2
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Center to begin patient trials
of breast cancer treatment
Drug, in combination
with chemo, could
prevent relapse
By TUI RADEMAKER
Daily News Editor
If a new treatment currently
being tested at the University's
Comprehensive Cancer Center
proves effective, breast cancer
patients' chances of relapsing could
be greatly decreased.
Anne Schott, associate professor
ofinternalmedicineattheUniversity
Medical School, is leading a clinical
trial on the effects of combining
standard chemotherapy with a
drug called Reparixin to destroy
the stem cells in patients suffering
from metastatic, or advanced stage,
breast cancer.
Reparixin was originally
designed and marketed by Domp6,
a pharmaceutical company to help
transplant patients accept their
new organs.
The idea for the research
was first brought up by Dr. Max
Wicha, director of the University
------- - --- -
BENEFITS
From Page 1
"The University benefits are
not offered on the basis of sex,"
Fitzgerald said. "It'sbasicallyoffered
on what's called an Other Qualified
Adult, or another adult living with
a University employee ... that is
qualified for benefits. The ruling
doesn't really affect the University's
ability to offer those benefits."
The University's policy,
which was drafted in 2008,
allows OQA benefits in cases in
which the employee is eligible
for benefits. Those eligible for
benefits are defined as another
person who has shared residence
with the employee for at least six
continuous months and does not
already receive spousal benefits.
When the bill was being
considered by the Michigan
legislature in 2011, University
President Mary Sue Coleman and
former University Provost Phil
Hanlon appealed to representatives
in a letter, writingthat there was "no
Comprehensive Cancer Center,
who realized that Reparixin
could hit the drug target CXCR1
for breast cancer stem cells that
he had been studying.
"In the laboratory it looked
promising, so now we're testing it
in people," Schott said. "This is the
first time it's ever been tested with
chemotherapy and definitely the
first time it's ever been tested in
cancer patients."
She said stem cells are only
a tiny part of a breast cancer
tumor - anywhere from around
0.5 to five percent - yet they
are responsible for creating
new tumors and thus making it
possible for women to relapse
years after being initially treated.
While standard chemotherapy
has proven effective in destroying
most cancer cells, it does nottarget
the stem cells. By combining
the stem-cell targeted drug
Reparixin with chemotherapy,
Schott said she hopes to achieve
not only the initial treatment but
also prevent regrowth.
"We know that we have a
combination therapy (that) can
shrink tumors but the stem cell part
evidence that (eliminating benefits)
will reduce health care costs."
The letter stated that in 2011, 570
qualified adults and 48 dependent
children depended on the domestic
partner benefits.
After the bill passed, Fitzgerald
said the University did not change
its policy.
"At the time (the bill) was being
considered it wasn't clear where
the legislature was headed with
this legislation, but the University's
policy is one that we believe serves
the best interests of the University
and its employees," he said.
State Rep. Adam Zemke (D-
Ann Arbor) said even though the
decision would not change the way
the University extends benefits to
its employees, he said he felt the
decision would have long-term
significance.
"(The reason the) University is
able to do what it does is because
of a gentleman's agreement, a
memorandum of understanding
between the governor and the
legislature and the University,"
Zemke said.
He said the relationship between
- the part that can make tumor
after tumor after tumor - those
are resistant to chemotherapy," she
said. "What we're developing is a
combination treatment to try and
do both: try to shrink the tumor but
then also get rid of these stem cells
that keep causing relapses."
While the clinical trial is in
its early phases, a number of
women have shown interest
in participating. At least one
patient has been undergoing the
combination treatment for a year,
which Schott said is a promising
sign as they are now able to
determine that Reparixin reacts
safely with standard chemotherapy.
The initial stages of the clinical
trial were carried out to determine
the best dose at which to administer
Reparixin, but Schott said they're
able to move into a second and more
comprehensive phase in which the
researchers will try to determine
the drug's impact on the tumor's
stem cells.
"We've certainly seen responses
in this treatment but we have to be
careful interpreting that because
of course the patients are receiving
standard chemotherapy along with
the governor and University could
change in the future, putting the
University's policy at risk.
"When we're talking about
statutes, they are not supposed
to be something easily changed
throughout time," Zemke said.
"They are supposed to be something
that last. And memorandums of
understanding like the University's
do not hold water in a real sense as
do statutes."
The ACLU of Michigan
challenged the law last year on
behalf of plaintiffs who were
unable to receive partner benefits
because they were not married.
Michigan passed a law that made
for a constitutional amendment that
banned same-sex marriage in 2004.
"We believe that this law that
tells certain public employers, cities
and counties, school districts that
you can't provide health insurance
coverage for same-sex partners of
an employee while you can provide
health insurance for just about
anybody else," Jay Kaplan, an ACLU
of Michigan staff attorney, said.
