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Cancer Patient Lab

June 18, 2025 - Cancer Patient Lab Session 148 Join the discussion: https://community.cancerpatientlab.org A full transcript will be available soon. “The reason this is a powerful tool, and one that we advocate strongly for in the oncology community, and one that we actively try to develop and promote the development of new assays for, is because it is less invasive than a standard biopsy and has a lot of functionality that can help improve patients’ lives.” – Jenn Dickey, PhD “As Allen said, ‘You're just getting lead time. It doesn't change the outcome.’ Well, I'm Exhibit A for the fact that that's wrong, and I not only got a liquid biopsy, it wasn't without the advice of a physician, it was against the advice of my physician. He said, ‘Don't do it. They don't work. You're just going to get a false positive, and it's going to scare you.’ One of the very few things that my doctors agree on now is I probably wouldn't be here if I hadn't done that. So you can make all the statistical arguments you want on patient advocacy. I'm not a statistic. I'm a person. And I wouldn't be here without it.” – Roger Royse “We take the information to our physicians, and we ask for things. We promote the use of technologies of benefit for us, directly to our physicians, as I did recently, because I'm interested in detection in my own body, from my treated and apparently now indolent prostate cancer. Using circulating tumor DNA detection to see if there's something growing that is not being picked up by my PSA. My oncologist said he didn't know anything about this. I said, ‘Well, I want this. Could you please research it and find out how to get it for me? Should I get circulating tumor cell counts or should I get a CtDNA screen, quantitative to what percentage of my circulating DNA is tumor DNA, and then if it's detected, can it be genomically profiled?’” – Paul Van Camp, MD “In the base case of tissue assessment for comprehensive genomic profiling, there have been several recent publications that indicated that approaching 75% of advanced, non-small-cell lung cancer patients are getting comprehensive genomic profiling, and then the numbers fall precipitously by tumor type after that. In the words of our founder of Personal Genome Diagnostics, ‘I view it as a sin.’ In an advanced cancer space, to not have comprehensive genomic profiling of some sort in the era of precision medicine with so many targeted therapies is a real and present danger to our advancement in this space.” – Jenn Dickey, PhD Meeting Summary Cancer patients and caregivers need to understand liquid biopsies because these non-invasive tests can provide valuable information about your cancer, guiding treatment decisions, monitoring treatment effectiveness, and detecting early signs of recurrence or progression. Liquid biopsies offer a more convenient and less risky alternative to traditional tissue biopsies, particularly if you have advanced or recurrent cancer. This allows for more frequent and less risky monitoring of cancer progression and response to treatment. Experts believe liquid biopsies can potentially revolutionize cancer care by making it more accurate, accessible, and personalized. Lauren Leiman, Executive Director, BLOODPAC, (Blood Profiling Atlas in Cancer), and Jennifer Dickey, PhD, of Labcorp, are uniquely qualified to lead a discussion on the cutting edge of liquid biopsies. The BLOODPAC Consortium was launched in 2016 to accelerate the development and validation of liquid biopsy tests to improve the outcomes of patients with cancer. It includes representatives from academia, private foundations, industry and government. Discussion topics include: Why might liquid biopsies be useful for you in your cancer journey? How can liquid biopsies complement other tests? How should you decide which service provider you should select for your liquid biopsy? How can you access liquid biopsies, e.g., tips for persuading your doctor that you should get a liquid biopsy, navigating reimbursement? How can you learn more about liquid biopsies in cancer care? ● Visit the BLOODPAC website for resources and educational materials; offer to provide the patient perspective on the development and implementation of liquid biopsy technologies ● Contact Lauren Leiman at lauren at bloodpac.org or Jenn Dickey at jennifer.dickey at labcorp.com The information and opinions expressed on this website or platform, or during discussions and presentations (both verbal and written) are not intended as health care recommendations or medical advice by Cancer Patient Lab, its principals, presenters, participants, or representatives for any medical treatment, product, or course of action. You should always consult a doctor about your specific situation before pursuing any health care program, treatment, product or other course of action that might affect your health.
