Oncologists Outline Ongoing Research Efforts Across GI Cancers, GBM

During the 2019 OncLive^® State of the Science Summit™ on Gastrointestinal Malignancies, the faculty who presented during the event also spoke with OncLive^® to highlight the exciting research being conducted at their respective institutions.

Atif Hussein, MD

Atif Hussein, MD

Hematologist/Oncologist, and Chief of Oncology/Hematology Services, Memorial Cancer Institute, Memorial Healthcare System

“I tend to see multiple cancers [in practice]. I have a particular interest in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), which is a grade IV brain cancer, and that’s why [research related to these diseases] is very dear to my heart. We just finished 2 vaccine trials, and we’re waiting for the results. Unfortunately, this is a disease that we really need to learn more about.

I submitted an application to the National Cancer Database [a joint program] of the Commission on Cancer, and they are going to send me a file of the thousands of patients [with cancer] in this country. Around 15% of patients [with cancer] have GBM; they do very well [on treatment], and we want to try to find out who these patients are. Vaccine trials and [doing] next-generation sequencing in these patients [will be important] because it’s not just 1 disease. The ongoing vaccine trials are all promising.”

A. Craig Lockhart, MD, MHS

A. Craig Lockhart, MD, MHS

Professor, and Associate Director for Regional and Strategic Clinical Research Affiliations, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Health System

“We have some ongoing trials looking at frontline therapies in pancreatic cancer, and we also have a fair number of ongoing precision medicine studies that are being done at the University of Miami Health System. A specific example is the TAPUR trial [that is being done] through ASCO. In this study, we’re able to use [patients’] tumor genomics to assign them to a particular [treatment] strategy. We’ve seen a good number of successes with that study and we have enrolled a fair number of patients.

In the colorectal cancer space, we have some studies [that are being done in patients with] refractory [disease]; they are mostly looking at immunotherapy combinations. Notably, these trials are not even being done in patients with microsatellite instability­—high disease; these are being done in those with microsatellite stable disease. I believe [one trial is] looking at anti–PD-L1 plus anti­–LAG-3 as a combination strategy in those patients.

It has already been shown that in those patients, PD-L1 by itself might not be a good approach, so could combining 2 checkpoint inhibitors be a successful strategy in that clinical setting?”

Mike Cusnir, MD

Mike Cusnir, MD

Co-Director of Gastrointestinal Malignancies, Mount Sinai Medical Center, Miami

“Many fascinating research efforts are being made [across] all of gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies. We have phenomenal trials that are ongoing in pancreatic cancer. Some very exciting molecules are [emerging]. Devimistat (CPI-613) is looking quite intriguing; the clinical trial [for that drug] is ongoing and accruing extremely well.

At our institution, we also have a trial of NovoCure for borderline resectable pancreatic cancer. The technology has not only been approved for glioblastoma but also for mesothelioma, and it’s also in the process of being investigated for lung cancer. [If effective in] the pancreatic space, it would be a really remarkable breakthrough.

In gastric cancer, moving some of the molecules into frontline [treatment] is going to be super interesting—I could go on and on. After a few years of not having a lot going on in the GI space, we have some new ‘toys’ to play with.”

Pablo Ferraro, MD

Pablo Ferraro, MD

Medical Oncologist, Memorial Cancer Institute

“Right now, we have several clinical trials that are being done at Memorial Cancer Institute. [One of our efforts is focused on the use of] circulating tumor DNA in different [cancers]. We’re trying to go beyond merely just treating patients with chemotherapy versus no chemotherapy; we’re trying to [take our research] to the next level. Those [efforts] are being made and I’m very excited to see [how they all pan out].”

Afonso Ribeiro, MD

Afonso Ribeiro, MD

Medical Director of Advanced Endoscopy and Gastroenterology, Memorial Healthcare System

“We’re doing a lot of work that is related to biopsy itself. We have come a long way with sampling lesions. We’re looking at ways of doing more safely and quickly. The main focus of our research is looking at patients with a genetic marker for pancreatic cancer. We’re trying [to identify] at least 2 family members with pancreatic cancer [to find a commonality]. This is something that needs to be done; this is the only way that we can start [curing patients with pancreatic cancer]; we need a marker or a gene for the disease, which we don’t have.”