UVM to Study New Prostate Cancer Prevention Therapy

One out of six men will develop prostate cancer in his lifetime, according to the American Cancer Society. In an effort to combat these alarming statistics, the University of Vermont (UVM) is participating in an international clinical study to examine the safety and effectiveness of the medication dutasteride in the prevention of prostate cancer.

Called REDUCE for Reduction by Dutasteride of Prostate Cancer Events, the study will compare dutasteride with a placebo to evaluate its efficacy in reducing prostate cancer. Dutasteride is currently approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration as a treatment for symptoms from an enlarged prostate.

“The REDUCE trial is the second large, multicenter trial to investigate an existing prostate disorders treatment for possible use in the prevention of this highly prevalent cancer,” said Mark Plante, M.D., an assistant professor of surgery and director of urologic research who is the lead investigator at the University of Vermont study site.

“Prostate Cancer Awareness Month provides us with the perfect opportunity to let the community know that cutting-edge prostate cancer prevention research, in addition to other treatment-related research, is available right here in Vermont.”

Prostate cancer is the second most common type of cancer in men and second leading cause of cancer death among men in the United States.

In Vermont each year, 380 new cases of prostate cancer are reported and approximately 75 Vermont men die from the disease. Prostate cancer often exhibits no symptoms, and screening is typically performed using a blood test called the PSA test.

REDUCE is an international trial that will enroll a total of approximately 8,000 men, with more than half from the United States. All participants will be followed over a four-and-a-half year period. Speaker Tackles Public Education Crisis

In this election year when one of the top issues debated is education and the effectiveness of the No Child Left Behind Act, Carl Glickman’s ideas are particularly relevant.

Editor of the well-known book, “Letters to the Next President: What We Can Do About the Real Crisis in Public Education,” Glickman will open this academic year’s John Dewey Lecture series on Friday, Sept. 17 at 4:30 p.m. in the Waterman Memorial Lounge on the UVM campus. This lecture is open to the public.

The book, published in January, includes contributions from Sen. John Glenn, actor Bill Cosby and the late Sen. Paul Wellstone. Preceding the lecture Glickman will be awarded the John Dewey Award for his “outstanding contributions to the education of young people in America.” This is the third year the Dewey Award has been given.

Glickman is the sixth recipient. Among the previous recipients are former Sen. Robert Stafford and former Gov. Phil Hoff. The award is given by the Vermont Society for the Study of Education, a nonprofit group which is a co-sponsoring this event with UVM.

McAneny Named to Board of Trustees

The University of Vermont has named Deborah McAneny to its board of trustees. She will serve a 6-year term replacing Anne Dodge, who resigned in May.

McAneny is known for her leadership roles in the mortgage and real estate industries. She is current director of Cohen Financial Corp., past president of the Commercial Mortgage Association and former executive vice president of John Hancock Financial Services.

McAneny served 19 years at John Hancock and assisted the company in increasing its investment capacity and setting its strategic direction. McAneny, UVM class of 1981, is a current member of the university’s Boston Regional Campaign Committee and past member of the Reunion Class Gift Committee.

She served two years as a student trustee while earning a bachelor’s of science degree from the School of Business Administration.

Medical Students Reach Out to Refugees, Community

University of Vermont College of Medicine second-year students Amanjit “Amy” Sekhon and Anjali Mahoney recognized a need for increased awareness among health professionals and the community about specific refugee health and cultural issues.

They transformed that observation into a project proposal that earned them a prestigious Albert Schweitzer Fellowship, awarded to individuals who are dedicated and skilled in addressing the health needs of underserved communities, and whose example influences and inspires others.

Sekhon and Mahoney proposed a Cultural Awareness Lecture Series, produced in conjunction with Project R.E.S.C.U.E. (Refugee Education, Support, Care, Understanding and Empowerment), a program that provides translated health education materials for Somali Bantu refugees in the greater Burlington area.

On Thursday, Sept. 16, at 6:00 p.m., the first lecture will take place in Carpenter Auditorium in the Given Building on the UVM campus.

The lecture, titled “Improving Access to Health Care: Moving from Rhetoric to Action,” will be presented by Judy Ashley-McLaughlin, M.S., of the Vermont Department of Health. Ashley-McLaughlin will review fifty years of documented disparities in health care access and consider such issues as race, ethnicity and the community’s role in addressing these problems. The lecture is free and open to the public.