University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. President's Office.

Charles A. LeMaistre, the second president of the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, was born in Alabama in 1924. He attended the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa as a pre-med student and graduated in 1943 with a B.A. In 1947, he obtained his M.D. from Cornell University in New York and served a medical internship and residency at New York Hospital in 1948 and 1949. He then finished a two-year postdoctoral research fellowship in infectious diseases at Cornell.

After joining the faculty at Cornell, Dr. LeMaistre was recruited for the first unit of the U.S. Public Health Service’s Epidemic Intelligence Service. During this two-year assignment, while his family and friends thought he was an instructor of medicine at Cornell – and he was – he also handled several highly confidential assignments, including research dealing with defense against possible germ warfare and a secret mission to contain a strange pulmonary epidemic among almost 500 children on a Native American reservation. At the same time he was working secretly for the government, at Cornell he worked on developing tetracycline-type antibiotics and other drugs to treat patients with tuberculosis and diseases of the chest.

In 1954, Dr. LeMaistre accepted an academic appointment at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia and three years later became chairman of its new Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health and coordinator of clinics at Grady Memorial Hospital. After five years at Emory, in 1959 Dr. LeMaistre accepted a faculty position at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, where he eventually became associate dean.

During his time in Dallas, Dr. LeMaistre served as the youngest member of the first U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory Committee on Smoking and Health, which in 1964 issued its landmark report identifying cigarettes as a major cause of lung cancer. He already had observed the adverse effects of tobacco among his patients. When he saw how a physician can affect public policy, Dr. LeMaistre dedicated himself to making a difference about smoking. Later in his life, he chaired the 1981 National Conference on Smoking on Health and a 1985 International Summit on Smoking Control Leaders. While national president of the American Cancer Society in 1986, he traveled widely to promote news about cancer prevention and how many malignant diseases could be avoided if people never used tobacco.

In 1966, Dr. LeMaistre moved to Austin, Texas, to accept the position of vice chancellor for health affairs of The University of Texas System. He quickly advanced to executive vice chancellor, then chancellor-elect and, from 1971 until 1978, he served as the system’s chancellor – the first physician in the University’s history to hold that post. As chancellor, Dr. LeMaistre was chairing a search committee for a new president of M.D. Anderson in the spring of 1978, when he was encouraged by several faculty leaders at the hospital to accept the position himself. He relinquished chairmanship of the search committee, went through the application process, and was selected to be the next M.D. Anderson president.

Dr. LeMaistre served M.D. Anderson as President for eighteen years. Under his leadership, the institution made important advances in patient care, research, and education. M. D. Anderson became a world leader in developing cost-saving outpatient cancer services, including such devices as portable drug infusion pumps, that have revolutionized the way chemotherapy is administered. Dramatic improvement in multidisciplinary therapies has meant less radical surgery and increasing patient survival. The bone marrow transplantation program was expanded to be the most extensive in the world, with more than 500 marrow and stem cell transplants performed annually in 1996. At M.D. Anderson, innovative gene therapy techniques for patients with ovarian, breast, lung, and head and neck cancers and primary brain tumors were designed during Dr. LeMaistre’s presidency.

Research achievements included: interdisciplinary collaboration to develop the leading program in chemoprevention, which uses chemical compounds to halt or reverse the cancer process; extensive research to understand how and why certain cancers spread to other parts of the body and expanding efforts to design methods to predict which cancers will metastasize as well as to prevent metastasis; important findings showing how ultraviolet light can damage the immune system, leaving many people vulnerable to numerous diseases in addition to skin cancer; development of drug-delivery techniques, called liposome encapsulations, to allow higher doses of antibiotics and other drugs to be administered by enclosing them in fatty envelopes to reduce systemic side effects; and demonstrating that a molecular test can detect some kinds of leukemia using only a tiny amount of blood, which can be done for about half the cost of the conventional cytogenetic test that requires an invasive bone marrow aspiration.

