Oncology Community Remembers Legendary Researcher Henry T. Lynch

Henry T. Lynch, MD

Henry T. Lynch, MD, the Charles F. and Mary C. Heider Endowed Chair in Cancer Research at Creighton University and a 2019 Giants of Cancer Care^® award winner known by many as the “father of cancer genetics,” died June 2 at the age of 91.

The namesake for Lynch syndrome, he was one of first investigators to explore genetic causes of certain cancers in the 1960s. Medical science of the time said that cancer was not a hereditary disease, but he went on to identify cancer syndromes and patterns of inheritance through families.

Clifford A. Hudis, MD, FACP, FASCO, CEO of ASCO and Conquer Cancer, the ASCO Foundation, said in a statement that Lynch laid the foundation for the modern era of precision medicine. He highlighted Lynch’s work identifying the strain of hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer now known as Lynch syndrome, as well as his discovery of hereditary breast-ovarian cancer syndrome, which led to the identification of BRCA mutations.

“His work in these areas has had a profound effect on cancer screening, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment,” Hudis said.

Lynch was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts, and grew up in New York, New York, during the Great Depression. At age 16, he used an older cousin’s identification to join the Navy and served as a gunner on a Marine ship in the Pacific during World War II.

After his discharge in 1946, he became a professional prizefighter known as “Hammerin’ Hank.” His career was short-lived, however, and Lynch returned to school to earn an undergraduate degree at the University of Oklahoma and a master’s degree in clinical psychology at the University of Denver. He studied for a PhD in human genetics at the University of Texas at Austin and received his medical degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.

Lynch came to Creighton University in 1967, where he would also serve as chair of the Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health. In 1984, he became the founding director of the Hereditary Cancer Center. Today, the cancer registry he founded there includes the cancer histories of more than 3000 families.

In a statement, university president Rev. Daniel S. Hendrickson, SJ, PhD, called Lynch a “Creighton institution.”

“At 6-foot-5, Lynch was a towering figure at Creighton—in more ways than one. He was humble in spirit, deeply passionate in his work, and gracious to all,” Hendrickson said. “With his passing, we join a wide community of colleagues, researchers, patients, students, and health professionals who not only mourn his loss, but are eternally grateful for his dedication, zest for life, and commitment to serving humanity.”

Lynch was honored with numerous awards and honors for his groundbreaking discoveries throughout his career. Most recently, OncLive^® recognized him as the 2019 Giants of Cancer Care^® award winner for Cancer Prevention/Genetics on May 30 at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago.

“On behalf of OncLive^® and Giants of Cancer Care^®, we are saddened by the news of Dr Lynch’s passing and would like to extend our condolences to his family, friends, and loved ones,” said Michael J. Hennessy Jr, president of MJH Associates, the parent company of OncLive^®. “His research has had a huge impact on care, from screening to prevention to early detection. His life’s work will stand as a memorial to his dedication to patients with cancer.”

A memorial Mass is scheduled for June 10, at 10 a.m., at St. John's Church on Creighton University’s campus. He was preceded in death by his wife, Jane, a psychiatric nurse who assisted in his research, and is survived by their children Patrick Lynch, MD, and his wife, Mary Tribulato Lynch, MD; Kathy Pinder and her husband, Pat; and Ann Kelly and her husband, Jim; and several grandchildren.