Medical Professionals

Modern patient-centric care requires the oncology care team to carefully navigate the increasingly complex process of oncology disease management.

With higher patient volumes, rapidly emerging information and clinically-relevant omics data, 21st-century cancer care requires comprehensive synthesis of genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, early phase clinical trials and patient-centric, value-based care.

At the Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute (HHCCI) – part of the fourth largest healthcare system in New England - a dedicated team of oncologists, surgeons, radiologists, pathologists, nurses, navigators, clinical researchers, technicians, data and informatic scientists and others collaborate to provide precise, individualized care.

We treat more than 6,000 new cancer patients each year, with tens of thousands of existing patients.


The regular collaborations of our multidisciplinary disease management teams translates into exceptionally coordinated care.
Our approach is unlike any in the state and highly regarded nationally. Organized around primary tumor site and not necessarily location, we apply best practices system-wide. Highly-trained oncologists rotate through HHCCI locations so patients receive the same high standards of care where they live.


Specialization

Our disease management teams (DMTs) draw upon the expertise of our multi-disciplinary, disease-specific subspecialists and representation from all practice sites.

Each DMT is charged with: enhancing quality and value of care; utilizing evidence-based guidelines to minimize care variations and achieve favorable clinical outcomes; facilitating rapid adoption of new standards of care in their specialty; and improving the patient experience. Beyond clinical care, they work to identify, develop and maintain a portfolio of high-quality cancer studies, making the best treatment options accessible to patients, improving outcomes and accelerating the discovery of new therapies.

Our Recognized DMT Physician Leaders

Breast

Patricia DeFusco, MD

Cardio-Oncology

Eric Oligino, MD

Gastrointestinal

Gerard Fumo, MD

Genitourinary

Anoop Meraney, MD

Gynecologic Oncology

Jonathan Cosin, MD

Hematology

Mark Dailey, MD

Head & Neck

Casey Kuwada, MD

Hepatobiliary Pancreatic

Bret Schipper, MD

Lung

Wylie Hosmer, MD

Sarcoma

Adam Lindsay, MD

To refer a patient for DMT evaluation, email us and we can connect you with a specialist


Expertise

As a charter member of the Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) Cancer Alliance, our community experts have access to its renowned expertise and guidance, can rapidly adopt its standards of care and participate in its clinical trials. This collaborative relationship leverages bi-directional learning for research and implementation science, and gives patients an added layer of expertise. Together, we’ll stay far ahead of cancer.

World-Class Cancer Care, Delivered in Our Community

The Alliance is a dynamic partnership between national cancer experts and oncology providers in our community. HHCCI specialists are working with the nation’s leading cancer treatment experts on strategies to improve outcomes and expedite availability of the most advanced treatments for our patients. High-quality cancer care is more available than ever for Connecticut cancer patients.


Innovative Programs

Molecular Tumor Board (MTB)

Under the leadership of molecular pathologist Dr. Jonathan Earle, this innovative group discusses patients whose tumors have been analyzed using advanced genomic diagnostic tests like MSK- IMPACT. Members include expert physicians and world-class scientists, local medical oncologists, surgeons, radiation oncologists, researchers, geneticists and pathologists. The Board, with our Cancer Innovation Clinic and MSK translational scientists, considers specific molecular alterations, clinical presentation and past medical and treatment history to make specific patient treatment recommendations.

Submit a case for MTB discussion by email.

Sub-specialty referral clinics

Early Phase Clinical Trial Program

Precision medicine is rapidly becoming the standard of care for patients with advanced cancer. In 2017, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approvals hit a 21-year high, including 46 novel medicines. Cancer therapies represented more than 50 percent of those in oncology or hematology, many of which were identified as breakthrough therapies demonstrating potential for substantial patient improvement. In the past three years, more than 10 novel immunotherapies were approved. Today, patient treatment protocols across a number of tumor types are based on biomarkers, which are redefining cancer into even more precise categories. This accelerated innovation is reflected in the growing number of early development treatment clinical trials.

The HHCCI Cancer Innovation Unit for Early Drug Development (link to new page) can deliver innovative treatments and conduct complex Phase 1 studies.

Available early 1 and molecular-driven studies

Cancer Innovation Clinic

The Cancer Innovation Clinic, led by Dr. Sope Olugbile, provides personalized care for advanced and complex cancers.

We can:

  • Perform in-depth genetic and immunological tests on tumor samples to identify the best treatment strategies.
  • Explore personalized treatment including gene-targeted and immune-based therapies.
  • Enroll patients in promising early phase clinical trials before they are widely available.

We handle:

  • Advanced and aggressive cancers for which standard therapies have failed.
  • Tumors with unknown primary sites of origin.
  • Complex and multiple primary cancers occurring simultaneously.
  • Rare tumors with no standard approved therapies.
  • Cancers in the elderly who would not tolerate standard chemotherapy.

Refer a patient or request clinical trial evaluation by email.


Access Clinical Trials

To access HHCCI open clinical trials:

  • Search available trials and review basic eligibility criteria.
  • Download list of available studies (link to PDF) by disease site.
  • View trials by clinical presentation and disease status on our disease management flow charts. 
    • Gastrointestinal 
    • Genitourinary
    • Breast
    • Thoracic
    • Early phase
    • Cardio-oncology
    • Cutaneous oncology
    • Hematology
    • Gynecologic oncology
    • Head and neck 
    • Sarcoma
    • Neuro-oncology
  • Email us to submit a case to be pre-screened for trials and/or sign up for our monthly e-newsletter.

Cancer Research & Clinical Trials

Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute


Clinical Trial Referrals