Our Approach and Expertise

Physicians of Columbia University have long been leaders in amyloidosis research. In 1974, Takashi Isobe, MD, and Elliott Osserman, MD, from the Department of Medicine and the Institute of Cancer Research at Columbia, conducted a landmark study published in The New England Journal of Medicine on amyloid-related immunoglobulins (proteins in the blood that help form antibodies) and Bence-Jones proteins that infiltrate normal tissue and cause amyloid formation. This research set the stage for the current multidisciplinary approach to amyloidosis at Columbia University. 

Our Columbia Amyloidosis Multidisciplinary Program (CAMP) is known for providing: 

• A comprehensive and multidisciplinary team approach to amyloidosis involving hematologists, nephrologist, neurologists, cardiologists, pathologists, clinical, and basic research experts. 
• Personalized therapy based on the type of amyloidosis, patient’s organ involvement, and the age of each patient.
• Patient support services including:
  • Nurse navigators to guide patients through every step of diagnosis and treatment
  • Dedicated research nurses caring for patients in clinical trials 
  • Medical advice on lifestyle, exercise, diet, and nutrition
  • Psychological counseling and support groups
  • Consultation on pain management
  • Patient web portals offering easy access to test results, appointments, and follow-up care
• Mass spectrometry and genetic testing. We use mass spectrometry to pinpoint the type of amyloidosis. This is critical in order to determine the correct treatment. Further genetic testing will rule out or confirm a hereditary (familial) type of amyloidosis.
• Opportunities to participate in clinical trials, many of them initiated by our own physicians and which offer access to the latest drug developments and the most advanced and innovative treatments. Suzanne Lentzsch, MD, PhD, initiated and leads a multicenter trial within the Amyloidosis Network including five centers in the US testing the role of Bendamustin in AL amyloidosis.