Cancer Researchers Receive Grant to Study Indolent Neuroblastoma A trans-Atlantic collaborative group of researchers led by Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) has received approximately $680,000 from a group of research charities led by Solving Kids' Cancer UK to study indolent neuroblastoma, which does not respond to chemotherapy and lacks other treatment options. The grant will fund research that could ultimately lead to better diagnosis of this form of the disease, as well as targeted treatment options.FigureThe interdisciplinary group involves researchers from CHOP, the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, The Institute of Cancer Research in London, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, and Seattle Children's. “This grant will allow us to make progress in diagnosing and treating so-called indolent neuroblastoma, which is currently fatal in most patients,” said principal investigator John M. Maris, MD, pediatric oncologist and Giulio D'Angio Chair in Neuroblastoma Research at CHOP. “If we can identify signatures that allow us to diagnose this form of neuroblastoma in patients early, we can avoid unnecessary chemotherapy, which is not effective in these patients, and instead work toward targeted treatments that could ultimately improve patient outcomes.”John M. Maris, MD: John M. Maris, MDNeuroblastoma is a type of cancer that forms in developing nerve cells and can present differently depending on the form of the disease. Some types can spontaneously regress and become benign, whereas others progress steadily and are fatal. The rate of progression varies. While certain forms of the disease progress rapidly but can be treated effectively with chemotherapy, other forms, like indolent neuroblastoma, progress slowly and are resistant to chemotherapy. The latter form predominately affects older children, teenagers, and adults who have very little chance of surviving their disease. Currently, researchers lack tools to identify patients with indolent neuroblastoma and therapies with which to cure them. The joint award from Zoé4Life, Joining Against Cancer in Kids (JACK), Merryn Lacy Trust, Oscar Knox Fund, Solving Kids' Cancer (US), and Solving Kids' Cancer UK will allow the researchers to validate a specific and sensitive molecular test in tumors, which will be further developed for use with patient blood to reliably identify patients with slowly progressing disease, rather than waiting for chemotherapy to fail them. The research team will also create and validate robust laboratory models of indolent neuroblastoma, which they will use to test combinations of immunotherapy with targeted small molecular therapies. Ultimately, the researchers hope to rapidly move a completely new therapy to an international clinical trial. “Putting your child through multiple rounds of chemotherapy and watching them suffer from horrible side effects only to find it's made no difference to their disease is a truly devastating blow for parents,” said Nick Bird, Research Trustee at Solving Kids' Cancer UK. “We have to identify these children at diagnosis so we can spare them from chemotherapy that doesn't work, and then we have to find better ways to treat their disease instead.” ASCO Recognizes Three MD Anderson Faculty with Highest Honors ASCO announced it will present three of its highest honors to faculty members from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center during its virtual annual meeting in June. The three faculty members to be honored for their significant contributions to oncology include the following individuals. Maura Gillison, MD, PhD, Professor of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, will receive the David A. Karnofsky Memorial Award and Lecture, which is ASCO's highest scientific honor. The annual award was founded in 1970 and recognizes an oncologist who has made outstanding contributions to cancer research, diagnosis and/or treatment. Gillison is a physician-scientist widely recognized as the foremost expert on head and neck cancer caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). Her research established the link between HPV and oropharyngeal cancer in 2000, resulting in a paradigm shift in determining the risk, diagnosis, and treatment of head and neck cancer.Maura Gillison, MD, PhD: Maura Gillison, MD, PhDGillison found that HPV causes about 70 percent of oropharyngeal cancers in the U.S., where rates have risen dramatically in male adults in recent decades. After proving the link between HPV and oropharyngeal cancer, Gillison found that HPV status is the greatest determinant of prognosis, with better outcomes for HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer. Her practice-changing findings contributed to new diagnostic tests, staging criteria, and treatment guidelines for this cancer, as well as clinical trials of less-intensive therapy for HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer. She also was senior investigator on clinical trials that led to the approval of checkpoint inhibitors for head and neck cancer. Gillison has produced population-level evidence to demonstrate the effectiveness of the HPV vaccine in reducing oral HPV rates among men in the U.S., supporting the 2020 approval of HPV vaccines for this indication and underscoring the importance of continued efforts to increase HPV vaccination rates among young adults. In 2017, she brought her molecular epidemiology and medical oncology experience to MD Anderson, where she is co-leader of the HPV-Related Cancers Moon Shot. Gillison is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and a Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas scholar. Her current research focuses on the genomic instability that leads to HPV-positive head and neck cancer development, as well as new targets for therapy. Banu Arun, MD, Professor of Breast Medical Oncology, will receive the ASCO-American Cancer Society Award and Lecture. This honor, first conferred in 1993, honors the achievements of individuals who have made noteworthy contributions to the prevention and management of cancer. As a breast cancer medical oncologist and clinical researcher, Arun has advanced care and prevention for individuals with breast cancer and those with hereditary cancer syndromes. She has served as the principal investigator of several breast cancer prevention trials with agents such as celecoxib, atorvastatin and bexarotene, as well as trials with PARP inhibitors for metastatic breast cancer.Banu Arun, MD: Banu Arun, MDHer clinical interests include breast cancer treatment, biological markers, chemoprevention and breast cancer genes, including BRCA and others. Her research focuses on identifying risk biomarkers for breast cancer and prevention, characterizing risk factors in a cohort of high-risk women with hereditary gene mutations, assessing breast cancer biology in these patients, and increasing access to genetic services in underserved populations. Arun is Co-Medical Director of one of the largest clinical cancer genetics programs in the nation. The Clinical Cancer Genetics Program at MD Anderson provides hereditary cancer risk assessment, genetic counseling, genetic testing, and individualized cancer screening to people who are concerned about their personal and family history of cancer. She also serves on the ASCO BOLD Task Force and the ASCO prevention Education Committee. She is a member of the NCCN breast cancer risk assessment committee and is co-chair of the SWOG Prevention Committee. Arun was recognized as a Fellow of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in 2020. This distinction recognizes ASCO members for their extraordinary volunteer service, dedication, and commitment to the organization. Emil J Freireich, MD, who was Professor of Leukemia, will receive the Distinguished Achievement Award posthumously. This honor, created in 2009, recognizes leadership or mentorship by a scientist, practitioner, or researcher in any subspecialty of oncology who has benefited members and/or their patients.Emil J Freireich, MD: Emil J Freireich, MDFreireich was selected to receive the award posthumously for his groundbreaking work in developing innovative therapies for childhood leukemia and his enduring legacy as a trailblazing scientist and mentor. Considered the founding father of modern clinical cancer research, Freireich passed away in February 2021 at age 93. Freireich collaborated with IBM to develop the first-ever continuous-flow blood cell separator that extracted platelets and white blood cells from whole blood to transfuse into leukemia patients. He also developed the multidrug regimen that paved the way for curing most children with ALL. In 1965, Freireich joined MD Anderson, where he developed combination therapies for various cancers based on his work in treating childhood leukemia. Freireich and his faculty pioneered the development of many early curative chemotherapy regimens—including the CHOP regimen in lymphoma, 5-fluorouracil-adriamycin-cyclophosphamide (FAC) in breast cancer, and CYVADIC in melanoma sarcoma. Beyond his research, Freireich was devoted to recruiting and mentoring talented scientists, many of whom are now leaders in their respective fields. He initiated a unique core curriculum required by Graduate Medical Education (GME) governing bodies and granting agencies, chairing MD Anderson's GME Committee for years. He also served as the longtime leader of Institutional Grand Rounds, where faculty members share their research with colleagues and trainees. Although Freireich retired in 2015, he continued to return to campus to teach students and consult faculty until the COVID-19 pandemic put a stop to that in March 2020. Over the course of his luminous career, he co-authored more than 600 scientific papers and more than 100 books. He was honored