GoErie.com: John Kanzius, inventor of cancer-killing device, dies
John Kanzius, the retired Erie television and radio station owner and engineer who grabbed the world's attention by inventing a device that kills cancer cells, died Wednesday afternoon at a hospital near his winter home in Sanibel, Fla.
Kanzius, who also had a home in Millcreek Township, was 64.
Kanzius died from pneumonia, a complication from two rounds of chemotherapy he had recently undergone.
He had been diagnosed in 2002 with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, a rare cancer.
"The last time I talked with John was during his second round of chemo," said Colleen Cook, a Kanzius family friend and his former administrative assistant. "He said that he couldn't wait to get out of the hospital and get home."
Kanzius received national media attention in 2008 with his radio-frequency generator. The device kills cancer cells that are targeted with pieces of metal by heating them with radio waves emitted from outside the body.
He was interviewed by "60 Minutes," "The CBS Early Show" and several national newspapers and cable news networks.
Researchers at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center are currently testing the device on live animals.
"Our entire lab is shocked and mourning," said Steven Curley, M.D., principal investigator for the Kanzius project at M.D. Anderson. "This is an inestimable loss to all of us who loved John."
Kanzius started his career as an engineer, designing radio transmitters for RCA. He later worked as an engineer at WJET-TV and eventually became station manager and co-owner of Jet Broadcasting.
He retired in 1999 after he and his business partner, Myron Jones, sold the company's television and radio stations.
Kanzius is survived by his wife, Marianne; two daughters, Sherry Kanzius and Toni Palmer; and two grandchildren.
— David Bruce
Kanzius, who also had a home in Millcreek Township, was 64.
Kanzius died from pneumonia, a complication from two rounds of chemotherapy he had recently undergone.
He had been diagnosed in 2002 with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, a rare cancer.
"The last time I talked with John was during his second round of chemo," said Colleen Cook, a Kanzius family friend and his former administrative assistant. "He said that he couldn't wait to get out of the hospital and get home."
Kanzius received national media attention in 2008 with his radio-frequency generator. The device kills cancer cells that are targeted with pieces of metal by heating them with radio waves emitted from outside the body.
He was interviewed by "60 Minutes," "The CBS Early Show" and several national newspapers and cable news networks.
Researchers at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center are currently testing the device on live animals.
"Our entire lab is shocked and mourning," said Steven Curley, M.D., principal investigator for the Kanzius project at M.D. Anderson. "This is an inestimable loss to all of us who loved John."
Kanzius started his career as an engineer, designing radio transmitters for RCA. He later worked as an engineer at WJET-TV and eventually became station manager and co-owner of Jet Broadcasting.
He retired in 1999 after he and his business partner, Myron Jones, sold the company's television and radio stations.
Kanzius is survived by his wife, Marianne; two daughters, Sherry Kanzius and Toni Palmer; and two grandchildren.
— David Bruce