Giuseppe Giaccone, MD, PhD, is a professor of medicine and associate director of clinical research at the Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York, New York.

As is the case with many rare cancers, investigators struggle to find funding to research thymic cancers. On one level, Giaccone understands that there will be less funding available when compared with a malignancy such as breast cancer. However, for patients with thymic cancer, this reach is absolutely vital.

The Department of Defense and small foundations make some funding available. However, Giaccone would like to see the federal government take a more proactive role in making money available for this resarch. 

Videos

Giuseppe Giaccone, MD, PhD, highlights the difficulties with funding for research focused on rare cancers. 

Dr. Giaconne on the Lack of Funding for Rare Cancers Research

Yongfeng He, PhD, is an instructor of cancer biology in medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York, New York.

He, along with Giuseppe Gianccone, MD, PhD, professor of medicine and associate director of clinical research at the Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center at Weill Cornell, identified the 

Giaconne was the first to idenfiy the mutation. Together, the 2 investigators determined that this single-point mutation in thymic epithelial cells can induce thymic tumors. 

Yongfeng He, PhD, discusses the identification of the GTF2I L424H mutation in mouse models of thymic cancer.

Dr. He Discusses Discovery of Cancer-Inducing Mutation in Thymic Epithelial Cells

He, along with Giuseppe Gianccone, MD, PhD, professor of medicine and associate director of clinical research at the Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center at Weill Cornell, discovered that the presence of the 

 L424H mutation in thymic epithelial cells induced thymic tumors in mouse models. The mouse tumors shared many molecular characteristics with type B1 and B2 human thymic tumors.

 L424H is a transcription factor so it is unlikely to be a therapeutic target. However, this discovery may be the first step in developing a systemic treatment for patients with thymic cancers.

Yongfeng He, PhD, discusses how the presence of the GTF2I L424H mutation in thymic epithelial cells induced thymic tumors in mouse models.

Dr. He Discusses Potential Therapeutic Uses for GTF2I L424+ Thymic Cancers

Giuseppe Giaccone, MD, PhD, is a professor of medicine and associate director of clinical research at the Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York, New York, discusses investigational agents in thymic cancers.

Thymic cancers are understudied and research is underfunded. Nonetheless, there are recent data with investigator agents that Giaccone is interested in. He believes combinations of immunotherapy and anti-angiogensis agents are the future of treatment for patients with thymic cancers, specifically, as well as solid tumors in general.

In the phase 2 CAVEAT trial, investigators found that combination of avelumab (Bavencio) and axitinib (Inlyta) induced a promising response rate in pretreated patients with advanced type B3 thymoma and thymic carcinoma. He added that pembrolizumab (Keytruda) has demonstrated durable responses in this patient population.

Giuseppe Giaccone, MD, PhD, discusses recent data with investigational therapies for patients with thymic cancer. 

Dr. Giaccone on Investigational Agents in Thymic Cancers

Giuseppe Giaconne, MD, PhD, is professor of medicine and associate director of clinical research at the Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center at Weill Cornell Medicine, in New York, New York.

Cancers of the thymus, a small organ located in the mediastinum above the heart, affect 400 to 600 Americans annually. Giaconne said the disease can be difficult to classify histologically, so the actual incidence is unclear.

He added that the rareness of the disease means that few pathologists have experience detecting thymic cancer. As such, only major cancer centers have good experience classifying these maligancies.

Giuseppe Giaconne, MD, PhD, discusses why thymic cancers can be difficult to classify histologically, so the actual incidence is unclear.

Dr. Giaccone on the Challenge of Diagnosing Thymic Cancers

Giuseppe Giaconne, MD, PhD, is professor of medicine and associate director of clinical research at the Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center and Yongfeng He, PhD, is an instructor an instructor of cancer biology in medicine, both at Weill Cornell Medicine, in New York, New York.

Cancers of the thymus, a small organ located in the mediastinum above the heart, are uncommon and understudied. Giaconne and He both say it is difficult to attract attention and research funding for a disease that only affects 400 to 600 Americans annually.

Patient advocacy organizations have worked to raise awareness of thymic malignancies. They would like to see the development of a patient network that helps keep both physicians and patients abreast of new developments in treatment.

Giuseppe Giaconne, MD, PhD, and Yongfeng He, PhD, 
discuss how cancers of the thymus, a small organ located in the mediastinum above the heart, are uncommon and understudied. 

Thymic Cancers | Videos

Dr. Giaconne on the Lack of Funding for Rare Cancers Research

Dr. He Discusses Discovery of Cancer-Inducing Mutation in Thymic Epithelial Cells

Dr. He Discusses Potential Therapeutic Uses for GTF2I L424+ Thymic Cancers

Dr. Giaccone on Investigational Agents in Thymic Cancers

Dr. Giaccone on the Challenge of Diagnosing Thymic Cancers

Drs Giaccone and He on Raising Awareness in Thymic Cancers