New Clinical Care Center in Nashville

By Selvi Palaniappan, MS, CGC, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN

Dr. Blevins

A new VHL Clinical Center has recently opened at Vanderbilt University and the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville. This comprehensive clinical center will become one of three VHL clinical care centers in the Southeast and will provide coordinated care for all aspects of a patient’s clinical care.

Initial contact with the medical center and care coordination of care is provided through the Family Cancer Risk Service, directed by Susan Caro. Selvi Palaniappan (say “pal-NIP-pan”), a cancer genetic counselor, speaks with each patient on the phone to answer questions and determine the patient’s individual needs. In addition to coordinating the annual care of VHL patients, counseling and genetic testing is also available to confirm a diagnosis of VHL or to test family members who do not have symptoms.

The most advanced imaging methods are available along with a full team of ophthalmologists, urologists, general surgeons, neurosurgeons, and endocrinologists to manage screening and management of all VHL issues. Adult patients will be followed annually by Jeff Sosman, M.D., professor of Medicine, a kidney cancer specialist, and children will be followed by James Whitlock, M.D., Craig-Weaver Associate Professor of Pediatrics and director of Pediatric Oncology.

Endocrinologist Lewis Blevins, M.D., who has a special interest in VHL, will follow patients annually to monitor for pheochromocytoma. Together with the team of physicians and counselors at Vanderbilt Medical Center, the goal is to provide annual screening and management in a caring environment. The VHL Clinical Center at Vanderbilt Medical Center can be reached by e-mail at selvi.palaniappan@vanderbilt.edu or susan.caro@vanderbilt.edu or by phone at +1-877-688-7555.

As printed in the VHL Family Forum 12:2, August/September 2004. For permission to reprint, please contact VHL Family Alliance, editor@vhl.org. Further information is available from the VHL Family Alliance, info@vhl.org.