Kidney Cancer

Terence B. Foley, 67, of Queen Village, a scholar, linguist and musician, died of cancer yesterday in hospice care at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Foley moved to Philadelphia in 2003 when his wife, Amanda Bennett, began her three years as editor of The Inquirer. He taught journalism courses at Temple, Drexel, and La Salle Universities and played tuba and string bass with area bands. He was a member of Local 77, American Federation of Musicians, Philadelphia.

The college women's distance medley relay shone a brighter spotlight than usual yesterday as the featured event of the Penn Relays on a sun-splashed day at Franklin Field. There were two winners. At the front of the pack, Nicole Edwards outdueled Sarah Bowman in the final 150 meters to give Michigan a narrow victory over Tennessee in the time of 10 minutes, 49.58 seconds, the second-fastest ever run at Penn. But a bit farther back in the pack, Villanova anchor Frances Koons also captured an important victory, returning to the carnival for the first time since surviving kidney cancer and running a personal best time for 1,600 meters.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - Michael Deckman was walking down the hall with his son's pediatric oncologist a few years back, worrying about how he'd pay the rising medical bills at Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital. He had just switched jobs and had a bad insurance plan, and his son Caleb was battling a type of kidney cancer. Which explains why the Deckmans were in the midst of a heaving, gyrating mass of semi-delirious college students on Saturday, dodging squirt-gun fire and shouting to be heard over an earsplitting rock band.

It looks as if someone emptied a giant box of crayons inside the Bryce Jordan Center at Pennsylvania State University. A heaving mass of dancing students is dressed in capes, tutus, propeller beanies and bandannas in all colors of the rainbow. The event is THON, billed as the world's largest student-run philanthropy, which raises money for research and support of families battling pediatric cancer. More than 700 dancers are planning to remain on their feet for 46 hours, starting from 6 p.m. Friday until 4 p.m. Sunday.

As 5-2 Frances Koons looked back over her athletic career and the obstacles she later faced, the eight-time All-America in track and cross country from Villanova realized that it was not just the length of her legs that carried her to stardom but the size of her heart. "And probably a good set of lungs, some genetics and some hard work played into that, too," said Koons, 23. "So I guess I have just been really blessed with all of that. " Blessed is a word with which Koons has more than a passing acquaintance.

J. David Mustin, 53, of Ambler, a certified public accountant who was chief financial officer for Beaumont Retirement Community in Bryn Mawr, died of kidney cancer Thursday, Sept. 8, at Abington Hospice in Warminster. Mr. Mustin joined Beaumont in 1989, a year after it was established as a resident-owned and -governed retirement community. "He had an accountant's personality. He was thoughtful and quiet, but he had a sense of humor and was fun to be around," said Joseph Fortenbaugh, Beaumont's president and chief executive officer, who also has been at Beaumont since 1989.

Ernest Richard Dematt, 60, part of the seat-of-the-pants adventure that was the West Philadelphia restaurant the Gold Standard in the early 1980s, died Monday, Feb. 27, at Pennsylvania Hospital of complications from kidney cancer. Mr. Dematt, known by his middle name, was a longtime resident of University City. Roger Harman, an owner of the Gold Standard, now at 48th Street and Baltimore Avenue, said that from 2005 to late 2011, Mr. Dematt was the baker in the eatery's most recent incarnation.

WASHINGTON - Chemotherapy is now available in a pill - but if you have Medicare, you might not be able to afford it. That's what happened to Rita Moore of Corcoran, Calif., when she took her prescription for a medication to treat kidney cancer to her drugstore. She was stunned when the pharmacist told her a month's supply of the pills would cost $2,400, which is more than she makes. Medicare prescription plans that cover seniors such as Moore are allowed to charge steep co-payments for the latest cancer drugs, which can cost tens of thousands of dollars a year.

Don't limit treatment I understand that Congress is debating options to control the costs of the Medicare Part D program, including directing the government to negotiate directly with drug companies for the lowest prescription prices. I support efforts to reduce costs and expand coverage for senior citizens and disabled people who rely upon Medicare. But I also worry about the unintended consequences of such actions. My experience with kidney cancer has shown me how few treatment options are available to some patients.

Before last season, Randy Wolf predicted that Eric Milton would surprise some people. "When you're out of sight, you're out of mind," Wolf said yesterday. Milton had missed most of the 2003 season because of a knee injury, but went 14-6 with a 4.75 ERA for the Phillies. Wolf finds himself in a similar position after he spent two stints on the disabled list last season, and made just 23 starts with a career-low five wins. "I have something I need to do this year, and that's stay healthy," Wolf said.