"It's discriminatory and its true
motivation was to target gay and
an experimental drug," she said. "I
wouldn't want to overstate and say
that we know right now that this is
an effective treatment but certainly
we've seen that it's very possible to
combine it with chemotherapy."
The full scope and application
of Reparixin is not yet known, and
Schott said that until researchers
do laboratory tests on the drug's
reaction with other forms of cancer,
it's not understood if this treatment
canbe applied morebroadly.
"Obviously if it looks interesting
in breast cancer, I think there will
be a lot of research being done
in other cancers to see if it might
effective there, but we're really
starting with breast cancer at this
point," she said.
For now, the research will
focus on breast cancer. In order
for the Reparixin-chemotherapy
combination to be approved as an
official treatment, an additional
clinical trial would be needed
which would compare one subject
pool using only chemotherapy to
another using the combination.
All patients currently
participating in Schott's study are
being given both drugs.
lesbian couples."
Kaplan said the law blocking
same-sex partner benefit also denies
the dignity of the relationships and
their families.
"This is the only state in the
country that has a law like this that
says providing health insurance
(to partners) wasn't based on
recognizing the relationship, it was
under different criteria that same-
sex partners would be covered,
made it illegal."
State Rep. Jeff Irwin (D-Ann
Arbor) said he was disappointed
when the governor signed into law a
bill that would revoke benefits from
families.
"When the bill was passed I spoke
up and said it was unconstitutional,
it was discriminatory," Irwin said.
"I'm glad this judge has stepped in
with the same rationale of the (U.S.)
Supreme Court to rule that this law
is unconstitutional, that it violates
the constitutional protections of
Equal Protection."
Zemke introduced a bill earlier in
the week, bringing the issue of gay
marriage back as a ballot question
for voters.
420 Maynard St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1327
www.michigandaily.com
KATIE BURKE MERYL HULTENG
Edori n hef BuinesMaage
CONTACT INFORMATION
Newsroom rOficehours:
Sun.-hurs. 11a.m. -2 a.m
734.763-2459 opt.3
News Tips ,nwsnmihigandaily.com,
Cetios orectios ,'ons,@michigandaid,.co
LetterstotheEditor tothedaily@michandaiy.com
or visit michigandailycom/et'e's
PhotoDepartment ph,,oto(,c, dalyco'"
Art Sectionr arts@michigandaiycom
Editorial Page opinion@michigandailycom
SportsSection sports@michigandaiy.com
Magazine statement@michigandalcom
Advertisin hne 3-7405
Department diplay9mihigndaily.
tlassifieds Phone: 734-764-0557
Department cassiied@michigandailycom
EDITORIAL STAFF
Elliot Alpern Managing Editor
Aaron Guggenheim Managing News Editor
aguggen@michigandaily.com
SENIOR NEWS EDITORS:
AmruthaSivakumar, TuiRademaker
EricFerguson EditorialtPageEditor
opinioneditors@michigandaily-com
SENIOR EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR:
GregGarno Managing Sports Editor
sportseditors@michigandaiy com
JeremySummitAleaDettelbach
Johntynch ManagingArtsEditor
iynomichigandaily com
SENIOR ARTS EDITORS Kendall Russ, Max Radwin
MaleneLacasse tManagingPhotoEditor
phto..n.,Signdaily,,,.
AustinReed ManagingDesignEditor
desig"@michig'ada" co
Meaghan Thompson ManagingCopyEditor
co,,pydeskmichigndaiy.com
BUSINESS STAFF
LeahLouis-Prescott salesManager
The Michigan Daily (ISSN 0745-967) is
published every Thursday during the
spring and sonnertebrms hy students
at the University of Michigan. One copy
is available free of charge to all readers.
Additionalcopies may be picked upat the
Daily's ofice nr $2. Suhscriptions forfall
term, slatting in September, via U.S. mail
are $110. Winter term (January through
April) is $115, yearlong (September
through April)is$195. University affiliates
are subectto a reduced subscriptivn rate.
Or-campus subscriptivns fvr fall term
are $35. Subscriptions must be prepaid.
The Michigan Daily is a member of The
Associated Press and The Associated
Cvllegiate Press.
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com\
MNSBASKETBALL
Burke falls, lands with Jazz
in unpredictable NBA draft
By NEAL ROTHSCHILD
Daily Sports Editor
presented the next best chance
to scoop Burke up.
Burke was excited at the
ADAM GLANZMAN/Daily
Former Michigan guard Tim Hardaway Jr. will join the New York Knicks this seaon.
Hardawa taken
24th by Knicks
By NEAL ROTHSCHILD
Daily Sports Editor
NEW YORK - His father hated
the Knicks, but that didn't matter.
Tim Hardaway Jr. was drafted
by New York with the 24th over-
all pick in the NBA Draft, giving
Michigan two first-round selec-
tions after Trey Burke was taken
ninth overall by the Minnesota
Timberwolves and later traded to
Utah.
It marks the first time since
1994 that the Wolverines boasted
two first-rounders.
