Leaders from the Mass General Cancer Center, a part of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system. will present research discoveries and outcomes from clinical trials in cancer at the 2023 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting April 14-19 in Orlando, FL.
AACR brings together top experts in cancer research to share the latest in cancer science and medicine. Presentations from Mass General Cancer Center researchers will span a wide variety of topics, from cancer biology, translational, and clinical studies to population science and prevention, survivorship and patient advocacy. Below is a sampling of some of this year’s top presentations. View a full list of Mass General Cancer Center presentations here.
Breaking News: Trial Results for a Mutant-Selective Drug for Breast Cancer
When: Apr. 18, 2023, 10:45 AM - 11:00 AM
Who: Andreas Varkaris, MD, PhD
What: Dr. Varkaris, a physician investigator, will present clinical data from the ReDiscover Trial — a first-in-human clinical trial for patients with unresectable or metastatic solid tumors, including HR+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer. The trial evaluated the drug RLY-2608, a PI3Kα inhibitor designed to selectively target mutated forms of the kinase and reduce toxic side effects that come with other drugs designed against this common cancer gene. Findings are embargoed until the time of the presentation. After the embargo has lifted, Dr. Varkaris can describe the trial’s findings on this mutant-selective inhibitor.
Targeting an Immune Evasion Gene to Give Immunotherapy a Boost
Targeting TBK1 to overcome resistance to cancer immunotherapy
When: April 17, 2023, 1:30 PM to 5:00 PM
Who: Russell W. Jenkins, MD, PhD
What: Dr. Jenkins, a physician investigator, is available to speak with reporters about new work on TBK1 — a recently identified immune evasion gene that can be silenced to increase tumor cells’ susceptibility to immunotherapy. In a study recently published in Nature led by Dr. Jenkins and Dr. Robert T. Manguso (MGH, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard), the authors reported evidence that deleting TBK1 can sensitize tumor cells to attack by the immune system. Jenkins can speak to what these research findings mean for patients and next steps for the work.
Whole-Genome Sequencing Sheds Light on Tumor Evolution
When: Apr. 16, 2023, 1:30 PM - 5:00 PM
Who: Dejan Juric, MD
What: Dr. Juric, director of the Termeer Center for Targeted Therapies, will present on a study that used Ultima Whole-Genome Sequencing (WGS) to sequence samples from patients from various cancer types (breast, lung, cholangiocarcinoma, and melanoma) treated with a variety of therapies, providing much more detail about tumor evolution than whole-exome sequencing. Dr. Juric can frame the new approach in its broader context and how the plummeting costs of WGS could help to advance the study of tumor evolution and resistance.
Innovative Imaging System Yields Insights into Cancer Dependencies
When: Apr. 16, 2023, 3:22 PM - 3:37 PM
What: Dr. Klempner, a medical oncologist is available to speak with reporters about a cutting-edge approach developed to probe primary cancer cells to map cancer dependencies — potential targets for cancer treatment. At AACR, the team will present data on using the new imaging system on cells from patients with gastroesophageal cancer. Dr. Klempner can speak to the potential applications of the new technology and steps toward clinical impact.
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About Mass General Brigham
Mass General Brigham is an integrated academic health care system, uniting great minds in medicine to make life-changing impact for patients in our communities and people around the world. Mass General Brigham connects a full continuum of care across a system of academic medical centers, community and specialty hospitals, a health insurance plan, physician networks, community health centers, home care, and long-term care services. Mass General Brigham is a non-profit organization that is committed to patient care, research, teaching, and service to the community. In addition, Mass General Brigham is one of the nation’s leading biomedical research organizations and a principal teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School. For more information, please visit massgeneralbrigham.org.