A board-certified oncologist with nearly two decades of experience, Natasha Tiffany, MD, serves as an affiliate assistant professor at Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland. For over 15 years, she has also treated patients at Oregon Oncology Specialists in Salem. Throughout her career, Natasha Tiffany, MD, has written and presented on various topics, including the latest developments in breast cancer treatment and care.
In recent years, new treatments and therapies have shown promise in helping patients with various types of cancer. One new treatment is immunotherapy, which harnesses the power of the immune system to fight disease. While immunotherapy has proven effective in treating several cancer types, its ability to fight other types, such as breast cancer, is still being studied. In March 2019, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first immunotherapy treatment for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Known as an immune checkpoint inhibitor, the immunotherapy shows promise in improving treatment outcomes in TNBC, but it does not work for all cancer types. Researchers believe that the reason immunotherapy works for TNBC is related to the specific way this type of cancer grows. During TNBC growth, altered tumor proteins called neoantigens are produced, which likely triggers an immune response in the body. Immunotherapy can help unleash more immune cells to attack the cancer. Although immunotherapy for breast cancer is still in the early stages, work in this area is progressing quickly. Nearly 300 clinical trials testing immunotherapeutic approaches for breast cancer are ongoing. This testing will be key to driving further developments.
0 Comments
Dedicated oncologist Natasha Tiffany, MD, practices at Oregon Oncology Specialists as a physician partner. In this capacity, she sees patients at both Salem Hospital and at the clinic. In addition, Natasha Tiffany, MD, is an attending physician and affiliate assistant professor at Oregon Health Sciences University, and is committed to improving cancer care in the area.
Compared to the rest of the country, Oregon has one of the lowest new cancer rates, yet the death rate in the state rests around the middle. The American Cancer Society estimates that about only 23,300 new cancer cases will be diagnosed in Oregon in 2019, but roughly 8,270 residents in the state will die because of cancer in that same year. The majority of these deaths will result from lung and bronchus cancers. These types of cancers are believed to be the second most common type of cancer in 2019, following female breast cancer. Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer seen in Oregon, particularly in Lake, Clackamas, Josephine, and Yamhill Counties. Although the American Cancer Society estimates state that lung and bronchus cancer will be the second most common type of cancer in the state in 2019, prostate has historically come in second, and lung cancers in third. These cancers affect roughly 2,358 and 2,682 Oregonians per year, respectively. A physician partner at Oregon Oncology Specialist and affiliate assistant professor at Oregon Health Sciences University, Natasha Tiffany, MD, has been practicing medicine for upwards of two decades. During that time, Natasha Tiffany, MD, has become familiar with treating a range of cancers, such as lung cancer and breast cancer.
The results of a recent study published in Science Translational Medicine revealed a new blood test that could help physicians better monitor women with early stage breast cancer to prevent recurrence. Known as TARDIS, or targeted digital sequencing, the test was developed by researchers from the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute and the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen). Scientists created the test by sequencing tumor biopsy tissue from more than 30 women with different stages of breast cancer. Based on these samples, scientists isolated potential mutations that were unique to the cancer cells, and identified founder mutations. These founder mutations were subsequently used to create a personalized assay of each patient that could identify breast cancer DNA in blood samples. Initial studies of the new test found that TARDIS was capable of finding tumor DNA in all patient blood samples. Existing liquid biopsies were only successful in finding this DNA in 50 to 75 percent of patients. The test successfully identified tumor DNA when blood concentration was as low as 0.003 percent, making TARDIS 100 times more sensitive than other tests. While more research is still needed to determine the efficacy and accuracy of TARDIS, researchers find the initial results promising. An increased ability to track tumor development in women with breast cancer would help physicians create more targeted treatment and therapy options. Further, the test would assure patients and physicians that tumor DNA was no longer in the body, and help some women avoid surgery altogether. Natasha Tiffany, MD, an experienced oncologist based in Salem, Oregon, treats cancer patients at Oregon Oncology Specialists, where she is a physician partner, and at Salem Hospital. She also teaches as an affiliate assistant professor with Oregon