Gina Battaglia, PhD

Articles

Emerging Uses for Circulating Tumor Cell Technology

August 21st 2023

Detection of circulating tumor cells, which are released from primary or metastatic lesions into the bloodstream and are the “seeds” for distant metastatic lesions, has been of interest in cancer research and treatment because these cells can potentially provide information on cancer detection, prognosis, and likelihood of treatment response with minimally invasive methods.

Claudin-18.2 Emerges as a Novel Therapeutic Target in GI Malignancies

May 24th 2023

CLDN18.2 has become a promising target for the treatment of patients with digestive malignancies, such as gastric cancer, gastroesophageal junction cancer, esophageal cancer, and pancreatic cancer, because of its limited expression in healthy tissues and abnormal overexpression in a range of malignancies.

BET Inhibitors in Cancer Therapy: Finding the Right Combination

March 8th 2023

An understanding of BET protein dysregulation, which leads to abnormal expression of oncogenes, has prompted investigators to explore the idea of these proteins as a therapeutic target for cancer.

Immunotherapy Research in Oncology Focuses on Resistance

December 19th 2019

Research into the mechanisms that promote resistance to immune checkpoint blockade therapies suggests the need for new strategies for patients with immunorefractory disease.

Targeting Mesothelin May Yield Results in Hard-to-Treat Solid Tumors

May 22nd 2019

Mesothelin, a protein found on cell surfaces and in serum, has emerged as a promising target for immunotherapy-based treatment approaches for several malignancies with poor prognoses and limited treatment options. Investigating novel approaches to optimize delivery and identifying combinations of agents to synergistically improve therapeutic response will be the next steps in bringing mesothelin-targeted therapies into the clinical setting.

Evidence Builds for MicroRNAs as Biomarkers and Targets in Multiple Cancers

May 3rd 2019

Since they were discovered nearly 30 years ago, microRNAs have emerged as novel targets for cancer diagnostics and therapeutics.

FGFR Alterations Emerge as Enticing Target in Multiple Tumor Types

March 29th 2019

Aberrations in fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) signaling are an emerging focus for targeted therapy across multiple types of cancer, particularly urothelial carcinoma, gastric cancer, and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

More Data Are Needed For EGFR-Targeted Agents in NSCLC

February 14th 2019

Edward B. Garon, MD, discusses the landscape of EGFR-targeted therapy in non–small cell lung cancer.

EGFR and ALK Inhibitors in NSCLC Lead to Resistance Challenge

February 13th 2019

Treatment strategies moving forward will likely involve development of new targeted TKIs with greater potency and specificity against resistance mutations and different kinase selectivity, sequencing of targeted therapies based on the resistance mutations that develop from prior therapy, and development of combination regimens to target bypass signaling tracks.

Drugs Make Progress in Breaching the Blood-Brain Barrier

January 4th 2019

Novel agents are showing impressive ability to cross the blood–brain barrier and impair tumor development in several malignancies, raising the prospect of achieving a long-elusive goal of anticancer therapy.

The ALK Story: Rapid Bench-to-Bedside Journey Helps Set New Pace for Cancer Drugs

June 15th 2018

Alice T. Shaw, MD, PhD, and D. Ross Camidge, MD, PhD, discuss the evolution of ALK-targeting therapies, the impact on the drug development paradigm, and the prospects for future advancements.

New Strategies Emerge for Urgent Care in Oncology

May 15th 2018

The incidence of emergency department visits and subsequent hospitalizations among patients with cancer is relatively common. Cancer-specific urgent care, pathways for symptom management, and more education for patients and healthcare providers are among the approaches that are being implemented to address patients’ needs and manage costs.

Avoiding Unnecessary Surgery and Radiation in Low-Risk DCIS

March 21st 2018

Research suggests that many cases of DCIS have a low risk for progression and may not require surgical excision and radiation therapy.

Optimizing HER2-Targeted Therapy

March 19th 2018

Sara Hurvitz, MD, and Sunil Verma, MD, share their expert insight on the latest groundbreaking developments in HER2-positive breast cancer.

Oncolytic Viruses Primed for Growth

March 15th 2018

Amid the rapid expansion of immunotherapy for a wide range of tumor types, oncolytic virus therapies are generating growing attention from researchers and pharmaceutical developers, raising the potential for a new class of immune-enhancing drugs.

Focus Moves to Earlier Settings in Melanoma

February 12th 2018

Novel systemic therapies in the neoadjuvant and adjuvant settings have shown promising outcomes for locally advanced melanoma and may reduce the proportion of patients who need complete lymphadenectomy.

Experts Discuss Optimal Timing of New Prostate Cancer Therapies

January 13th 2018

Layering of therapies and advances in next-generation imaging and sequencing are key reasons that outcomes are improving in advanced prostate cancer.

Fresh Look at Gene Fusion Yields Clues in Low-Risk Prostate Cancer

January 10th 2018

Although gene fusions between the TMPRSS2 gene and ETS family of transcription factors in prostate cancer have been recognized for more than a decade, the clinical relevance of this fusion event continues to be debated among experts.

Immunotherapy Combinations Offer Hope in Glioblastoma

October 4th 2017

Immunotherapy has shown promise for treatment of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most common primary brain tumor in adults with historically poor prognosis, but experts agree that combination regimens have the greatest potential to achieve durable response.

Immunotherapy Paradigm Continues to Evolve in NSCLC

September 24th 2017

Recent approval of immunotherapy in the first-line setting for treatment of patients with locally advanced and metastatic non–small cell lung cancer without driver mutations represents changes in care.