| Welcome
Welcome to the inaugural issue of DirectConnect, a new publication from the Yale Cancer Center Director's office. Each day I am reminded of the significant accomplishments and increasing promise of cancer care at Yale and I look forward to sharing this with you. My first month in New Haven has provided me with the opportunity to meet with many of the faculty, members, and staff of Yale Cancer Center and Yale-New Haven Hospital. I hope to meet with each of you over the coming months and welcome your insight and suggestions.
We are currently accessing PubMed and the Yale Cancer Center clinical trials database for DirectConnect. Please send Renee Gaudette updates on recent publications, clinical trials, and grants awarded for inclusion in future issues of the newsletter.
Peter Marks, MD, PhD
Appointed at Smilow Cancer Hospital
I am pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Peter Marks, Associate Professor of Hematology, to Chief Clinical Officer for Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale-New Haven. In his new role, Dr. Marks will focus on the clinical integration of the cancer programs in the new hospital.
Yale Cancer Center's Annual Scientific Retreat
Our annual retreat will be on May 18th at Water's Edge and will feature presentations from Yale Cancer Center research programs and shared resources. For more information, please contact Paula O'Mara.
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Building Progress
The new building is more than 75 percent enclosed and the permanent roof is now being constructed. While the roof is being completed, floors 1-7 are being sealed up. In March, the temporary freight elevators came down and workers will begin to use the interior elevators to deliver goods and supplies.
Committee Update
There are several transition teams hard at work - including committees to plan the building's operations, occupancy, information systems and telecommunications, and the transition of patients into the building. Other teams will be working with the medical staff and other employees to train and orient them to the new building. For more information on the transition, David Vinas, Transition Leader, can be reached at 688-2973.
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Newly Opened Clinical Trials
Lung Cancer
A Dose Escalation Study of Vorinostat in Combination with Palliative Radiotherapy for Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Principal Investigator: Roy Decker, MD, PhD
Lung Cancer
A Phase I/II Study of XL184 with or without Erlotinib in Subjects with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Principal Investigator: Scott Gettinger, MD
Solid Tumors
A Phase I Investigation of MK-5108 and MK-5108 With Docetaxel in Patients With Advanced Solid Tumors
Principal Investigator: Wasif Saif, MD
Liver Cancer
A Phase II, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Randomized, International, Multicenter Study of Oral TAC-101 as Second Line Treatment in Patients With Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Who Received Sorafenib as First Line Therapy
Principal Investigator: Wasif Saif, MD
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Recent Publications
Management of the Difficult Sentinel Lymph Node in Patients With Primary Cutaneous Melanoma.
Silverio AM, McRae MC, Ariyan S, Narayan D.
Ann Plast Surg. 2009 May;62(5):564-569.
Read More>>
HPV16 VLP L1-Specific CD8+ Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes (CTL) are equally effective as E7-Specific CD8+ CTL in killing autologous HPV16 Positive Tumor Cells in Cervical Cancer Patients: Implications for L1 dendritic cell-based Therapeutic Vaccines.
Bellone S, El-Sahwi K, Cocco E, Casagrande F, Cargnelutti M, Palmieri M, Bignotti E, Romani C, Silasi DA, Azodi M, Schwartz PE, Rutherford TJ, Pecorelli S, Santin AD.
J Virol. 2009 Apr 22.
Read More>>
A Prognostic Index for Predicting Lymph Node Metastasis in Minor Salivary Gland Cancer.
Lloyd S, Yu JB, Ross DA, Wilson LD, Decker RH.
Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2009 Apr 20.
Read More>>
Clinical-Pathologic Features and Long-Term Outcomes of Tubular Carcinoma of the Breast Compared with Invasive Ductal Carcinoma Treated with Breast Conservation Therapy.
Liu GF, Yang Q, Haffty BG, Moran MS.
Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2009 Apr 20.
Read More>>
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Grants Received
Targeting the Tumor Blood Vessels for Photodynamic Therapy of Chemoresistant Breast Cancer
Zhiwei Hu, PhD
Breast Cancer Alliance
Grant Period: 1/1/2009 - 12/2009
Direct Costs: 92,593; Indirect Costs: 7,407; Total Costs: $100,000
The major goals of this project are to test the effect of targeted PDT by conjugating coagulation factor VII (fVII) with a photosensitizer Sn(IV) chlorin e6 (SnCe6) followed by irradiation with 635nm laser light for killing chemoresistant human breast cancer MCF7/MDR cells in vitro in tissue culture plates and to test the effect of targeted PDT in mouse xenograft models of human breast cancer.