Accessing the Latest Developments in Liquid Biopsies, with Lauren Leiman and Jenn Dickey
July 10, 2024 - Cancer Patient Lab Session 105 Join the discussion: https://community.cancerpatientlab.org A full transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iFDjN19NoO_rfCUZm2JLPZ9OZojRZm6sN2QWGDx8FNg/edit?usp=sharing “I led a clinical trial testing phenelzine. It’s one of the oldest MAOIs, but clinically available and used. What I found was that 24% of the patients had a PSA decline. That was definitely encouraging. But even more, about a third of the patients had no progression.” – Mitchell Gross, MD, PhD Meeting Summary Cancer researchers are constantly searching for unique characteristics of cancer cells and cancer evolution that they might be able to target with drugs. One such unique characteristic in prostate cancer and treatment-resistant cancers is high expression of an enzyme, monoamine oxidase A (MAOA). MAOA acts like a garbage disposal for certain chemicals which transmit signals between nerve cells in the brain. MAOA also plays a role in promoting cancer growth, metastasis, and drug resistance. Elevated MAOA expression in cancer cells is associated with poorer survival. If we could inhibit MAOA, perhaps we could inhibit the growth of cancer. Mitchell Gross, MD, PhD, Faculty and Senior Director, Clinical Translational Program, and Associate Professor, USC Keck School of Medicine at the Ellison Institute of Technology Los Angeles, is uniquely qualified to talk about the potential of MAOA inhibitors in cancer care. His group recently published the results of the first clinical trial demonstrating clinical activity of a MAOA inhibitor in patients with recurrent prostate cancer. They have also recently identified new chemical structures and drugs designed to specifically target MAOA enzyme activity outside of the central nervous system to avoid the potential for brain-related adverse effects which may be associated with these treatments. His overall research interest focuses on applying modern techniques relating to the study of genes and proteins (genomics and proteomics) on the clinical problems faced in treating patients with prostate cancer. A particular interest relates to the androgen receptor and related proteins and pathways as key driving forces behind the development and treatment of prostate cancer. As a medical oncologist, his clinical activities are focused on therapeutic clinical trials incorporating both molecularly targeted and conventional therapies to the care of patients with prostate cancer. He serves as primary investigator on many multicenter phase 1 and 2 clinical trials. Dr. Gross has earned degrees from the University of California, San Diego (B.A.), Baylor College of Medicine in Houston (M.D.), and the University of California, Los Angeles (Ph.D. Molecular Biology). He completed a residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in hematology and medical oncology at the UCLA Center for the Health Sciences. Discussion topics include: Why is MAOA a promising targeted approach for multiple cancer types, particularly prostate cancer? ● MAOA is highly expressed in high-grade prostate cancer, and is upregulated in treatment-resistant cancers. It helps to control the balance of chemicals inside cells and also helps to control how genes are switched on and off. Research has shown that MAOA plays a role in promoting cancer cell growth, metastasis, and immune evasion in prostate cancer. ● MAOA inhibitors, like phenelzine, have been shown to decrease cancer growth in animal models. It can be combined with other treatments, like androgen deprivation therapy or immune checkpoint inhibitors, to enhance anti-cancer effects. What additional preclinical research is needed to better understand the anti-cancer mechanisms of MAOIs and optimize MAOI use in cancer treatment? For which cancer patients might MAOIs be relevant? Patients with prostate cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, glioblastoma (brain cancer), colorectal cancer, melanoma, and Hodgkin's lymphoma.; and treatment-resistant cancers Can you access MAOIs for cancer treatment today? How can you learn more about using MAOIs as a cancer treatment? ● Review Dr. Mitchell Gross's published research on monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) in prostate cancer; contact Dr. Gross at mgross at emila.org ● Consult with oncologists specializing in prostate cancer who are familiar with repurposing drugs and with your medical team ● Follow clinical trials investigating MAOIs in cancer treatment The information and opinions expressed on this website or platform, or during discussions and presentations (both verbal and written) are not intended as health care recommendations or medical advice by Cancer Patient Lab, its principals, presenters, participants, or representatives for any medical treatment, product, or course of action. You should always consult a doctor about your specific situation before pursuing any health care program, treatment, product or other course of action that might affect your health.
