John Ultmann: Founding director of UChicago Cancer Research Center

John E. Ultmann, MD, (1925-2000) was an internationally recognized expert on the diagnosis, staging and treatment of Hodgkin’s disease and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma as well as on the development of cancer chemotherapy. He was a professor in the department of medicine and the founding director of the University of Chicago Cancer Research Center (now known as the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center).

Ultmann was a pioneer in efforts to distinguish between the many different types of lymphomas. He was particularly well known for his work on precise staging of Hodgkin’s disease and the uses of staging as a guide for treatment.

“John Ultmann was an early proponent of the multi-disciplinary approach to treatment of lymphoma, which is associated with a tremendous improvement in the curability of the disease,” said Samuel Hellman, MD, the A.N. Pritzker Distinguished Service Professor in the department of radiation and cellular oncology and former dean of the biological sciences at the University. “He was known within the University as an outstanding teacher who trained many of the current leaders in the field, as a key player in assembling the world-renowned medical oncology group here, and as a compassionate physician who took excellent care of his patients until just a few weeks before his own death.”

Ultmann was also influential in the growth and evolution of the field of medical oncology, serving as chairman of the board of scientific counselors for the National Cancer Institute’s Division of Cancer Treatment from 1976 to 1980, as president in 1981-82 of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, as president and chairman of the board from 1984 to 1986 of the Association of American Cancer Institutes, and as chairman from 1985 to 1990 of the National Coalition for Cancer Research.

“In the 1960s and 70s, John Ultmann was a leading advocate for the precise diagnosis and staging of Hodgkin’s disease, which turned out to be extremely important in the choice of therapy,” said Harvey Golomb, MD, professor and chairman of medicine at the University of Chicago. “Besides practicing medicine, Ultmann also trained many distinguished cancer specialists,” said Golomb, who came to Chicago to work with Ultmann, “including several who are now directors of other cancer centers, such as the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Miami.”

Pointing out that NCI’s budget has decreased in real dollars since 1976, John Ultmann, president of the Assn. of American Cancer Institutes, called on Congress for more adequate funding of the National Cancer Program and for renewal of the National Cancer Act.

Ultmann, director of the Univ. of Chicago Cancer Center, made his appeal at a seminar AACI held for members of Congress and their staffs during the annual meeting in Washington of the organization.

Ultmann’s presentation :

“At a time in history when science is poised to answer some of the most fundamental questions in biology, and to make some of the most far reaching discoveries to solve problems bearing on disease and its prevention and cure, the scientific community is confronted by the prospects of cutbacks of support which will have an immediate crippling effect on current research and a long term detrimental effect on the recruitment of the next generation of scientists, on the quality of the plants in which research is done, and on the tools with which discoveries are made…” 

The role of survivor is not a new one for the Director of the University of Chicago Cancer Research Center, one of NCCS’ newest members. John Ultmann escaped Nazi Austria in 1938 as a 14-year old; one-third of his family was wiped out in the Holocaust.

In New York City, he attended the Bronx High School of Science, and then went on to Oberlin College and Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and a distinguished career as a leader in cancer research. 

The author of some 400 scientific papers, abstracts, editorials and book chapters, John Ultmann is a member of numerous national and international committees, as well as professional societies and boards. He is a past chairman of the National Coalition for Cancer Research, to which NCCS belongs. Deciding the “minimum abnormality” discovered in a routine checkup earlier this year was more than that, he insisted on further testing, was diagnosed with prostate cancer and treated with curative radiotherapy in the institution he has headed for 16 years, in a building for which he raised the funds.  

Married to a nurse and the father of three grown children (two daughters are pediatricians) he has tackled his disease in his usual systemic, energetic way, and reports his cancer experience has proved to him once and for all that information is power. 

He feels people should not be frightened of cancer any more than of any other disease and that the newly diagnosed should practice what he has preached for 35 years, including “getting to know where the high quality care is, being sure you have a second opinion, and developing a good support system.”

John Ultmann believes that cancer center directors “have an obligation” to NCI and other centers to speak up for the National Cancer Program before Congress and the public, as well as within the cancer community.

Ultmann has been doing just that, as director of the Cancer Research Center at Univ. of Chicago for the past 17 years.

Though he officially retired as the center’s director on July 1, Ultmann does not plan to fade out of sight, or, worse, out of earshot.

Ultmann will be staying on as deputy director of the center and will be assisting in the competitive renewal of the center’s core grant. He also will be assisting in education and community affairs and other tasks. He is remaining active in the cancer community as chairman of the American Assn. for Cancer Research Public Education Committee.

“I intend to work two years, then I will do more teaching, patient care, and clinical research,” Ultmann told The Cancer Letter. He also is accepting work as a consultant.

“It’s a great life, when you can do what you want to do,” Ultmann said in reflecting on his professional career, which spans five decades and three continents. 

John Ultmann, an internationally recognized expert on Hodgkin’s disease and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and a professor in the department of medicine and a former director of the University of Chicago Cancer Research Center, died at his home in Hyde Park on Oct. 23 from complications of lymphoma. He was 75.

Ultmann was a pioneer in efforts to distinguish between the many different types of lymphomas. He was particularly well known for his work on precise staging of Hodgkin’s disease and the uses of staging as a guide for treatment.

“John Ultmann was an early proponent of the multi-disciplinary approach to treatment of lymphoma, which is associated with a tremendous improvement in the curability of the disease,” said Samuel Hellman, the A.N. Pritzker Distinguished Service Professor in the department of radiation and cellular oncology and former dean of the biological sciences at the university. “He was known within the university as an outstanding teacher who trained many of the current leaders in the field, as a key player in assembling the world-renowned medical oncology group here, and as a compassionate physician who took excellent care of his patients until just a few weeks before his own death.”

Ultmann’s influence on the field of medical oncology also extended to the policy arena. He served as chairman of the Board of Scientific Counselors for the NCI Division of Cancer Treatment from 1976 to 1980, as president in 1981-82 of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, as president and chairman of the board from 1984 to 1986 of the Association of American Cancer Institutes, and as chairman from 1985 to 1990 of the National Coalition for Cancer Research.

“When the chips were down, he could always be counted on to help,” said Vincent DeVita, director of the Yale Cancer Center and former NCI director.

“When I first became director of the NCI’s treatment division, in 1974, we faced intense criticism over the drug development, screening, and clinical trials programs,” DeVita said. “The solution was to face the issues straight on, so I asked John Ultmann to chair the Board of Scientific Counselors.

With a stack of printed up sample issues dated Dec. 21, 1973, and the working name “The Cancer Newsletter,” Jerry Boyd waltzed into a January 1974 National Cancer Advisory Board meeting, most likely taking what would become his preferred seat in the back row to the left of the conference room door, next to the table where he could quickly grab precious copies of printed materials, and waltzed out with his first check.

The check—for $100—was from John Ultmann, then director of the University of Chicago Cancer Research Center.

The lead story in the first issue of The Cancer Letter gave Ultmann his money’s worth: “NCI’s Independence To Be Challenged By Edwards When Cancer Act Comes Up For Renewal Next Year.”

It’s political. It’s about money. It’s about control. It’s about the schism between NCI and NIH leadership—and, in classic Boyd fashion, it includes a quippy pull-quote: “’We wanted to avoid the $1 billion barrier for psychological reasons,’ said Sol Spiegelman, NCAB member who headed the subcommittee that made up the recommendations.”

The first issue is available here.