In the area of education, during the years that Dr. LeMaistre was president the total number of medical, science, and supportive professional trainees increased more than 50 percent. In 1995, almost 2,000 trainees were enrolled in academic programs at MDA, ranging from a few months to four years. Specialties were available for clinical trainees, including all oncology disciplines, some offered only at M.D. Anderson and a few other centers. Newer fellowships were added in cancer screening and detection, cancer-related endocrinology, pain control, and anesthesiology. Continuing medical education courses offered at M. D. Anderson were attended annually by an estimated 15,000 physicians. Diverse public education programs were offered, including the Under Cover Skin Cancer Prevention Project to raise public awareness about excessive sunlight exposure and the bilingual toll-free Cancer Information Service, which provided timely information to almost 400,000 callers from 1976-1996.

During Dr. LeMaistre’s term as president, M. D. Anderson became the first comprehensive cancer center to adopt a Code of Ethics in 1984. The code was revised and updated a decade later. Another milestone was the celebration of M. D. Anderson’s 50th anniversary Golden Jubilee in 1991.

Dr. LeMaistre was widely honored during his career. The Texas Tuberculosis and Respiratory Disease Association saluted him in 1970 for contributions as chairman of the Governor’s Committee on Tuberculosis Control and Eradication in Texas. He received the American Lung Association’s President’s Award in 1987 for his tobacco control efforts. The next year, he was chosen for the first Gibson D. (Gib) Lewis Award for Excellence in Cancer Control.

Other awards include the “People of Vision” Award from the Texas Society to Prevent Blindness in 1991, the Caring Spirit Tribute from Houston’s Institute of Religion in 1993, the American Medical Association’s Distinguished Service Award in 1995, and a Humanitarian Award from The National Conference of Christians and Jews.

In addition to serving as national president of the American Cancer Society, Dr. LeMaistre was president of the Damon Runyon-Walter Winchell Cancer Fund for four years. He was president of the Council of Southern Universities, president of the Philosophical Society of Texas, and he chaired the National Aeronautics and Space Administration/National Institutes of Health Joint Advisory Committee on Biomedical and Behavioral Research.

In August of 1996, Dr. LeMaistre retired from the presidency of M. D. Anderson and was succeeded by Dr. John Mendelsohn. Like his successor, Dr. Clark, Dr. LeMaistre continued to serve M. D. Anderson as President Emeritus for some time after he retired.

From the guide to the President's Office Records: Charles A. LeMaistre. HRC RG1 SG5., 1969-1998, (Historical Resources Center, Research Medical Library, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center)

In addition to his responsibilities as president of M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Dr. Clark was also active nationally and internationally in the field of cancer medicine. Over this period of time, most national and international scientific and medical organizations relating to oncology numbered among their officers members of the staff of M. D. Anderson Cancer Center and Dr. Clark often participated at the highest levels. As president of M.D. Anderson, Dr. Clark increasingly interacted with other cancer center officials and members of national and international organizations.

One of the nation’s three largest comprehensive cancers at the time (the other two were Roswell Park Memorial Institute of Buffalo, New York and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer of New York, New York), M. D. Anderson was increasingly involved in the national cancer program and in the accelerated international efforts to promote the standardization, availability, and exchange of cancer information. To that end, Dr. Clark was involved to some extent with the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute, as well as the National Cancer Advisory Board. In the larger arena, Dr. Clark interacted with persons associated with the International Cancer Research Data Bank, the International Union Against Cancer, the Council for International Organizations of Medical Science, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the World Health Organization, and the Pan American Health Organization.

A National Panel of Consultants on the Conquest of Cancer was established following the introduction of Senate Resolution 376 by Senator Ralph Yarborough, April 27, 1970. Dr. Clark served as co-chairman of this national panel. As an aid to panel deliberations, staff members of M. D. Anderson participated in 12 special study sections, each discussing one of a series of questions pertaining to efforts and organization which could be affected to accelerate the solution of the cancer problem. Also in 1970, M. D. Anderson was the site of the Tenth International Cancer Congress, hosted by the institution and the National Academy of Sciences.

