Marty Driesler Cancer Project

Appalachian Kentucky experiences rates of lung, liver, and esophageal cancer far higher than national averages. The situation is made worse by the fact that many cancers in that locale are not seen and diagnosed until late in the progression of the disease.

Responding to this crucial Kentucky health issue, the Marty Driesler Cancer Project, a community-based partnership designed to strengthen the ability of regional and local hospitals in the Fifth Congressional District, is working to detect lung, liver, and esophageal cancers at an early stage so lives can be saved or extended. The effort is aimed at establishing a fully integrated cancer center that is community-linked and population-based in order to reduce the incidence and deadliness of these diseases in Appalachian Kentucky.

This community-based research partnership is headed by Alfred M. Cohen, M.D., director of the Lucille Parker Markey Cancer Center at the UK Medical Center. Also involved are UK College of Medicine physicians Susanne Arnold, Andre Baron, Eric Bensadoun, David Mannino, Nick Nickl, Alvaro Koch; Ron Sprang, MBA, of the Kentucky Telemedicine Network; Deborah Murray, director of the Health Education through Extension Leadership Program (HEEL) in the UK College of Agriculture; the Kentucky Cancer Program, and the Kentucky Cancer Registry.

The Marty Driesler Project links UK's resources with those of eight eastern Kentucky hospitals, the Kentucky Department of Public Health, county health departments, and other organizations to gather data on the incidences of lung cancer, esophageal cancer and liver cancer across the region. The project will provide screening and care strategies to reduce cancer mortality, and extend use of successful strategies across the Commonwealth.

Actions and Outcomes to Date

UK team members are collaborating with St. Claire Regional Medical Center (Morehead), Appalachian Regional Healthcare, Hazard ARH Regional Medical Center (Hazard), Highlands Regional Medical Center (Prestonsburg), Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital (Somerset), Lee County Public Health Department, the Kentucky Public Health Department, the Kentucky River Health Network, the Kentucky Cancer Program, the Perry County Health Department, and Wallace & Marcum Hospital. By working with local and regional hospitals and healthcare providers, the UK project is advancing the training of facilities close to the impacted populations. At the same time significant research is being conducted. The researchers have found that the prevalence of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in the area is roughly twice that of the U.S., and the incidence of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) in Pulaski, Laurel, Knox, and Whitley Counties is 22% instead of the anticipated national 5 to 15%. The esophageal study has developed and used a questionnaire focused on lifestyle characteristics contributing to hepatitis B and C.

In the future, the Marty Driesler lung cancer study will open one or more sites beyond the 5th congressional district—perhaps Paducah, northern Kentucky, and/or Owensboro. The desired outcome and impact of this project is the creation of a 25 year research partnership with hospitals and healthcare providers across Kentucky. Benefits to the sites involved and to UK research programs are many; most important is the growth of a research savvy citizenry involved with and benefitting from regular involvement with the UK research enterprise.