Publications by authors named "D A Rubinson"
Preclinical studies suggest that simultaneous HER2/VEGF blockade may have cooperative effects in gastroesophageal adenocarcinomas. In a single-arm investigator initiated clinical trial for patients with untreated advanced HER2+ gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma, bevacizumab was added to standard of care capecitabine, oxaliplatin, and trastuzumab in 36 patients (NCT01191697). Primary endpoint was objective response rate and secondary endpoints included safety, duration of response, progression free survival, and overall survival.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBlockade of IL1β and PD1 with Combination Chemotherapy Reduces Systemic Myeloid Suppression in Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer with Heterogeneous Effects in the Tumor.
Cancer Immunol Res
September 2024
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates the effects of blocking IL1β in combination with PD1 blockade and chemotherapy on myeloid immunosuppression and T-cell responses in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.
- Results showed a slight increase in activated CD8+ T cells and a reduction in myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in the blood of trial patients compared to those receiving standard chemotherapy.
- However, changes in the tumor microenvironment were minimal, suggesting that larger studies are needed to fully understand the impacts of these treatments on tumor immunity.
Article Synopsis
- Chemotherapy dosing traditionally relies on patient weight and height, which often leads to significant variations in drug levels, potentially causing under- or overdosing.
- A new closed-loop drug delivery system, known as CLAUDIA, can automatically adjust drug infusion rates to maintain target drug concentrations in patients, regardless of their individual pharmacokinetics.
- Tests showed that CLAUDIA effectively kept the concentration of 5-fluorouracil within range, unlike conventional BSA-based dosing, and is also more cost-effective, with potential for rapid clinical implementation.
Purpose: Several allelic variants of the gene encoding dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) are associated with impaired metabolism of the systemic fluoropyrimidine fluorouracil (5FU) and its oral prodrug, capecitabine, which elevates the risk for severe toxicity. Following a patient death related to capecitabine toxicity in which DPD deficiency was suspected, a multidisciplinary advisory panel was convened to develop an institution-wide approach to future patients planned for a systemic fluoropyrimidine.
Methods: The panel selected an opt-out testing strategy which focused on developing reliable processes to collect and report test results and targeted education.
Purpose: ERBB2-amplified colorectal cancer is a distinct molecular subtype with expanding treatments. Implications of concurrent oncogenic RAS/RAF alterations are not known.
Experimental Design: Dana-Farber and Foundation Medicine Inc.