AACR, Author Interviews, Cancer Research / 08.05.2025

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_68425" align="alignleft" width="150"]Andrei Bakin Dr. Andrei Bakin[/caption] Andrei Bakin, PhD, Associate Professor of Oncology, Department of Cancer Genetics & Genomics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center – first author of “A novel combination immunotherapy for p53 mutant metastatic breast cancer leveraging vulnerabilities in the DNA damage response” and senior author of “Novel triple-drug combination strategy for p53 mutant cancers leveraging their DNA damage response liabilities” Christos Fountzilas, MD, FACP, Associate Professor of Oncology, Department of Medicine, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center - and senior author of “A novel combination immunotherapy for p53 mutant metastatic breast cancer leveraging vulnerabilities in the DNA damage response” Mohammed Alruwaili, MS, PhD, newly graduated doctoral candidate in Cancer Genetics & Genomics at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, first author of “Novel triple-drug combination strategy for p53 mutant cancers leveraging their DNA damage response liabilities”
AACR, Author Interviews, Breast Cancer, Cancer Research / 08.05.2025

MedicalResearch.com Interview responses from: [caption id="attachment_68422" align="alignleft" width="150"]First author Gokul Das, PhD, Professor of Oncology and Co-Director of the Breast Translational Group, Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center Dr. Gokul Das[/caption] First author Gokul Das, PhD, Professor of Oncology and Co-Director of the Breast Translational Group, Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center Chetan Oturkar, PhD, Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, first author on the study MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?  Dr. Gokul Das: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a very aggressive subtype of breast cancer for which effective targeted therapies are not available, and which rapidly becomes resistant to chemotherapy. TNBC tumors are negative for estrogen receptor α (ERα), progesterone receptor (PR), and HER-2/neu receptor. Endocrine therapy or HER2-targeted therapies are not effective against TNBC. Currently available options including immunotherapy benefit only some patients. They are cost-prohibitive and have severe adverse effects. Therefore, there is an unmet need for rationally designed therapies for TNBC. Although ERα is absent in TNBC, majority of these tumors express estrogen receptor beta (ERβ), a structurally related but functionally distinct isoform of the estrogen receptor coded by a different gene. Tumor suppressor protein p53 is mutated in the majority (80%) of TNBC. p53, when mutated, loses its tumor suppression capabilities, and instead gains oncogenic or tumor-driving functions.  One of the major oncogenic functions of mutant p53 is to bind and inactivate another tumor suppressor named p73.  The Das laboratory has been focusing on the mechanisms underlying the estrogen receptor β-p53-p73 axis for discovering rational and effective therapeutic strategies against TNBC.
AACR, Author Interviews, Cancer Research / 28.04.2025

[caption id="attachment_68201" align="alignleft" width="150"]dr_aditya_shreenivas Dr. Shreenivas[/caption] MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Aditya Shreenivas M.D.,  M.S. Assistant Professor Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research City of Hope MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a highly aggressive tumor of the head and neck region with a distinct geographical distribution, with incidence rates as high as 30 per 100,000 in endemic regions like Asia and North Africa but less than 1 per 100,000 worldwide. Despite comprehensive curative intent therapy, up to 30% of patients with advanced NPC experience treatment failure, primarily due to recurrence and/or metastasis. This high mortality rate highlighted the urgent need for effective treatments. Clinical trials (JUPITER-02, CAPTAIN-1st, and RATIONALE-309) showed improved progression-free survival by adding anti-PD-1 antibodies to chemotherapy for first-line treatment of recurrent or metastatic NPC. However, these studies were conducted exclusively in Asian populations. Penpulimab is a humanized anti-PD-1 antibody that's unique because it is a  IgG1 subtype with a modified Fc segment. This structure potentially improves efficacy and safety compared to other anti-PD-1 drugs through lower immune-related adverse events.
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