Project Oncology

Host: Shira Johnson, MD Guest: Ronald DeMatteo, MD, FACS A Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST) is a rare sarcoma that begins in the digestive tract or stomach, with an incident rate in the United States of approximately 4,000 to 6,000 cases per year. Since these tumors behave differently from other gastrointestinal cancers, they require a specialized treatment plan. Host Dr. Shira Johnson chats with Ronald DeMatteo, MD, FACS, Chair of the Department of Surgery and a surgical oncologist at Penn Medicine. They discuss the diagnosis, treatment and current clinical research of GIST. Dr. DeMatteo is a world-renowned surgical expert and researcher for the rare GIST. His research breakthroughs helped develop the new standard of care for GIST.

Oncologists Dr. Sanjeeve Bala and Dr. Abhilasha Nair from FDA’s Oncology Center of Excellence discuss the recent approval of bevacizumab-awwb, a biosimilar to US-licensed Avastin, marketed as MVASI. MVASI is the first biosimilar approved in the US for the treatment of cancer. Released on December 21, 2017

Host: Shira Johnson, MD Guest: Robert Vonderheide, MD For years, the foundations of cancer treatment, surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy were utilized with the objective of weakening cancer. But over the past several years, immunotherapy – therapies that enlist and strengthen the power of a patient’s immune system to attack tumors - has emerged as a new tool for fighting cancer. In August 2017, one such treatment approach, called Chimeric Antigen Receptor or CAR T-cell Therapy, received FDA approval for the treatment of children and young adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Additionally, research is continuing to look at CAR-T therapy’s effectiveness for treating solid tumors as well. Host Dr. Shira Johnson sits down with Dr. Robert Vonderheide, Director of the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania and the John H. Glick, MD, Abramson Cancer Center Director’s Professor, to talk about the potential of CAR-T therapy alongside other emerging immunotherapies i

Host: John Russell, MD Guest: Harish Lavu, MD Pancreatic cancer is projected to become the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States by 2020. This is due, in large part, to its insidious onset and subtle presentation even at late stages, many symptoms of which are often attributed to common and less serious conditions in aging populations. Dr. Harish Lavu, Head of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery at Jefferson University, talks with host Dr. John Russell about the diagnostic and therapeutic priorities addressing pancreatic cancer, and why this disease is so hard to detect.

FDA medical oncologists discuss the approval of osimertinib for EGFR mutation-positive non-small cell lung cancer. Released July 28, 2017

FDA medical oncologists discuss the FDA approvals of brigatinib and ceritinib for ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer. Released July 25, 2017

Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP It's widely known that genetics, family history, race, and other factors all play important roles in cancer risk. But what kinds of roles do they play, specifically, and how can we leverage these understandings into better primary care? Dr. Brian McDonough is joined by Dr. Maureen Murphy, research scientist at the Wistar Institute at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Murphy has spent the past twenty years studying how genes affect breast cancer risk in women, particularly for African American populations. She discusses her findings on the discovery of p53 protein variants and how this advances the role for precision medicine in treating breast cancer.

The D.I.S.C.O. hosts discuss the agency’s first approval of pembrolizumab, a cancer treatment based on a common biomarker rather than the location in the body where the tumor originated. Released May 30, 2017.

Host: Jennifer Caudle, DO Guest: Major Kenneth Lee, IV, MD, PhD Though a relatively rare disease, pancreatic cancer remains at the forefront of clinical discussion due to its highly aggressive nature. Dr. Major Kenneth Lee, Assistant Professor of Surgery at Penn Medicine, estimates that pancreatic cancer will become the number 2 cause of cancer death by the year 2020. This projected rise in mortality is largely due to the need for better advancement in treatment options. Join host Dr. Jennifer Caudle and guest, Dr. Major Kenneth Lee, as they discuss major signs and symptoms associated with a pancreatic cancer diagnosis, risk factors, and treatment options.