The grudges Hardaway's
father held two decades ago won't
matter much.
"I don't mind it at all," Hard-
away said on a conference call
about his father's past with the
team. "I'm just happy to be part
of the New York Knicks franchise
and I'm just happy to be a part of
this draft process. It was a long
six weeks and I don't care what
team I'm playing for as long as I
get an opportunity out there."
Hardaway didn't see the same
slide down the draft boards that
Burke saw Thursday night, com-
pared to expectations. The former
Wolverine guard was expected to
land in the early to late 20s.
With guard and high-volume
shooter J.R. Smith testing free
agency, space could open on the
roster for Hardaway to see more
minutes. Current small forward
Iman Shumpert is a better defend-
er, but perhaps not as dynamic of
an offensive weapon.
"I think he's going to fit perfect-
ly," Burke said. "That's the kind
of player he is. Tim Hardaway is
a team player first. That's what's
most important, what he brings
to teams. He has the NBA gene in
him. I definitely think the Knicks
didn't go wrong picking him."
If last fall was any indication,
Hardaway should feel comfort-
able in his new home, Madison
Square Garden. At the 2012 NIT
Preseason Tip-Off, Hardaway
won MVP at the tournament,
scoring 23 points on 10-for-15
shooting as the Wolverines rout-
ed Kansas State.
"Coach Beilein and his coach-
ing staff did a great job of pre-
paring (me and Trey) for this
moment," Hardaway said. "We're
just excited, being able to come
out here and not just show our
talent but show our abilities out
there on the court."
NEW YORK - There were a prospect of landing in Detroit.
lot of moving pieces and a good He knew general manager Joe
amount of confusion. When Dumars through his son Jordan,
everything stopped, Trey Burke who was in the Michigan pro-
ended up on the Utah Jazz. gram when Burke was a fresh-
Trey Burke expected to go man. He thought that his fanbase
between No. 2 and No. 8 in the with Michigan would help make
2013 NBA Draft on Thursday, him a quick favorite in Detroit.
and he just missed. The Min- But the Pistons said no thank
nesota Timberwolves grabbed you, instead grabbing guard Ken-
Burke with the ninth overall tavious Caldwell-Pope from Geor-
pick, but he was immediately on gia.
the move. At that point, Burke grew
The former Michigan point nervous. No teams drafting in
guard would be traded to the the first round past Detroit had
Jazz for their 14th and 21st picks. worked him out.
"It was a long process," Burke "I didn't know-how far I was
said. "I'm happy it's over with. going to slip back into the draft,"
I'm happy I know where I'm he said. "Once they passed on
going to end up." me, I was kind of like, now I don't
In Utah, Burke joins a team know where I'm going to go."
with no established order at The anxiety wouldn't last for
point guard. The team has long. The Timberwolves, on the
Randy Foye, Jamaal Tinsley, clock next with Ricky Rubio in
Mo Williams and Earl Watson tow at point guard, were quick to
- all journeymen point guards snatch Burke.
not guaranteed a contract next A team that hadn't worked
season. It may not take much for him out and a team that seem-
Burke to crack the opening night ingly didn't need a point guard.
starting lineup.
But he'll still be working inthe
footsteps of some greats. Burk
joins in the lineage of Jazz point
guards that include John Stock
ton and Deron Williams.
He'll have a strong frontcour
to work with in low-post dynam9
Al Jefferson, rebounding maven
Paul Millsap and budding center
Enes Kanter. 5 4 3
From the outset of the draft-
it was clear that the pre-draft
projections could be quickly for-
gotten. The Cleveland Cavalier
started the draft emphatically 5 8 1
taking forward Anthony Bennet-
from UNLV, who many expected 2
to wind up in the bottom half o
the top-10.
When the rest of the dominos 3
started to fall, it was clear tha
Burke wouldn't end up with New
Orleans at No. 6, or even with
Sacramento at No. 7. He clapped 7 5
politely for each selection with
his body language betraying 4 8? 2 7
worry.
Michigan coach John Beilei
looked on from the front rows,
also uncomfortably.1'
The Pistons, on the clock next
"It was kind of a shocker
that the Timberwolves selected
me," Burke said. "So I was kind
of thrown off a little bit. I was
happy at the same time. I was
excited. I got to walk across the
stage that I've been watching
since I was a little kid."
He was barely across that
stage when reports emerged that
Burke would need a new hat. At
first Yahoo! Sports and ESPN
reported that he was headed to
Portland, and then that Utah
would be the destination.
He waited in one of the back
rooms at the Barclays Center.
Then it was made official - he'd
go to Utah. Shabazz Muhammed
and Gorgui Dieng, drafted 14th
and 21st, would be coming the
other way to Portland.
"Once I found out I was get-
ting traded, it was kind of like,
what do I do? I had the hat on
and everything. They told me to
sit in the back room until it was
confirmed. Now that it's con-
firmed, I'm happy to be in Utah."