News Release

UH Seidman Cancer Center experts to present data at 52nd ASCO Annual Meeting

Presentations highlight the ASCO 2016 theme, 'Future of Patient-Centered Care and Research'

Peer-Reviewed Publication

University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center

CLEVELAND: Researchers from University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine will present data from several new studies, including a study that built an online tool used to estimate individualized survival for patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma (GBM), at the 52nd American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Chicago. ASCO 2016, held June 3-7, will be attended by 30,000 oncology professionals from around the world.

Jill Barnholtz-Sloan, PhD, Associate Director for Bioinformatics, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center and Associate Director for Translational Informatics, Institute for Computational Biology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, will present data from a study aimed at building and independently validating a nomogram to estimate individualized survival probabilities for patients with newly diagnosed GBM, using data from two independent NRG Oncology/Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) clinical trials. GBM is one of the most common and fatal forms of primary brain cancer, and current options for outcome prediction in patients with glioblastomas are based on inexact measures that can make therapeutic decision-making a challenge.

"Clinically there is a utility to arming physicians with a way to discuss survivability with patients," says Dr. Barnholtz-Sloan, who is also Associate Professor at the School of Medicine. "Survival is a common question that glioblastoma patients pose to their doctors, and this tool will help doctors to have answers for their patients."

In order to make this tool easy to use and clinically accessible, Dr. Barnholtz-Sloan and a team of researchers have established an easy to use online tool for assessment of individualized survival probabilities (at 6, 12, and 24 months) for patients with newly diagnosed GBM. The online tool can be found at: http://cancer4.case.edu/rCalculator/rCalculator.html

Also at ASCO 2016, Michael K. Gibson, MD, PhD, is co-investigator in an oral presentation on findings related to a promising new treatment for patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) after platinum and cetuximab failure. The research team presented preliminary data from a national study - KEYNOTE-055 - showing that pembrolizumab may benefit patients with this aggressive form of cancer, for which current treatments have limited efficacy.

Dr. Gibson is a medical oncologist with UH Seidman Cancer Center and Associate Professor of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.

Neal Meropol, MD, will present an education session titled "Are Clinical Trials Right for Me? Creating an Online Decision-Making Tool for Patients". Dr. Meropol will discuss shared decision-making in the care of patients as a strategy to increase participation in and knowledge about cancer clinical trials.

"Although clinical trials are the key to developing new, better cancer treatments, very few cancer patients participate in them," says Dr. Meropol, Chief of Hematology and Oncology at UH Seidman Cancer Center and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. "To increase participation, we need to improve patients' knowledge and attitudes, and better facilitate treatment decision-making."

"The studies our faculty members are presenting at ASCO illustrate the remarkable advances in oncology taking place at our clinical and research centers," says Stan Gerson, MD, Director of UH Seidman Cancer Center and Case Comprehensive Cancer Center at Case Western Reserve. "These studies are representative of the tremendous level of innovation each researcher brings to their respective fields."

Presentations by UH Researchers at ASCO 2016 include:

Individualizing Care for Older Adults Across the Cancer Care Continuum: Emerging Evidence and Collective Wisdom
Education Session: Cynthia Owusu, MD, MS
Presentation: Assessing and Minimizing Functional Decline During and After Chemotherapy
June 4 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m., McCormick Place, S103
https://iplanner.asco.org/am2016/#/session/11368

Predicted benefit of alternative post-treatment surveillance strategies in stage II and III colon cancer survivors
Abstract 3623: Johnie Rose, MD, PhD
Poster Session: Gastrointestinal (Colorectal) Cancer
June 4, 8:00 - 11:30 a.m., Hall A
http://abstract.asco.org/176/AbstView_176_170242.html

Preliminary Results from KEYNOTE-055: Pembrolizumab after Platinum and Cetuximab Failure in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC)
Abstract 6011: Michael Gibson, MD, PhD
Session: Clinical Science Symposium: Harnessing the Immune System in Head and Neck Cancer: Evolving Standards in Metastatic Disease
June 4, 8:00 - 11:30 a.m., Hall A
http://abstract.asco.org/176/AbstView_176_166094.html

Randomized phase II study of cisplatin and etoposide versus temozolomide and capecitabine in patients (pts) with advanced G3 non-small cell gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine carcinomas (GEPNEC): A trial of the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group (EA2142)
Abstract TPS4149: Jennifer Eads, MD
Poster Session: June 4, 8:00 - 11:30 a.m., Hall A
http://abstract.asco.org/176/AbstView_176_171297.html

An independently validated nomogram for individualized estimation of survival among patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma: NRG oncology/RTOG 0525 and 0825
Abstract 2007: Jill Barnholtz-Sloan, PhD
Oral Abstract Session: Central Nervous System Tumors
June 5, 8:00 - 11:00 a.m., S100a
http://abstract.asco.org/176/AbstView_176_170230.html

Opportunities for Collective Decision-Making in Clinical Practice
Education session: Neal Meropol, MD
Presentation: Are Clinical Trials Right for Me? Creating an Online Decision-Making Tool for Patients
June 5, 11:30 - 11:50 a.m., S404
https://iplanner.asco.org/am2016/#/session/11195

HCRN GU14-188: Neoadjuvant pembrolizumab (P) and gemcitabine (G) with or without cisplatin (C) in muscle invasive urothelial cancer (MIUC)
Abstract TPS4578: Chris Hoimes, DO
Poster Session: Genitourinary (Nonprostate) Cancer
June 6, 1:00 - 4:30 p.m., Hall A
http://abstract.asco.org/176/AbstView_176_170957.html

Predictors of unplanned hospitalizations among older adults receiving cancer chemotherapy
Abstract 10057: Cynthia Owusu, MD, MS
Poster Session: Patient and Survivor Care
June 6, 1:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m., Hall A
http://abstract.asco.org/176/AbstView_176_171200.html

Complex association between social support and chemotherapy-related toxicities in older cancer patients
Abstract 10036: Cynthia Owusu, MD, MS
Poster Session: Patient and Survivor Care
June 6, 1:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m., Hall A
http://abstract.asco.org/176/AbstView_176_162843.html

Phase I/II study of niraparib plus pembrolizumab in patients with triple-negative breast cancer or recurrent ovarian cancer
Abstract TPS5599: Shaveta Vinayak, MD
Poster Session: Gynecologic Cancer
June 6, 1:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m., Hall A
http://abstract.asco.org/176/AbstView_176_165149.html

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About University Hospitals

Founded in May 1866, University Hospitals serves the needs of patients through an integrated network of 18 hospitals, more than 40 outpatient health centers and primary care physician offices in 15 counties throughout Northeast Ohio. At the core of our $4 billion health system is University Hospitals Case Medical Center, ranked among America's best hospitals by U.S. News & World Report. The primary affiliate of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, UH Case Medical Center is home to some of the most prestigious clinical and research programs in the nation, including cancer, pediatrics, women's health, orthopaedics, radiology, neuroscience, cardiology and cardiovascular surgery, digestive health, transplantation and genetics. Its main campus includes UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, ranked among the top children's hospitals in the nation; UH MacDonald Women's Hospital, Ohio's only hospital for women; and UH Seidman Cancer Center, part of the NCI-designated Case Comprehensive Cancer Center at Case Western Reserve University. UH is the second largest employer in Northeast Ohio with 26,000 employees. For more information, go to http://www.UHhospitals.org.


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