Stand up to cancer-funded research to be presented at ASCO May 31-June 4 in Chicago

Chicago, May 30, 2019 – Researchers whose work has been supported by Stand Up To Cancer, including Uri Tabori, MD, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, and Nabil M. Ahmed, MD, Baylor College of Medicine, will discuss their work in advancing immunotherapy for pediatric brain tumors at the Annual Meeting 2019 of the American Society of Clinical Oncology May 31-June 4 at McCormick Place in Chicago.

On Saturday June 1, Tabori and Ahmed will speak in a ticketed “Meet the Professors” session from 3- 4:15 p.m. Saturday, June 1, in Room E253b, devoted to immunotherapy in pediatric brain tumors. Tabori will speak on “Immunotherapies in Central Nervous System Tumors” from 3-3:20 p.m., followed by Ahmed discussing “CAR T-Cell Therapies in Central Nervous System Tumors.” Tabori is the leader of an SU2C Catalyst® Research Team on immunotherapy for hypermutant pediatric cancers, while Ahmed is a principal with the St. Baldrick’s-SU2C Pediatric Cancer Dream Team.

Stand Up To Cancer research highlights include:

Genome-wide cell-free DNA fragmentation profiling for early cancer detection Abstract #3018

Poster Session: Saturday June 1, 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM, Hall A

Poster Discussion Session: Saturday June 1, 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM, E450

The SU2C-Dutch Cancer Society Colorectal Cancer Early Detection Dream Team will be highlighted in a poster discussion session poster reporting that analysis of fragmentation patterns of circulating cell-free DNA provides a useful approach to screening, early detection, and monitoring of several different types of cancer. Authors also include Gerrit A. Meijer, MD, PhD, of the Netherlands Cancer Institute, leader of the Dream Team, and Victor E. Velculescu, MD, PhD, of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Dream Team co-leader.

Copy number analysis to identify tumor suppressor genes associated with enzalutamide (Enza) resistance and poor prognosis in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) patients Abstract #5011

Poster Session, Saturday June 1, 1:15 PM to 4:15 PM, Hall A

Poster Discussion Session, Saturday, June 1, 4:30 PM to 6 PM, Arie Crown Theater

Also on Saturday, June 1, the SU2C-Prostate Cancer Foundation Prostate Cancer Dream reports on findings that copy number loss of specific tumor suppressor genes is associated with enzalutamide resistance in mCRPC patients.

A phase II study of ipilimumab and nivolumab with radiation in microsatellite stable (MSS) metastatic colorectal adenocarcinoma (mCRC) Abstract #3514

Poster Session: Monday, June 3, 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM, Hall A

Poster Discussion Session: Monday June 3, 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM, Arie Crown Theater

Researchers from the SU2C Colorectal Cancer Dream Team, including Aparna R. Parikh, MD, David Ryan, MD, David Ting, MD, Theodore S. Hong, MD, and Ryan B. Corcoran, MD, PhD, all with the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center report that dual blockade of CTLA-4 and PD-1 with RT is a feasible strategy to stimulate an immune response and demonstrates durable activity in patients with microsatellite stable metastatic colorectal cancer.

Notable Poster Sessions highlighting SU2C-supported research include:

Cancer Interception in Pancreatic and Lung Cancers

SU2C has pioneered the field of cancer interception. This research approach seeks the earliest possible diagnosis of cancer even before the cancer may have fully formed, and ways to actively intervene in the formation or progression of the disease rather than treating it only after it is fully developed. Two posters being presented report on cancer interception in pancreatic and lung cancers.

Improving cascade genetic testing for families with inherited pancreatic cancer (PDAC) risk: The genetic education, risk assessment and testing (GENERATE) study Abstract # TPS4162

Poster Session: Monday, June 3, 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM, Hall A

The GENERATE (GENetic Education, Risk Assessment, and Testing) study, a clinical trial conducted by the SU2C-Lustgarten Foundation Pancreatic Cancer Interception Research Team on Intercepting Pancreatic Cancer in High-Risk Cohorts, is analyzing two alternative strategies to improve screening and early detection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) through genetic testing in blood relatives of PDAC patients. The team is led by Anirban Maitra, MBBS, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center; Michael G. Goggins, MD, Johns Hopkins University; and Scott M. Lippman, MD, University of California San Diego, all co-authors of the paper.

ctDNA analysis for personalization of consolidation immunotherapy in localized non-small cell lung cancer Abstract #2547

Poster Session: Monday, June 3, 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM, Hall A

Maximilian Diehn, MD, PhD, and Ash Alizadeh, MD, PhD, both of the Stanford University School of Medicine and co-leader and member, respectively, of the SU2C-LUNGevity-American Lung Association Lung Cancer Interception Research Team report on findings suggesting that ctDNA analysis may allow personalization and response monitoring of consolidated immunotherapy following chemoradiation for NSCLC.

Lung Cancer

ml-RECIST: Machine Learning to Estimate RECIST in patients with NSCLC treated with PD(L)1 Blockade Abstract #9052

Poster Session: Sunday, June 2, 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM, Hall A

This poster on machine learning to estimate response to treatment for non-small cell lung cancer will be presented by Matthew D. Hellmann, MD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, a young investigator on the SU2C-American Cancer Society Lung Cancer Dream Team, and co-leader of the SU2C Catalyst® Lung Cancer Epigenetics Team, and Regina Barzilay, PhD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a member of the SU2C Convergence Research Team on Machine Learning for Cancer Immunotherapy.

Neoadjuvant nivolumab in resectable non-small cell lung cancer: Extended follow-up and molecular markers of response Abstract #8524

Poster Session: Sunday, June 2, 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM, Hall A

Joshua E. Reuss, MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine present a poster on molecular markers of response to neoadjuvant use of the PD-1 blocker nivolumab in resectable, non-small cell lung cancer. The work was supported, in part, by the SU2C-Cancer Research Institute Immunology Dream Team.

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STAND UP TO CANCER MEDIA CONTACTS:

Emily Gest

(212) 843-061

[email protected]

Jane Rubinstein

516) 993-0708

[email protected]

ABOUT STAND UP TO CANCER

Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) raises funds to accelerate the pace of research to get new therapies to patients quickly and save lives now. SU2C, a division of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, was established in 2008 by film and media leaders who utilize the industry’s resources to engage the public in supporting a new, collaborative model of cancer research, and to increase awareness about cancer prevention as well as progress being made in the fight against the disease. Under the direction of our Scientific Advisory Committee led by Nobel Laureate Phillip A. Sharp, PhD, SU2C operates rigorous, competitive review processes to identify the best research proposals to recommend for funding, oversee grants administration, and provide expert review of research progress.

Current members of the SU2C Council of Founders and Advisors (CFA) include Katie Couric, Sherry Lansing, Lisa Paulsen, Rusty Robertson, Sue Schwartz, Pamela Oas Williams, Ellen Ziffren, and Kathleen Lobb. The late Laura Ziskin and the late Noreen Fraser are also co-founders. Sung Poblete, PhD, RN, has served as SU2C’s president and CEO since 2011.

For more information on Stand Up To Cancer, visit http://www.StandUpToCancer.org.