine. As we celebrate 35 years of myeloma care at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), we look forward to the future. The increased use of novel immunotherapies, which are highly effective and less toxic, are a significant advancement…
From The Director
Welcome to the latest issue of the Myeloma magazine as we celebrate 35 years of outstanding patient care and leading-edge research. The Myeloma Center is a vital component of the exceptional treatment provided at the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). Since my arrival in 2019, I…
Childhood Friends Ride to Support One of Their Own
Rob Guba, Burke Moran and Chris Seab grew up together in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. When Seab was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in May 2024, Guba and Moran decided to do something. That something is a project called Wheeling for Healing, a cross-country e-bike ride to raise money not only in support of their friend but…
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