UCI Health cancer specialists showcase research at national conference
ASCO presentations highlight potentially game-changing therapies
Orange, Calif. — One of the largest contingents of UCI Health cancer clinicians and scientists in recent years shared key findings that will help advance therapies for some of the most intractable cancers at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), one of the world’s largest scientific forums in the field.
The conference — held May 29 through June 2 in Chicago — was attended by more than 44,000 cancer researchers from around the world, including nearly three dozen members of the UCI Health Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, the only designated National Cancer Institute (NCI) comprehensive cancer center based in Orange County.
This year’s conference theme was “The Science and Practice of Translation: Improving Cancer Outcomes Worldwide.” UCI Health cancer researchers were lead investigators or co-authors of 38 posters or presentations at the five-day event.
“The American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting is arguably the best forum for exchanging ideas and fostering collaborations to eradicate or control cancer,” said Dr. Miguel A. Villalona Calero, deputy director of the Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center and chief of the UC Irvine School of Medicine’s Division of Hematology/Oncology.
“We are immensely proud and excited as we incorporate these ideas into the outstanding clinical and basic science research already ongoing at UC Irvine. We are unrelenting in our commitment to provide these advances in real time to the patients we serve.”
Pancreatic cancer breakthrough
News of a breakthrough therapy that has doubled the survival time for metastatic pancreatic cancer patients prompted a standing ovation for Dana Farber Cancer Center oncologist Dr. Brian Wolpin, lead researcher for the national clinical trials of the investigational drug, daraxonrasib.
The landmark findings have special significance for the UCI Health Chao Family Cancer Center and pancreatic cancer oncologist Dr. Jennifer Valerin, who has enrolled 20% of U.S. patients who are participating in the experimental drug’s clinical trials at more than 30 centers across the nation.
Valerin’s experiences treating trial participants with the new drug made her a sought-after speaker at the ASCO conference.
Presentation highlights included:
- A first-of-its-kind study to test light therapy on inoperable pancreatic tumors is being led by interventional radiologist Dr. Nadine Abi-Jaoudeh. The phase 1 clinical trial is using photodynamic therapy to break down the vascular structure of tumors encasing abdominal arteries, allowing them to be surgically removed.
Study co-authors are Valerin and UCI Health hepatobiliary surgeon Dr. Zeljka Jutric. - A phase 1 basket study led by oncologist Dr. Victoria M. Villaflor tested an antibody drug therapy that showed promise in targeting advanced or recurring squamous cell head and neck cancers.
- A phase 2 study led by melanoma oncologist Dr. Poorva Vaidya used low-dose chemotherapy drug cyclophosphamide in concert with pembrolizumab, a targeted immunotherapy drug, to treat locally advanced and metastatic melanoma.
- A study combining immune checkpoint inhibitors to stimulate T cell and NK cell activity showed improved overall survival in endometrial cancer patients. The study was led by Dr. Danielle Greenberg, a UCI Health fellow in gynecologic oncology with co-author Dr. Krishnansu S. Tewari, chief of gynecologic oncology at the UC Irvine School of Medicine.
- Surgical oncologist Dr. Maheswari Senthil presented details of STOPGAP II, a national randomized phase 2/3 clinical trial using intraperitoneal paclitaxel and standard-of-care systemic treatment vs. systemic treatment alone in gastric carcinomatosis.
STOPGAP I began as a phase 1, single-center clinical trial started with a grant from the UC Irvine Anti-Cancer Challenge, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year after raising $7.7 million to support nearly 200 pilot projects and early phase clinical studies at the Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Based on the promising results of the original clinical trial, STOPGAP II is now expanding to more than three dozen cancer centers around the country through the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology, part of the NCI-supported National Clinical Trials Network.
Driven to improving care
The presentations by cancer center clinicians and scientists at this year's conference — and the growing number of early phase clinical trials they represent — reflect the institution's drive to find new therapies to treat, prevent and even cure cancer, according to Dr. Richard A. Van Etten, director of the cancer center and founder of the Anti-Cancer Challenge.
“ASCO remains an important forum for advancing precision oncology and sharing the insights that will shape more individualized cancer care,” he said.
“At UCI Health, we are committed to translating those advances into greater access to clinical trials, multidisciplinary expertise and leading-edge treatment options for patients across Orange County and beyond.”
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About UCI Health
UCI Health, one of California’s largest academic health systems, has been the clinical enterprise of the University of California, Irvine, since 1976. The 1,461-bed system comprises its main campus UCI Health — Orange, its flagship hospital, the UCI Health — Irvine acute care hospital and medical campus, four hospitals and affiliated physicians of the UCI Health Community Network in Orange and Los Angeles counties and a network of ambulatory care centers across the region. UCI Health — Orange provides tertiary and quaternary care and is home to the only Orange County-based National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, high-risk perinatal/neonatal program and American College of Surgeons-verified Level I adult and Level II pediatric trauma center, gold level 1 geriatric emergency department and regional burn center. Powered by UC Irvine, UCI Health serves 5.6 million people in Orange County, western Riverside County and southeast Los Angeles County. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter).