Dr. Holland’s children, from left: David Holland; Diane Holland; Sally Holland; Peter Holland; Mary Holland; and Steven Holland, MD.
Family, friends, and colleagues of the late James F. Holland, MD, Distinguished Professor of Neoplastic Diseases at The Tisch Cancer Institute, gathered in May at the Mount Sinai Health System to celebrate his work as a renowned physician-scientist who helped cure acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children.
Dr. Holland’s work helped establish oncology as a medical discipline. In the 1950s, when chemotherapy was a relatively new treatment, he and his colleagues began treating seemingly incurable patients with drug combinations rather than administering each one sequentially. Nine out of 10 patients successfully responded to the therapy. Combination chemotherapy remains the standard of care today. Dr. Holland encouraged physicians to share data and create common protocols. In 1972, he received the prestigious Albert Lasker Clinical Medical Research Award.
James F. Holland, MD
Speakers at Mount Sinai’s Celebration of Life event included many esteemed physicians from around the country whom Dr. Holland influenced and once mentored, as well as Mount Sinai leaders in academic affairs and cancer research. Dr. Holland’s six adult children attended the event, with several sharing their thoughts and memories.
In his opening remarks, William K. Oh, MD, Deputy Director of The Tisch Cancer Institute and Chief of Hematology and Medical Oncology, said Dr. Holland “was absolutely committed to changing the poor outcomes of patients with leukemia, breast cancer, and other devastating cancers by investing in translational research and clinical trials, principles that drive our work at The Tisch Cancer Institute today.”