with numerous accolades from national organizations. John D. Carpten, PhD, FAACR, to Join the AACR Board of Directors The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) announced that John D. Carpten, PhD, FAACR, has been elected by the organization's members to serve on the AACR Board of Directors. He will hold the position previously held by Karen E. Knudsen, MBA, PhD, who is stepping down from the board to fulfill her duties as the American Cancer Society's new Chief Executive Officer. Carpten will serve on the AACR Board of Directors until 2022. Carpten is a world-renowned expert in genome science who has made seminal contributions to the understanding of the role of biology in cancer disparities, as well as to the field of precision cancer medicine. He is a tenured professor in and Chair of the Department of Translational Genomics; the Royce and Mary Trotter Chair in Cancer Research; a professor in the Department of Urology; Co-Director of the Institute for Translational Genomics; Director of the University of Southern California Molecular Genomics Core; program co-leader of the Translational and Clinical Sciences Program at Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center; and principal investigator at the CaRE2 Health Equity Center at Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles. Carpten has been a member of the AACR since 2003 and was elected as a Fellow of the AACR Academy in 2021. He served as Chair of the AACR's Minorities in Cancer Research Council from 2020 to 2021, and has been a member of the council since 2007. He served as Chair of the AACR Special Conference: The Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved in 2007, 2009, 2013, and 2020. Carpten has also been a member of the Scientific Advisory Board, AACR-MPM Transformative Cancer Research Grants (2019-2022); Chair of the Steering Committee for the inaugural AACR Cancer Disparities Progress Report (2019-2020); Chair (2018-2019), Co-Chair (2014-2017), and member (2007-2008) of the AACR Annual Meeting Program Committee; and Chair of the Think Tank on Cancer Health Disparities (2018). Carpten was a senior editor for the AACR journal Cancer Research from 2012 to 2016. He has also served as a member of the Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) Scientific Advisory Committee since 2020; AACR is the Scientific Partner of SU2C. Among many other honors and awards, Carpten has previously received the AACR-Minorities in Cancer Research Jane Cooke Wright Lectureship (2018) and the AACR Distinguished Lectureship on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities (2014). Global Resource on Rare Cancer Type Recognizes Dr. Renuka Iyer With Top Honors Recognizing her passionate advocacy on behalf of patients with a rare gastrointestinal cancer, the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation (CCF) presented its Mark R. Clements Award to Renuka Iyer, MD, medical oncologist at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. The Mark R. Clements Award for Vision, Innovation and Collaboration is the highest honor awarded by the CCF.Renuka Iyer, MD: Renuka Iyer, MDAs Co-Director of the Liver and Pancreas Tumor Center at Roswell Park, Iyer specializes in caring for patients with cholangiocarcinoma and has served the CCF—a global resource for those affected by the disease—as medical advisor for its Nursing Advisory Board for the past 5 years. This board aims to educate nursing professionals on the needs and issues faced by patients with cholangiocarcinoma. “Renuka championed passionately for nursing to achieve the Nursing Advisory Board's vision to improve the quality of life and care of our cholangiocarcinoma patients. Her inspiration, devotion, and dedication in time and scientific knowledge was invaluable to our work for which we will be eternally grateful. Her impact will long live as this work continues to advance nursing scientific knowledge and improved patient care,” noted Susan Acquisto, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, immediate past Chair of the Nursing Advisory Board for the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation. “Dr. Iyer is an incredible asset to Roswell Park and our patients,” stated Gurkamal Chatta, MD, Clinical Chief of Genitourinary Medicine and interim Co-Chair of Medicine at Roswell Park. “She is not only extremely knowledgeable, but also approaches every patient with exceptional compassion and respect. This acknowledgment of her leadership in the field is richly deserved.” Carl June, MD, Receives the Sanford Lorraine Cross Award Carl June, MD, received the biennial Sanford Lorraine Cross Award, which honors life-changing breakthroughs and innovations in medical science. Sanford Health awarded a $1 million prize for June's achievements in the medical sciences.Carl June, MD: Carl June, MDWhile traditional awards in the medical sciences focus on the significance of the