Dr. Morton Medvene Kligerman, a distinguished figure in the field of radiology, was born in Philadelphia and earned his medical degree from Temple University. His early career included a teaching position at Temple before he transitioned to Columbia University as an assistant professor of radiology in 1950. Dr. Kligerman’s career trajectory marked him as an innovator, particularly noted for his work exploring cutting-edge cancer treatments.
In 1958, he took on the role of chairman of the department of radiology at Yale, a position he held until 1972. It was during this period and afterwards that Dr. Kligerman became deeply involved with experimental cancer therapies. He was a strong proponent of radiation therapy and investigated novel approaches like pion therapy. Pion therapy, utilizing high-energy particles to target tumors inaccessible by conventional methods, was a focus of his research in the 1970s at the University of New Mexico Cancer Center, where he served as Director starting in 1972. Although initial results showed promise in overcoming radiation resistance in certain cancer cells, further intensive trials did not demonstrate sufficient efficacy to warrant widespread adoption of pion therapy.
Later in his career, during the 1980s at the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Kligerman shifted his focus to chemical agents aimed at protecting healthy tissues during radiation treatment. His leadership in clinical trials for WR-2721 proved successful. This agent, designed to mitigate radiation damage, is still utilized today, especially in treating head and neck cancers, as noted by Dr. Hellman. Dr. Kligerman’s academic appointments included professorships at the University of New Mexico until 1980, followed by professorships in both oncology and radiology at the University of Pennsylvania and Yale. His contributions to radiology and innovative cancer treatment methods solidified his legacy in the medical field. Dr. Kligerman passed away in Philadelphia at the age of 88, leaving behind a significant impact on radiation oncology.
