Moffitt Cancer Center Doctor Recognized For Involvement In Geriatric Oncology

October 12, 2009

Tampa, FL (Oct. 12, 2009) — Dr. Lodovico Balducci, chief of the Senior Adult Oncology Program at Moffitt Cancer Center, has been honored twice recently for his expertise and involvement in the field of geriatric oncology.

Balducci is the first medical oncologist to receive the Nimmo Professorship from the Royal Adelaide Hospital in South Australia. Dr. Dorothy Keefe, chief of oncology and president of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, and Dr. Robert Prowse, chief of geriatrics, hosted Balducci at the hospital in August.

The professorship sponsors a distinguished international medical authority to spend two weeks at Royal Adelaide. The professorship award was established in 1969 in memory of the late Howard Rowland Nimmo, who had a strong interest in medical education.

During his time at Royal Adelaide, Balducci delivered 11 lectures to the Division of Geriatrics and spoke to numerous departments on various topics in medicine. Balducci was involved in the hospital’s department conferences and Tumor Board to help create the foundation for the geriatric oncology program. He also supervised research and academic programs.

Balducci is the 37^th recipient of the Nimmo Professorship. Previous honorees include Dr. Paul Carbone, former director at the University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, and Dr. James Weinstein, chairman of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.

Balducci was also recognized at the 2009 Association of VA Hematology/Oncology meeting as the keynote speaker on Sept. 25 in Minnesota. Moffitt’s Hussain I. Saba, M.D., Ph.D., past president of the association, introduced Balducci.

The fifth annual association meeting met to discuss different management approaches in oncologic and hematologic diseases in Veteran Health Administration patients.

“I feel that both the Nimmo Professorship award and the Keynote Speaker award testify to my widespread interest in the field. I feel that they represent the growth of geriatric oncology from a marginal field to a fully legitimate and honored one,” Balducci said. “I wish to thank the Moffitt directors and administration for inviting me to initiate this field 15 years ago and for supporting its growth. It has revealed the long scope of their vision.”

About Association of VA Hematology/Oncology

The Association of VA Hematology/Oncology is a nonprofit organization with the mission of providing a forum for interaction among VA Hematology/Oncology professionals across the nation. Its mission is to facilitate interaction and cooperation among VA Hematology/Oncology Staff to enhance professional careers and improve patient care.

About Royal Adelaide Hospital

Royal Adelaide Hospital was founded in 1840 and is the largest accredited teaching hospital for all health professions in South Australia. The hospital has been designed as the experimental center for geriatrics and oncology by the Australian government. It is involved in various areas of medical and health research, often in conjunction with the Institute of Medical and Veterinary Science (IMVS) and the University of Adelaide.

About H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute

Located in Tampa, Florida, Moffitt Cancer Center is an NCI Comprehensive Cancer Center — a designation that recognizes Moffitt’s excellence in research and contributions to clinical trials, prevention and cancer control. Moffitt currently has 15 affiliates in Florida, one in Georgia and two in Puerto Rico. Additionally, Moffitt is a member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, a prestigious alliance of the country’s leading cancer centers, and is listed in U.S. News & World Report as one of “America’s Best Hospitals” for cancer. Moffitt’s sole mission is to contribute to the prevention and cure of cancer.

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