FDA medical oncologists discuss the agency’s March 23, 2017 approval of avelumab for the treatment of patients 12 years and older with metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma. Released May 22, 2017

FDA medical oncologists discuss the agency’s March 2017 approval of niraparib for the maintenance treatment of patients with recurrent epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer who are in complete or partial response to platinum-based chemotherapy. Released May 18, 2017

Host: Matt Birnholz, MD Several new screening tests have been developed to help doctors find colorectal cancer early when it's most treatable and can reduce the burden of this disease and the death toll nationwide. Host Dr. Matt Birnholz chats with Dr. John Kisiel, gastroenterologist and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, about new screening guidelines for detecting colorectal cancer.

Host: Matt Birnholz, MD Guest: Ari Brooks, MD Guest: Brian Englander, MD Host Dr. Matt Birnholz is joined by Dr. Ari Brooks, Director of Endocrine and Oncology Surgery and Director of the Integrated Breast Center at Pennsylvania Hospital, and Dr. Brian Englander, Clinical Assistant Professor and Chair of the Department of Radiology at Pennsylvania Hospital. Drs. Brooks and Englander discuss the hot topics within breast cancer innovations. They touch upon the increase in involvement of genetics and genomic research that is impacting breast cancer treatment options, new breast imaging modalities, and continuity of care.

Host: Matt Birnholz, MD Guest: Taine Pechet, MD Dr. Taine Pechet, chief of surgery at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center and associate professor of clinical surgery at Penn Medicine joins host Dr. Matt Birnholz to discuss his thoughts on who should be regularly screen for lung cancer and the various diagnostic techniques from his perspective as a thoracic surgeon. Dr. Pechet also discusses the surgical outcomes for these patient and his thoughts on what is on the horizon for the lung cancer field.

Host: Matt Birnholz, MD Cannabis is gaining increased acceptance within the medical community for pain relief and other supportive care applications. But for oncology specialties, the use of cannabis may additionally extend into therapeutic purposes for patients. From the floors of the A4M Conference in Las Vegas, Dr. Matt Birnholz speaks with Constance Finley, Founder and CEO of Constance Therapeutics, a California-based cannabis collective. The two discuss cannabis and cannabis oil applications for cancer patients, and their potential therapeutic effects.

Host: Renée Simone Yolanda Allen, MD, MHSc., FACOG From the American Cancer Society, ovarian cancer ranks fifth in cancer deaths among women, accounting for more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system. A woman's risk of getting ovarian cancer during her lifetime is about 1 in 75. Her lifetime chance of dying from ovarian cancer is about 1 in 100. Host Dr. Renee Allen is joined by Dr. Evelyn Reynolds to discuss critical updates in ovarian cancer, specifically dispelling the myth about ovarian cancer being a "silent killer." Dr. Reynolds an Associate Professor and Division Director of Gynecologic Oncology at the Morehouse School of Medicine. She is board-certified in General Obstetrics and Gynecology and also Gynecologic Oncology.

Host: Renée Simone Yolanda Allen, MD, MHSc., FACOG What is the role and importance of the Ob-Gyn Oncologist, especially for women diagnosed with pelvic cancers? What are some barriers patients face in seeing an Ob-Gyn Oncoloogist? And how can clinicians better partner with this group of specialists? In this episode, host Dr. Renee Allen explores answers to these questions with guest expert Dr. Evelyn Reynolds, board certified physician in both General Obstetrics & Gynecology and Gynecologic Oncology. She is also an Associate Professor and Division Director of Gynecologic Oncology at the Morehouse School of Medicine.

Host: Matt Birnholz, MD Guest: Edward R. Sauter, MD, PhD, MHA In the clinical arena, discussions on breast cancer prevention and treatment often center on what is considered most "cutting edge," from genetic mechanisms of disease to new combination pharmacotherapies to breast-conserving surgical innovations. But another field of study, targeting the potential roles of nutrition in breast cancer risk, remains commonly neglected by the medical community. What parts do nutritional choices and habits play in breast cancer development, and how can clinicians make better risk assessments given this information? Dr. Edward Sauter, Professor of Surgery and Director of the Cancer Treatment and Prevention Center at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center, joins Dr. Matt Birnholz to discuss emerging connections between nutrition and breast cancer.