Oncology Data Advisor

Last year, Brian Rubin, MD, PhD, Chair of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and the Chief of Diagnostics at the Cleveland Clinic, served as co-chair for i3 Health's continuing medical education (CME)–/nursing continuing professional development (NCPD)–approved virtual tumor board: Multidisciplinary Management of Advanced Soft Tissue Sarcoma, alongside Kathleen Polson, Nurse Practitioner at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Shreyaskumar R. Patel, MD, Center Medical Director of the Sarcoma Center at MD Anderson Cancer Center. In this interview, Dr. Rubin sat down with Oncology Data Advisor to discuss updates in the treatment and management of soft tissue sarcoma, what to look forward for the future of treating sarcomas, and his passion for this field.

For Multiple Myeloma Awareness Month this March, Oncology Data Advisor hosted a live panel discussion geared towards patients living with multiple myeloma. Dr. Rahul Banerjee, Dr. Alankrita Taneja, Dr. Richa Thakur, and Dr. Gurbakhash Kaur helped put the myriad of new developments in multiple myeloma treatment into perspective for patients and answered questions from the audience regarding current and future treatment strategies for multiple myeloma.

Last year, Jaffer Ajani, MD, Professor in the Department of Gastrointestinal (GI) Medical Oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center, served as co-chair of i3 Health's Virtual Tumor Board, Building Comprehensive Care Plans in Esophagogastric Cancers, along with Lei Zhao, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Pathology at Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Kelly Rone, DNP, RN, AGNP-c, Advanced Practice Nurse at the Mayo Clinic. With numerous developments in the field occurring since recording the activity, Dr. Ajani sat down with Oncology Data Advisor to provide an update on the evolving field of esophagogastric cancer research and advances to look forward to in the coming years.

In this first episode of Oncology Data Advisor’s new podcast series, “Bridging the Gap in Cancer Care Through Genetic Counseling,” Hiam Abdel-Salam and Catherine Skefos provide an introduction to genetic counseling, including how they entered the field, what they do on a day-to-day basis, scenarios in which patients should or should not consider meeting with a genetic counselor, things that are covered in an appointment, and their favorite parts about working as genetic counselors.

Following the recent approval of lifileucel for unresectable or metastatic melanoma—the first cellular therapy to receive an approval for solid tumors—Matthew Hadfield, DO, member of the Oncology Data Advisor Fellows Forum and third-year Fellow at Brown University, sat down with Richard Carvajal, MD, Oncology Data Advisor Editorial Board Member and the Deputy Physician-in-Chief at the Northwell Health Cancer Institute, to discuss the significance of this approval, what it means for the treatment landscape of melanoma, and what to look forward to for the future of treating melanoma.

In celebration of Women's Day on March 8, Oncology Data Advisor hosted a live panel discussion in which the women of our Editorial Board and Fellows Forum share what the day means to them, progress that has been made in female representation in leadership roles, continued obstacles to overcome, and the value of encouraging and mentoring other women in the field.

In this Fellows Forum interview, Dr. Samuel Kareff speaks with Dr. Estela Rodriguez, Clinical Research Lead of the Thoracic Site Disease Group at the University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, about recent research advances in mesothelioma, the emerging roles of immunotherapy and biomarker testing, and the importance of ensuring access to care for patients with this rare disease.

On Rare Disease Day on February 29, members of the Oncology Data Advisor Editorial Board and Fellows Forum hosted a live panel discussion focused on the rare diseases that they treat, including tireless efforts underway to develop novel treatment strategies, enhance quality of life, and improve outcomes for patients.

In this interview, Joseph Kalis, PharmD, BCOP, introduces Joseph Oropeza, PharmD, BCCP, one of the newest Editorial Board members of Oncology Data Advisor. Dr. Oropeza shares what he does as an Emergency Medicine Pharmacist, the intersections of oncology and the emergency department, the steps he takes to manages oncologic emergencies, and the importance of communication and collaboration between disciplines to ensure optimal outcomes for patients.

In honor of Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month this March, Allison Rosen, MS, and Matthew Hadfield, DO, members of the OncData Editorial Board and Fellows Forum, sat down to discuss their perspectives on the month from both the clinical and survivorship viewpoints, including efforts to advocate for increased clinical trial funding, recent updates in research and treatment, and messages for both patients and the public about the importance of screening and raising awareness.

