Washington People: James W. Fleshman Jr.

James Fleshman, MD, is a highly regarded surgeon known for developing laparoscopic techniques for colorectal surgery. In a landmark clinical trial, his research helped to establish that laparoscopic surgery is as safe and effective as conventional surgery for removing colon tumors.

Profile of tumor genes shows need for individualized chemotherapy

Genes respond to chemo drugOncologists aren’t sure exactly why patients with the same cancer often respond very differently to the same treatment, but a growing body of evidence suggests the answer lies somewhere in the genes. Now researchers at the School of Medicine have become the first to profile the activity of whole sets of genes involved in processing chemotherapeutic drugs.

Profile of tumor genes shows need for individualized chemotherapy

A look at the activity of 24 genes in 52 patients as those genes respond to the chemotherapy drug 5-fluorourancilOncologists aren’t sure exactly why patients with the same cancer often respond very differently to the same treatment, but a growing body of evidence suggests the answer lies somewhere in the genes. Now researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have become the first to profile the activity of whole sets of genes involved in processing chemotherapeutic drugs.