Health & Science University in Portland. At Oregon Oncology Specialists, Natasha Tiffany, MD, and the practice’s team of doctors utilize state of the art cancer care strategies, including immunotherapy. Immunotherapy harnesses the power of a patient’s immune system to attack and destroy cancer cells. This category of cancer-fighting treatment encompasses many distinct approaches. For example, some immunotherapies rely on genetically modified viruses that eliminate malignant cells, while another relies on a patient’s T-cells. The year 2018 was a significant time for immunotherapy advancements. For instance, several immunotherapy drugs secured Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval. The regulatory body approved Pembrolizumab, a medication that prevents tumors from utilizing part of the immune system to their own benefit, to treat people living with advanced cervical cancer. Other immunotherapy drugs approved by the FDA include Durvalumab and Nivolumab. In addition to drug approvals, immunotherapy research continues to show promise. In one example, researchers are actively exploring vaccines to boost the immune response against such cancers as glioblastoma and melanoma. A physician specializing in cancer care, Natasha Tiffany, MD, provides a high standard of cancer treatment to patents at Salem Hospital and at her private practice, Oregon Oncology Specialists. Before establishing herself in cancer treatment, she completed a fellowship in medical oncology and hematology at Oregon Health & Science University, where she served as chief fellow. Natasha Tiffany, MD, and her peers at Oregon Oncology Specialists offer such leading-edge cancer treatments as targeted therapy.
Traditional chemotherapy, though effective in destroying cancer cells, often results in collateral damage to healthy cells. Targeted therapy seeks to do away with this collateral damage by using treatments that attack and destroy cancer cells with minimal harm to healthy “innocent bystander” cells. Targeted therapies available today are often precision crafted to address specific cancer types by honing in on molecular characteristics particular to a certain cancer. For instance, some cancers cells need a specific hormone to keep dividing, and by depriving the cancer of that hormone, either by interrupting the hormone’s function or by blocking its production in the body, doctors can curb the cancer’s growth. Such hormone-related targeted therapies are already in place for the treatment of prostate and breast cancers. Newer targeted cancer therapies have been developed to prevent tumors from generating blood vessels to feed themselves and to encourage the immune system to recognize the cancer as an invading disease. Targeted therapies have revolutionized lung cancer care, as researchers have identified molecular mutations that drive different types of lung cancer, allowing oncologists to shut down the pathways that drive an individual's cancer. These targeted therapies are often highly effective and well tolerated. Targeted therapies are being used more and more in all fields of oncology with tremendous benefit for patients. An oncologist with an MD from Oregon Health and Science University, Dr. Natasha Tiffany undertook fellowship training at her alma mater and at Harvard Medical School. Natasha Tiffany, MD, leverages her training to treat patients at Oregon Oncology Specialists. With offices in Salem, McMinnville, Silverton, and Woodburn, Oregon Oncology Specialists treats patients with all kinds of cancer, providing compassionate care combined with the latest treatment modalities. The physicians at the practice offer immunotherapy, an approach that attempts to use the patient’s immune system to fight cancer cells. Providing personalized medicine, the oncologists at Oregon Oncology Specialists conduct tests on each patient’s tissue to search for genetic mutations or biomarkers and then use the results to implement targeted treatments. Patients can also undergo genetic testing to determine their family members’ risk of cancer, a practice that can improve outcomes through early detection. Dedicated to staying at the forefront of oncology practice, the physicians at Oregon Oncology Specialists maintain close ties with the Salem Cancer Institute and the Oregon Health and Science University Knight Cancer Institute. By partnering with these organizations, Oregon Oncology Specialists can recommend local clinical trials for patients in the community. Award-winning medic Natasha Tiffany, MD, practices at the Oregon Oncology Specialists office in Salem, Oregon. Focused on providing quality medical care to patients with cancer, Natasha Tiffany, MD, recommends immunotherapy treatments. According to a new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, immunotherapy coupled with chemotherapy at the onset of lung cancer can drastically increase the survival time of patients. However, the positive results apply to less than half of patients diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer. In the study, researchers included 616 patients from around the world. Of this group, 400 received the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab, sold as Keytruda, while the rest received only