Funeral arrangements set for Carbone, cancer pioneer

Funeral arrangements have been finalized for Paul P. Carbone, former director of the Comprehensive Cancer Center, who died unexpectedly Feb. 22 in Singapore of a heart attack. He was 70.

A visitation will be Sunday, March 3, 2-5 p.m. at the Fitch-Lawrence-Sanfillippo-Cress Funeral Home, 6021 University Ave. A second visitation will be at 11 a.m. before funeral services at noon on Monday, March 4, at St. Bernard Catholic Church, 7450 University Ave., Middleton.

Carbone had been in Singapore since December, where he had been asked by The National University of Singapore to assist in the development of a comprehensive cancer program. Funeral arrangements are pending.

“Paul Carbone was one of the most thoughtful, attentive and caring cancer physicians I have known,” says John Niederhuber, director of the Comprehensive Cancer Center. “He touched the lives of many students, faculty colleagues and patients — not only here at the University of Wisconsin but around the world. I will personally miss his wise counsel and the privilege of working with him each Wednesday afternoon in clinic.”

“Dr. Carbone has been a tireless advocate for the Medical School in the community and throughout the state; and his loss saddens us all,” says Philip Farrell, dean of the Medical School and vice chancellor of medical sciences.

Born May 2, 1931 in White Plains, N.Y., Paul Carbone received his medical degree from Albany Medical College in 1956 and served at the National Cancer Institute as Associate Director of Medical Oncology from 1960 until 1976. He came to the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1976, where he served as head of Clinical Oncology at the University of Wisconsin Medical School. He served as chair of the Department of Human Oncology from 1977-87 and as the second director of Comprehensive Cancer Center, 1978-97.

Since his retirement, Carbone has served as emeritus director of the UWCCC and as associate dean for the Medical School’s HealthStar campaign to raise funds for the new Medical School Health Sciences Learning Center and Interdisciplinary Research Complex.

Under Carbone’s leadership, the Comprehensive Cancer Center played an integral role in cancer outreach and educational activities throughout Wisconsin. These included development of the state’s tumor registry (with the state Department of Health and Family Services), the Wisconsin Cancer Council (a coalition of 50 statewide organizations concerned with cancer) and the Tobacco Coalition.

He also was instrumental in the establishment of the university’s Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention and the designation of UW–Madison as a site for the federally-funded Women’s Health Initiative.

Carbone achieved national recognition for his work in the treatment and cure of Hodgkin’s disease, development of new chemotherapy drugs, and adjuvant treatment of breast cancer. For this achievement, Carbone shared the Lasker Prize for Medicine in 1972.

His education efforts included work with the National University of Singapore, the National Cancer Center of Taiwan and those in Madison, with the many local and international students, fellows and faculty attending the University of Wisconsin.

Carbone is survived by his wife of 47 years, the former Mary Iamurri, seven children (three of whom are physicians) who range in ages from 35 to 46 and many grandchildren. He also was a very active member of St. Paul’s University Chapel in Madison.

The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be sent to the Paul P. Carbone, M.D., Memorial Foundation, Attention Lorey H. Ford, Private Banking Department, The Northern Trust Co., 50 So. LaSalle St., Chicago, IL 60675.