KD Sunday Spotlight: Pittsburgh Cure Sarcoma
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - "This was just benches before, and they built this beautiful tissue cultural room for us," said Dr. Kurt Weiss.
Weiss has a new lab in the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center to continue his passion.
"I learned from a very young age that Sarcoma research saves lives," said Weiss, an orthopedic oncologist at UPMC.
At just 15 years old, Weiss went to an orthopedic oncologist dr. Mark Goodman at UPMC, and was diagnosed with osteosarcoma.
"My father with a wavering voice, whose voice never wavered, said 'Dr. Goodman, that sounds like bone cancer.'" And he said, 'Mr. Weiss, that's exactly what it is, and if you're lucky and the cancer hasn't spread to Kurt's lungs already, there's a 65% chance that he'll be alive in 5 years,'" said Weiss.
Weiss said, unfortunately, the cancer spread to his lungs.
He underwent surgeries, chemotherapy, and a clinical trial.
Goodman also had to amputate his right leg above the knee because of an infection.
But through all of this, Weiss found his purpose and a life-long partner.
"He's my family," said Weiss. "He's my mentor, too. Both scientifically and surgically. Dr. Goodman let me start coming into his operating room when I was 17 years old."
"He's a special guy," said Goodman. "We clicked. Our personalities engaged. It was fun having him around. Smart. Asked good questions."
"After spending time with Dr. Goodman as a student AND as a resident, I said, 'I'm home. This is what God made me to do. I'm going to be an orthopedic cancer doctor,'" said Weiss.
Weiss and Goodman worked together for nine years at UPMC before Goodman retired.
They still do through "Pittsburgh Cure Sarcoma."
The non-profit raises awareness about the disease and money to fund research.
"We have a cadre of very fine researchers at McGee, at Children's, at Allegheny General, down in Morgantown at WVU, all doing Sarcoma research," said Goodman. "Keeping the amount of money raised here, we were able to support the researchers in the local area."
"I do think we have built and are building the capacity to make significant progress in these diseases and significant inroads, and just the rise in research in Pittsburgh since I came back here in 2010 has been pretty impressive," said Weiss.
Since the 1970s, Goodman said treatment has advanced significantly.
"The severe ones have gone from 16% to about 70-75% survival rate," said Goodman. "Amputations have gone from 80% to less than 20%. We've gotten much better at limb reconstruction and functional capacity and we're still making strides."
Thanks to doctors like Weiss -- one of the few physician-scientists who specializes in sarcoma and searches for a cure.
"I've watched him go from where do I put my hands on the operating table to doing highly sophisticated custom prosthesis," said Goodman. "I am very proud of him. He's far smarter than I am. That's all on him."
Weiss praises Goodman for passing on his wisdom.
"I do my best and I try to live up to the ideals he taught me about how you never give up on your patients and you treat them like your family," said Weiss. "And sometimes, they do become your family."
Like these two who went from patient and physician to father and son.
For more information or to get involved, head to the Pittsburgh Cure Sarcoma website at this link.