In 1976, several representatives from the national and international scientific community came to Houston to help dedicate a new $72 million building expansion at M. D. Anderson and to attend special meetings being hosted by the institution. Dr. Frank Rauscher, Director of the National Cancer Institute; Mr. Benno C. Schmidt, Chairman of the President’s Cancer Panel; Dr. Sandor Eckhardt, Director of the National Cancer Institute of Hungary and representative of the International Union Against Cancer; Dr. Albert H. Owens, President of the Association of American Cancer Institutes; and Dr. Benjamin F. Byrd, Jr., President of the American Cancer Society all participated in building dedication ceremonies. The Committee on International Collaborative Activities (CICA) (of which Dr. Clark was chairman) of the International Union Against Cancer met the same week to discuss its efforts to foster international cooperation and communication in cancer research and education. The President’s Cancer Panel held an open meeting at M. D. Anderson to discuss the progress of the National Cancer Act and to review programs in patient care, research, and education. Additionally, The Association of American Cancer Institutes met separately as well as with the CICA during that busy week.

From the guide to the President's Office National and International Records: R. Lee Clark. HRC RG1 SG3., 1968-1979, (Historical Resources Center, Research Medical Library, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center)

Alterations were made in the organization of the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in August of 1969, when the Board of Regents of The University of Texas System changed the title of the chief administrative officer from Director to President. Dr. Clark, previously Director, therefore became the first President. He was appointed by, and was responsible to, the Board of Regents of The University of Texas System and was assisted most closely in the coordination of institutional activities by the Executive Vice President and Director and other administrative officers. Chairmen of advisory committees on administration, research, education, and patient care also made recommendations to Dr. Clark, as members of the President’s Advisory Council.

The primary responsibilities of the President were to coordinate programs in patient care, research, and education at the highest level and coordinate public information for the institution. The following staff were responsible to the President’s office: Executive Vice President and Director, Vice President for Professional and Public Affairs, Information Coordinator (later the Department of Information and Publications), the University Cancer Foundation, and the section of experimental animals. Additionally, the office was engaged in planning and development of The University of Texas Environmental Science Park. Also at that time, the Office of Development was established as a part of the office of the President and an assistant for development was appointed.

In October of 1972, as identified by the National Cancer Act of 1971 (and later its 1974 amendment), M. D. Anderson Hospital was designated the central unit for a newly created University of Texas System Cancer Center. Dr. Clark became President of the entire system, which included the M. D. Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute, an Extramural Programs Division, and the University Cancer Foundation, guided by the advisory Board of Visitors. Through the Extramural Programs Division, the Cancer Center was responsible for the coordination of cancer activities among the units of The University of Texas Health Science Centers at Dallas and San Antonio, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, The University of Texas System School of Nursing, and the units of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. The Health Science Center was organized in 1972 to include the seven other biomedical units of The University of Texas at Houston. The University of Texas Environmental Science Park was administered through the Extramural Programs Division. Dr. Clark held this position until he assumed President Emeritus status in August of 1978. The President Emeritus serves as a consultant to the President, with responsibility for carrying out programs and projects assigned to him by the President.

By 1974, the responsibilities of the President’s Office were defined as the development of institutional policy and as the administrative center for approval and coordination of programs for the System Cancer Center, the Extramural Programs Division and the University Cancer Foundation. From this office, the institution’s operating budgets, policy proposals, and other special actions were recommended for approval by the Chancellor and Board of Regents of The University of Texas System; expenditures were supervised; members of the staff and faculty were recommended to the Chancellor and the Regents for appointment, promotion, retention, retention or dismissal; and long-range plans for programs and physical facilities were developed.