contribution of a researcher or clinician, the Sanford Lorraine Cross Award celebrates the role that the award candidate has played in bringing a new emerging transformative medical innovation across the finish line to patients, and their efforts in overcoming challenges, forging collaborations, and ensuring a successful outcome. “This was an amazing event and an extraordinary group of finalists, so it's an honor and a thrill to be receiving this award,” said Carl June, MD, the Richard W. Vague Professor in Immunotherapy in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine in Penn's Perelman School of Medicine; Director of the Center for Cellular Immunotherapies; and Director of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy at the University of Pennsylvania. June and colleagues, including Bruce Levine, PhD, the Barbara and Edward Netter Professor in Cancer Gene Therapy in Penn's Perelman School of Medicine; James Riley, PhD, Professor of Microbiology; and Michael Milone, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, were able to reprogram selected T cells to recognize and destroy leukemia cancer cells. This therapy, tisagenlecleucel, is FDA-approved to treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia. In 2010, June and Levine treated their first patient—Bill Ludwig, a retired 65-year-old corrections officer. After just a few infusions, Ludwig fell severely ill and spent a week in the ICU. Then, on the third week after treatment, he would come to find out that his cancer had disappeared when he woke up and found the masses had disappeared. A second patient, Emily Whitehead, had relapsed twice at the age of six with an extremely aggressive form of leukemia. Like Ludwig, Whitehead got severely ill as the therapy tried to rid her of her cancer. However, this time June recalled an arthritis drug (from his daughter's struggle with juvenile arthritis) that could manage her side effects. The story of Emily Whitehead was featured in a 2012 article in the New York Times and covered in Forbes, Parents Magazine, and the PBS documentary “Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies.” “Sanford Health's commitment to discovery has always been driven by our relentless focus on making a life-changing impact for our patients, people and the communities we serve,” said Bill Gassen, President and CEO of Sanford Health. “Today, this continues as we honor Dr. June with the $1 million Sanford Lorraine Cross Award in recognition of his life-saving discoveries and accomplishments. This is just one example of how we are working to transform the future by supporting change-makers in medicine and research. While one can only imagine what the next century holds for health care innovation, we are proud to be at the forefront of it.” UPMC Hillman Cancer Center Names New Chief of Hematology Oncology Taofeek K. Owonikoko, MD, PhD, will join the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center and Department of Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh as chief of the Division of Hematology/Oncology. a physician-scientist board-certified in medical oncology, hematology and internal medicine, Owonikoko also will serve as Associate Director for Translational Research and co-leader of the Cancer Therapeutics Program at Hillman. He will hold the Stanley M. Marks–OHA Endowed Chair in Hematology/Oncology Leadership and will begin his appointment on July 1, 2021.Taofeek K. Owonikoko, MD, PhD: Taofeek K. Owonikoko, MD, PhD“Taofeek has an extraordinary track record of clinical and academic success and a deep commitment to helping early career researchers and clinicians achieve their fullest potential,” said Robert Ferris, MD, PhD, Director of UPMC Hillman Cancer Center. “We are thrilled he is joining the senior leadership team at Hillman.” Owonikoko will lead a division of more than 65 faculty members, who are recognized leaders in hematology and oncology clinical care and research. He will oversee translational research and efforts to expand clinical trial access across the Hillman network of more than 70 sites. “I'm very excited to join such an exceptional team of physicians and scientists at Hillman,” said Owonikoko. “I look forward to an and member of this with a of through of cancer research from the to A of Owonikoko received his from University in and his from University in He a at University by in internal medicine at University and holds an in clinical research from He his at and translational research in small cell cancer. Owonikoko has co-authored numerous and serves on the of several organizations. He has received numerous awards, including the Oncology Lectureship and Award from the National Cancer Institute in the Award for Cancer research from the Association for the Study of Cancer and the Leadership Program award from He will begin a on the ASCO Board of Directors in June 2021.
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