BJ Kennedy, M.D.

On April 6, 2003 the field of cancer medicine lost one of its outstanding members, clinical researchers, and advocates when BJ Kennedy succumbed to myeloma and the complications thereof. He was universally known as BJ. It was my privilege to know him for over 40 years and to work intimately with him on various projects in the field of cancer.

BJ took his undergraduate and medical school training at the University of Minnesota and his internship, residency and fellowship at the Massachusetts General Hospital. BJ had intense loyalty to both institutions and is fondly remembered by friends and colleagues at both. Perhaps most notable in his career was his advocacy of the importance of and the need for identity for the field of medical oncology. At the University of Minnesota, he was successful in establishing one of the first independent units of medical oncology. BJ’s unit flourished because he was able to create his own beds and outpatient services at the Masonic Cancer Research Center at the University of Minnesota. He correctly perceived that medical oncology deserved to be recognized as a field apart from hematology and thus in 1971 BJ Kennedy and I appeared before the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) on behalf of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) with the proposition that medical oncology be made a certifiable subspecialty of the American Board of Internal Medicine. This attempt failed, but was successful in 1972. The Board was not easily persuaded, but BJ prevailed. I was present and can attest to the wisdom and conviction of his presentation.

Subsequently, he became the first chairman of the Medical Oncology subspecialty board of the ABIM. The creation of this subspecialty had a profound effect on the discipline and led to a dramatic increase in the number of trainees, academic faculty, and practitioners in medical oncology. That single accomplishment was largely due to BJ’s ability and leadership. From 1986 to 1987 he served as president of ASCO, and remained active in promoting cancer research until his death.

BJ Kennedy’s own research interests were broad and clinically based. He made major contributions to the treatment of breast cancer through early investigations of endocrine therapy and played a significant role in the development of chemotherapy for testes cancer. His classic papers described the anti-tumor effects, toxicity, and hypocalcemic properties of mithramycin, one of the first anti-tumor antibiotics used in germinal tumors of the testes. He made important contributions to chemotherapy in the elderly and remained active in national organizations and ASCO and American Association of Cancer Research meetings well beyond retirement. To our dismay, this pioneer of medical oncology died of multiple myeloma and its complications on April 6th. He will be long remembered and revered as “The Father of Medical Oncology.” We will surely miss him.

BJ Kennedy, M.D., 1921–2003.

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