In this installment of Oncology Data Advisor's Exploring AI in Oncology series, Dr. Waqas Haque speaks with Dr. Shaalan Beg, an Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Texas (UT) Southwestern, who is spearheading efforts to decentralize clinical trials in oncology and expand access for eligible patients. Dr. Beg describes the tools that are currently in development for decentralizing trials, including the use of artificial intelligence (AI), natural language processing, and telehealth. Additionally, he shares his perspectives on transitioning to a career in industry.

On February 14, Oncology Data Advisor is celebrating National Donor Day and recognizing the contributions of individuals who have given organ and tissue donations for patients in need. In this interview, Fellows Forum member Dr. Richa Thakur has a conversation with Will Smith, a High School History Teacher, who gave an anonymous stem cell donation through Be the Match (the National Marrow Donor Program, NMDP) in 2015.

In this interview, Dr. Jason Mouabbi, OncData Editorial Board Member and Breast Medical Oncologist at MD Anderson Cancer Center, speaks with Dr. Ross Maclean and Michael Glover about the debate surrounding accelerated FDA approvals, including their benefits, risks, and ways that physicians, patients, pharmaceutical companies, and the FDA can collaborate to maximize the impact of accelerated approval drugs.

In honor of National Cancer Prevention Month 2024, members of the Oncology Data Advisor Editorial Board and Fellows Forum sat down for a panel discussion about the rising incidence of cancer diagnoses, factors contributing to them, and how to counsel patients in light of these emerging trends.

In this Fellows Forum interview, Samuel Kareff, MD, MPH, interviews Aman Chauhan, MD, Leader of the Neuroendocrine Tumor Program at the University of Miami, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, about how he became involved in neuroendocrine cancer research, the latest developments in novel therapies, and the future of using radiopharmaceuticals and theranostics to revolutionize the treatment of neuroendocrine tumors.

In honor of World Cancer Day on February 4, members of the Oncology Data Advisor Fellows Forum and Editorial Board joined forces for a thought-provoking discussion about improving cancer care on a global scale, including treatment access, molecular testing, clinical trial diversity, and patient advocacy worldwide.

In honor of Gallbladder and Bile Duct Cancer Awareness Month this February, Fellows Forum members Dr. Waqas Haque and Dr. Matthew Hadfield sat down for a discussion on the challenges in diagnosis of gallbladder and bile duct cancers and the importance of genetic sequencing for making targeted treatments available for patients.

In honor of National Cancer Prevention Month, Dr. Stephen Freedland, Urologist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Oncology Data Advisor Editorial Board Member, sat down with Dr. William Aronson, Professor of Urology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and Chief of Urologic Oncology at the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center for a conversation about the multitude of factors under investigation for prostate cancer prevention. Dr. Freedland and Dr. Aronson discuss prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening recommendations, medications being investigated, the roles of diet and exercise, and how they personally counsel their patients regarding prostate cancer prevention and risk reduction.

This second episode of Oncology Data Advisor's podcast series, Exploring Artificial Intelligence in Oncology, features Leif Honda, Chief Innovation Officer at TriMetis, a digital pathology company focused on improving patient outcomes by accelerating human tissue-based research, development, and testing. Dr. Waqas Haque, member of the Oncology Data Advisor Fellows Forum, speaks with Mr. Honda about the TriMetis Computer-Assisted Pathology (TCAP) AI platform, including how it was developed and trained, its capabilities for streamlining the pathology workflow, and the ongoing process of preparing it for clinical utility.

Recently, the FDA granted approval to capivasertib in combination with fulvestrant for patients with hormone receptor–positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)–negative locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer with one or more PIK3CA/AKT1/PTEN alterations. In this interview, Editorial Board member Dr. Jason Mouabbi speaks with Dr. Carlos Doti, Head of Medical Affairs, US Oncology at AstraZeneca, about the significance of the approval, its dosing schedule, AstraZeneca's approach towards patient education and adverse event management, and the future of capivasertib in different treatment settings.