From the period 1969-1978, M. D. Anderson experienced many changes as it grew and expanded its programs. During the time that Dr. Clark served as the first President, several building expansions occurred, perhaps the largest being the Lutheran Pavilion, completed in 1976, which added 350 beds to the facility. Outpatient visits grew from 342,657 in 1968-1970 to 656,694 in 1976-1978. There were 12,566 persons admitted to the hospital in 1968-1970 and 17,279 in 1976-1978. During the same time period, the full time professional staff grew from 185 to 454 persons and the institutions formed several new departments, including: Clinical Pathology; Anatomical Pathology; Rehabilitation Medicine, and the Environmental Science Park near Smithville. The Departments of Anesthesiology and Gynecology became operational in September 1972, having formerly been sections of the Department of Surgery. Several pieces of new equipment for cancer treatment were purchased, tested, or developed at the institution, including a 25-Mev Linear Accelerator (1970) and the Variable Energy Cyclotron from Texas A&M University (1972).

Hundreds of research projects were carried out at M.D. Anderson during this time period, many of which focused on the role of genetics in cancer, treatments for leukemia, and methods of radiotherapy. Research programs were proposed to the Research Committee, part of the Office of Research headed by Dr. Felix L. Haas, by the individual investigators through the department head or by the chairman of a study section. Appropriate recommendations were made by the committee to the President, in consultation with Dr. Haas, through the President’s Advisory Council. A research project was approved by the department head or chairman of a study section when, in his judgment, the project could be conducted with the facilities and funds available and was then registered with the Research Committee. Any new project or program proposing to perform research activities that would involve human subjects, or specimens from human subjects, had to be approved by the Surveillance Committee. Following initial approval by the Research Committee, proposals involving human subjects were forwarded to the Surveillance Committee, also a part of the Office of Research, and were reviewed for compliance with institution and Department of Health, Education, and Welfare regulations regarding patients’ safety, informed patient consent, proper specimen use, etc. Every clinical project was reviewed by the committee at least once annually, and more often if warranted.

The Office of the President included the headquarters for the National Large Bowel Cancer Project, one of the four active organ site programs supported by the Division of Cancer Research Resources and Centers of the National Cancer Institute. This program was established in conformity with the National Cancer Plan, which had an overall goal to develop a means to reduce the incidence, morbidity, and mortality of cancer in humans. The Headquarters staff and a working group of distinguished biomedical scientists and clinical investigators, with the advice of consulting cancer biologists and clinical investigators, developed a National Organ Site Plan and expanded programs of research designed to clarify the biology and promote the control of colorectal cancer.

Another program of the President’s Office was the Historical Resources Project of the Texas Medical Center. This project’s objective was to develop an oral and audiovisual history of the development of the Center and its component units through research and recording and videotaping interviews with individuals instrumental or influential in the planning, development and philosophic guidance of M.D. Anderson. Several books authored by Don Macon, director of the project, on some early leaders of the Texas Medical Center concept have been published, including “Clark and the Anderson: A Personal Profile.”

By the end of 1978, more than 2,300 physicians had received advanced clinical experience in cancer management at M.D. Anderson. Specialized cancer rotations were open to medical, dental, nursing, and allied health professions students enrolled at several Texas universities. Graduate students participating within the institution and in conjunction with the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston earned an M.S. or Ph.D. degree. The education and training of clinical fellows who came to M.D. Anderson for specialized oncology training after they became board eligible or board certified in one of the clinical specialties was emphasized. Many of these physicians later became involved in other training programs throughout the country and the world. Approximately 55% of the advanced clinical trainees assumed full-time academic positions after leaving M.D. Anderson. Another 9% assumed combination practice and academic positions, and 36% entered private practice in one of the oncology subspecialties. Residents, interns, and medical and dental students from affiliated and integrated training programs within and outside The University of Texas received training at M.D. Anderson and the in-service training in nursing oncology for the institution’s nurses was a model program.

From the guide to the President's Office Records: R. Lee Clark. HRC RG1 SG2., 1966-1982, (Historical Resources Center, Research Medical Library, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center)