Developing a Model to Predict Sorafenib Response in Renal Cell Carcinoma
Harriet Kluger, MD
American Cancer Society
Grant Period: 1/1/2009 - 12/2012
Direct Costs: $600,000; Indirect Costs: $120,000; Total Costs: $720,000
Sorafenib is an oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor that benefits a subset of patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Our goal is to develop a tissue-based assay to predict response to sorafenib based on protein expression profiles in RCC cells as well as in associated endothelial cells.
Co-Targeting IGF-I Receptor and HER2 in Breast Cancer
Michael DiGiovanna, MD, PhD
Breast Cancer Alliance
Grant Period: 1/1/2009 - 12/2009
Direct Costs: $92,593; Indirect Costs: $7,407; Total Costs: $100,000
To study IGF1R/HER2 co-targeting in vivo using HER2+ and HER2-normal human tumor xenografts.
Combination Targeting of IGF-I Receptor and HER2 in Breast Cancer
Michael DiGiovanna, MD, PhD
The CT Breast Health Initiative, Inc.
Grant Period: 3/1/2009 - 2/2010
Direct Costs: $33,000; Indirect Costs: None; Total Costs: $33,000
To study IGF1R/HER2 co-targeting in vivo using HER2+ and HER2-normal human tumor xenografts.
In situ detection of Cancer Stem Cells to Predict Non-Nodal Metastasis in Breast Cancer
David Rimm, MD, PhD
Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation
Grant Period: 5/1/09-4/2012
Direct Costs: $160,000 per year; Indirect Costs: $40,000 per year; Total Costs: $200,000 per year
To develop a method to identify and enumerate breast cancer stem cells in human tissues and then assess the value of these cells in the prediction of systemic breast cancer metastasis. We hope to develop a test that is more valuable than the sentinel node biopsy, but also less traumatic for the patients, since it is based on tissue from the primary cancer.
Epigenetic Regulation by Histone Demethylase JARID1B
Qin Yan, PhD
American Cancer Society #IRG-58-012-51
Grant Period: 02/01/2009 - 01/2010
Direct Costs: $30,000; Indirect Costs: None; Total Costs: $30,000
The JARID1B/PLU-1 gene is highly expressed in primary breast cancers and breast cancer cell lines, but not in normal adult breast tissue. JARID1B was recently found to be a histone demethylase capable of removing tri- and di- methyl marks from histone H3 at lysine 4. The proposed studies aim to identify its interacting proteins and target genes, which will provide novel mechanistic insight into its functions in oncogenesis.
Smoking Cessation to Improve Survival Rates of Head and Neck Cancer Patients
Benjamin Toll, PhD
The Connecticut Challenge
Grant Period: 2009
Total Costs: $35,000
Evaluating the Effects of Androgen Deprivation Therapy on Cognitive Function and their Impact on Quality of Life in Patients with Prostate Cancer
Herta Chao, PhD
The Connecticut Challenge
Grant Period: 2009
Total Costs: $50,000
Needs of long-term cancer survivors and their use of the Internet
Brenda Cartmel, PhD
The Connecticut Challenge
Grant Period: 2009
Total Costs: $25,000
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| Events May 5; 8:30 AM
Grand Rounds
Fitkin Amphitheater
The Impact of Genetic Counseling and Testing on Tailored Medical Care
Ellen Matloff, MS
May 10; 7:30 AM
Walk to Empower
Lighthouse Point Park
Join the Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale-New Haven team on Mother's Day for the annual Walk to Empower to raise funds for breast cancer awareness and research.
May 11; 8:30 AM
Yale Cancer Center's Third Annual Survivorship Conference
Yale's West Campus
May 12; 8:30 AM
Grand Rounds
Fitkin Amphitheater
Virus Host-Cell Interactions in Human Polyomavirus Induced Disease
Walter J. Atwood, PhD
May 13; 6:00 PM
Understanding Cancer
Lecture Series
YNHH East Pavilion Cafeteria
Lung Cancer Treatment Update
Frank Detterbeck, MD and Roy Decker, MD, PhD
May 13; 6:00 PM
Exploring Stem Cell Transplantation
Yale Physician's Building, LL05
Stuart Seropian, MD
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Submissions
Please submit your recent publication and grant announcements to:
Renee Gaudette
Director, Public Affairs and Marketing
renee.gaudette@yale.edu
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