Virginia Kneeland Frantz
Encyclopedia
Dr. Virginia Kneeland Frantz (1896 - 1967) was a pathologist and educator credited with a series of discoveries in the study of thyroid
, breast
and pancreatic tumors
. From 1924 to 1962 she taught surgery
at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
, becoming a full professor in 1951.
Her major achievements include:
Thyroid
The thyroid gland or simply, the thyroid , in vertebrate anatomy, is one of the largest endocrine glands. The thyroid gland is found in the neck, below the thyroid cartilage...
, breast
Breast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
and pancreatic tumors
Pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer refers to a malignant neoplasm of the pancreas. The most common type of pancreatic cancer, accounting for 95% of these tumors is adenocarcinoma, which arises within the exocrine component of the pancreas. A minority arises from the islet cells and is classified as a...
. From 1924 to 1962 she taught surgery
Surgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, often known as P&S, is a graduate school of Columbia University that is located on the health sciences campus in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan...
, becoming a full professor in 1951.
Her major achievements include:
- In 1935, she and Allen O. WhippleAllen WhippleAllen Oldfather Whipple was an American surgeon who is known for the pancreatic cancer operation which bears his name as well as Whipple's triad....
described the insulinInsulinInsulin is a hormone central to regulating carbohydrate and fat metabolism in the body. Insulin causes cells in the liver, muscle, and fat tissue to take up glucose from the blood, storing it as glycogen in the liver and muscle....
secretion of pancreatic tumors.
- In 1959, she wrote a study on tumors of the pancreasPancreasThe pancreas is a gland organ in the digestive and endocrine system of vertebrates. It is both an endocrine gland producing several important hormones, including insulin, glucagon, and somatostatin, as well as a digestive organ, secreting pancreatic juice containing digestive enzymes that assist...
which became the standard text in the field
- In 1961 she became the first female president of the American Thyroid Society.