Ernest Richard Dematt, 60, part of the seat-of-the-pants adventure that was the West Philadelphia restaurant the Gold Standard in the early 1980s, died Monday, Feb. 27, at Pennsylvania Hospital of complications from kidney cancer. Mr. Dematt, known by his middle name, was a longtime resident of University City. Roger Harman, an owner of the Gold Standard, now at 48th Street and Baltimore Avenue, said that from 2005 to late 2011, Mr. Dematt was the baker in the eatery's most recent incarnation.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - Michael Deckman was walking down the hall with his son's pediatric oncologist a few years back, worrying about how he'd pay the rising medical bills at Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital. He had just switched jobs and had a bad insurance plan, and his son Caleb was battling a type of kidney cancer. Which explains why the Deckmans were in the midst of a heaving, gyrating mass of semi-delirious college students on Saturday, dodging squirt-gun fire and shouting to be heard over an earsplitting rock band.

It looks as if someone emptied a giant box of crayons inside the Bryce Jordan Center at Pennsylvania State University. A heaving mass of dancing students is dressed in capes, tutus, propeller beanies and bandannas in all colors of the rainbow. The event is THON, billed as the world's largest student-run philanthropy, which raises money for research and support of families battling pediatric cancer. More than 700 dancers are planning to remain on their feet for 46 hours, starting from 6 p.m. Friday until 4 p.m. Sunday.

J. David Mustin, 53, of Ambler, a certified public accountant who was chief financial officer for Beaumont Retirement Community in Bryn Mawr, died of kidney cancer Thursday, Sept. 8, at Abington Hospice in Warminster. Mr. Mustin joined Beaumont in 1989, a year after it was established as a resident-owned and -governed retirement community. "He had an accountant's personality. He was thoughtful and quiet, but he had a sense of humor and was fun to be around," said Joseph Fortenbaugh, Beaumont's president and chief executive officer, who also has been at Beaumont since 1989.

WASHINGTON - Chemotherapy is now available in a pill - but if you have Medicare, you might not be able to afford it. That's what happened to Rita Moore of Corcoran, Calif., when she took her prescription for a medication to treat kidney cancer to her drugstore. She was stunned when the pharmacist told her a month's supply of the pills would cost $2,400, which is more than she makes. Medicare prescription plans that cover seniors such as Moore are allowed to charge steep co-payments for the latest cancer drugs, which can cost tens of thousands of dollars a year.

In a major advance against the deadliest type of skin cancer, a genetically targeted drug shrank tumors throughout the bodies of 80 percent of patients with terminal melanoma. The study, led by the University of Pennsylvania and conducted at seven medical centers, is the first to successfully exploit a molecular abnormality found in about half of melanoma tumors, but not in healthy cells. "This is the beginning of personalized medicine in melanoma," said senior author Paul Chapman, a melanoma researcher at Memorial Sloan-Kettering in New York City.

As 5-2 Frances Koons looked back over her athletic career and the obstacles she later faced, the eight-time All-America in track and cross country from Villanova realized that it was not just the length of her legs that carried her to stardom but the size of her heart. "And probably a good set of lungs, some genetics and some hard work played into that, too," said Koons, 23. "So I guess I have just been really blessed with all of that. " Blessed is a word with which Koons has more than a passing acquaintance.

The college women's distance medley relay shone a brighter spotlight than usual yesterday as the featured event of the Penn Relays on a sun-splashed day at Franklin Field. There were two winners. At the front of the pack, Nicole Edwards outdueled Sarah Bowman in the final 150 meters to give Michigan a narrow victory over Tennessee in the time of 10 minutes, 49.58 seconds, the second-fastest ever run at Penn. But a bit farther back in the pack, Villanova anchor Frances Koons also captured an important victory, returning to the carnival for the first time since surviving kidney cancer and running a personal best time for 1,600 meters.

Another powerful new targeted cancer drug has been found to damage the heart, prompting researchers to urge that all patients be closely monitored for high blood pressure and heart failure. Pfizer Inc.'s Sutent, approved a year ago to treat a rare stomach cancer and advanced kidney cancer, is the latest in the growing arsenal of molecular-based therapies to show that even a targeted attack may cause serious collateral damage. Last year, a small increased risk of heart failure was linked to Gleevec, which treats a type of leukemia.

Terence B. Foley, 67, of Queen Village, a scholar, linguist and musician, died of cancer yesterday in hospice care at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Foley moved to Philadelphia in 2003 when his wife, Amanda Bennett, began her three years as editor of The Inquirer. He taught journalism courses at Temple, Drexel, and La Salle Universities and played tuba and string bass with area bands. He was a member of Local 77, American Federation of Musicians, Philadelphia.