chemotherapy. Researchers found that patients who underwent both immunotherapy and chemotherapy treatment had a 48-percent reduction in the chances of the lung cancer's progression, and death. They also found that median survival – the life expectancy for 50 percent of patients - doubled from 12 months with chemotherapy alone, to 24 months with both immunotherapy and chemotherapy. According to Dr. Leena Gandhi, lead researcher of the study, the findings show that chemotherapy alone is not a sufficient standard of care. Patients with non-small cell lung cancer should receive both immunotherapy and chemotherapy as early as possible. As a physician partner at Oregon Oncology Specialists in Salem, Oregon, Natasha Tiffany, MD, combines advanced care with a dedication to helping each patient through his or her cancer journey. Natasha Tiffany, MD, upholds a commitment to remaining current with immunotherapy and other developments in cancer treatment. For decades, cancer researchers have been investigating ways of activating the immune system to kill cancer cells. This immunotherapy has recently taken over as one of oncology's most promising strategies. Clinical reports have shared stories of formerly terminal patients achieving remission, and drug trials have yielded strong results. In March of 2018, researchers from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School added to the breadth of information. Stress proteins known as MICA and MICB activate receptors for natural killer (NK) cells. However, because tumors often shed these proteins to survive, the NK cells cannot attack and destroy cancer as intended. In an attempt to interrupt this process, the research team created an antibody that targets the place where proteins attach to cancer cells. Researchers found that the antibody, known as mAb 7C6, increased the number of MICA and MICB in cancer cells while helping killer cells infiltrate tumors. The treatment reduced the total number of tumors in subject mice, which had melanoma that had metastasized to the lungs. Scientists suggest the potential effectiveness of NK cell stimulation as part of a combination therapy, which may enhance immune activation while increasing the diversity of treatable tumors. Since 2004 Natasha Tiffany, MD, has served as a full-time physician at Oregon Oncology Specialists (formerly Hematology Oncology of Salem) in Oregon, working with patients in both clinical and hospital settings. In addition to providing medical care, Natasha Tiffany, MD, keeps up with advances in the field and networks with her peers through membership in the Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG). Researchers have long searched for an alternative to opioid treatment for patients who experience joint pain and stiffness as a side effect of taking aromatase inhibitors to deal with hormone-related breast cancers. In a groundbreaking new study, SWOG has found that acupuncture may serve as an effective alternative to pain medication, as it has been shown to greatly reduce the joint pain reported by these patients. During the course of the study, the largest of its kind, patients received acupuncture two times per week over an initial six-week period, and then once a week after that for another six weeks. Researchers compared the subjects' reported “worst level of pain” to the levels of those who didn’t receive acupuncture treatment and found that the acupuncture group reported less pain. These findings were presented at the organization’s Breast Cancer Symposium last December. A physician with nearly two decades of experience, Natasha Tiffany, MD, treats patients through a private hematology and oncology practice in Salem, Oregon. Throughout her career, Natasha Tiffany, MD, has been an active member of the greater medical community. She participates in several professional organizations and gives talks regularly on a variety of topics, including those related to the latest treatments and trends in breast cancer. According to an October 2017 report from the American Cancer Society, breast cancer deaths declined by nearly 40 percent between 1989 and 2015. The decline equates to 322,600 deaths that were averted during that 26-year period. The report attributes the decline to advancements that have been made in the detection and treatment of breast cancer. These include mammography, improved chemotherapy regimens, and drugs such as tamoxifen and Herceptin. Despite the reduction in breast cancer deaths, however, the disease still accounts for many thousands of deaths each year and racial disparities still exist among patients. It is the most common cancer diagnosis in women in the United States and the second leading of cancer deaths in the country. According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 1 in 8 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetimes. |
AuthorNatasha Tiffany, MD, is a physician, educator, and research scientist currently working in Oregon. A Partner and Physician in a private practice located in the state’s capital city of Salem, Dr. Tiffany teaches at her alma mater, Oregon Health & Science University, where she is an Affiliate Assistant Professor in the Hematology and Medical Oncology Division. Archives
October 2019
Categories
All
|