Prominent cancer doctor leaving IU

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - One of Indiana University's leading cancer researchers has announced he's leaving his post here and moving closer to Silicon Valley to continue his research into the causes of cancer.

Dr. George Sledge, a medical oncologist, has been recruited and accepted a position
as Chief of Oncology at Stanford University's Department of Medicine.

At Indiana University, Dr. Sledge is co-director of the breast cancer program at the IU Cancer Center. He directed the first large, nationwide study on the use of paclitaxel to treat advanced breast cancer and has published over 250 articles in medical journals about breast cancer. He's chaired several nationwide clinical trials involving new breast cancer treatments.

As well known as he may be in research circles, he is also well known for his bedside manner and compassionate care for his patients.

His interest in cancer research goes back over 30 years, when he was an intern, and had to tell a young female patient that she was dying from leukemia.

"It was the very first time I ever told a patient they had cancer," said Sledge. "And I went to her bedside, and sat down and we talked, and I told her that she had a very dangerous form of leukemia, and I will always remember her words to me, she said, 'Who will take care of my children? Who will take care of my children.'"

At Indiana University, Dr. Sledge dove into the genetics of cancer, the basic structures of a killer.

"We can now take a human cancer, slice it and dice it, measure every single genetic abnormality
in a human cancer. There's 3.2 billion base pairs in the DNA of a single cancer cell. We can measure every single lesion in the cancer cell and it's the first time we've been able to do this in human history."

During his tenure at IU, Dr. Sledge developed a drug called Paclitaxel for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer. Then he discovered that combining it with a drug called, Doxorubicin, he had an even more effective treatment.

Targeting cancer with finely honed medications means a potential cure with fewer side effects for the patient.

"Every drug should be targeted, every single agent that we use we should be able to identify who's going to benefit, who's going to have side effects , and actually use that in the clinic."

As for his decision to leave IU for Stanford, it appears to have a great deal to do with Stanford's connections with Silicon Valley.

Essentially he'll get access to bigger computers, and even more data.

"Stanford, of course, is in the heart of Silicon Valley, it's in a place where there's probably more information
technology available than any other place on the planet, I want to be able to apply to the cancer problem."

Dr. Sledge will be leaving IU in December and starting his new position with Stanford January 14th.