"Repurposing an Antidepressant Against Prostate and Other Cancers” - Dr. Mitchell Gross, MD, PhD
June 11, 2025 - Cancer Patient Lab Session 147 Join the discussion: https://community.cancerpatientlab.org A full transcript: docs.google.com/document/d/1frvhTjMeOraPVTzna62WqxCSktlJvifl-HepiQ6wXso/edit?usp=sharing “We came to the realization that there are many potential interventions that we refer to as ‘financial orphans’, that are implementable today and for which there is no real unified advocate. “You are probably familiar with checkpoint blockade. This is clearly one of the biggest developments of the last 10 years or so. Durable responses have now been seen in many different solid tumor types. That's the good news. The bad news is these are very expensive, and there are serious immune related adverse events that do occur at fairly high frequency. The efficacy ranges between 15 or 20% to 50% depending on tumor type, but for the most part, it's on the lower side of that number. The question that we asked ourselves is: ‘Can we do better? Can we do better now? Can we do better now with inexpensive treatments?’ And the answer I'd like to posit to you is ‘Possibly. Yes.’” – Vikas Sukhatme, MD, ScD Meeting Summary Cancer patients and caregivers face challenges with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Immune checkpoint inhibitors are some of the most widely prescribed cancer drugs, several representing $10 billion in annual sales. While immune checkpoint inhibitors have revolutionized the treatment of many cancers, a significant portion of patients do not respond -- roughly 20% to 30% respond, and durable responses are limited to a minority. Increasing the effectiveness of immune checkpoint inhibitors can have significant impacts. Vikas Sukhatme, MD, ScD, professor of medicine at Emory University and the founding director of the Morningside Center for Innovative and Affordable Medicine at Emory University, and his wife, Vidula Sukhatme, MS, co-founder and CEO of GlobalCures, are uniquely qualified to lead a discussion about complementary therapies that can increase the effectiveness of immune checkpoint inhibitors. The Morningside Center was created to address the lack of financial incentives that inhibit the promotion of potentially effective and affordable medical treatments -- "financial orphans". Dr. Sukhatme completed a bachelor's degree and then a doctorate (ScD) in theoretical physics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and he received an MD from Harvard Medical School in the Harvard-MIT program in Health Sciences and Technology. He spent two years at Stanford in immunology research. Vidula Sukhatme is an Instructor in the Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University. She is a co-founder of the Morningside Center and is the founding CEO of GlobalCures, which searches published scientific papers to identify and prioritize repurposed drugs, nutritional products, and lifestyles that may be of value to cancer patients. Discussion topics include: How have immune checkpoint inhibitors revolutionized cancer treatment? Should you consider getting an immune checkpoint inhibitor? How can you increase the effectiveness of immune checkpoint inhibitors? How can you access these complementary therapies? How can you learn more about complementary therapies for immune checkpoint inhibitors? Visit the Morningside Center's website for ongoing research and information and join their patient cancer registry to contribute and learn about emerging therapies Consult with oncologists who are open to exploring complementary approaches Review the scientific literature If you are going to get immune checkpoint inhibitors, talk with your medical team about the complementary interventions discussed. Contact Vidula Sukhatme at Vidula at Global-cures.org or Vikas Sukhatme at vsukhatme at emory.edu. See other discussions that touch on complementary therapies and immune checkpoint inhibitors: "Personalized Cancer Vaccines" (Willy Hoos) [Session 29] “Update on Immunotherapies for Metastatic Castrate Resistant Prostate Cancer” (Sumit Subudhi) [Session 66] “Update on Prostate Cancer Treatments, Especially Radiopharmaceuticals” (Oliver Sartor, MD) [Session 122] “Finding Personalized Cancer Treatments Beyond the Standard through a Unique Test” (Travera) [Session 77] “How I Help Patients Access New Diagnostics” (Joanne Weidhaas, MD, PhD, MSM) [#138] The information and opinions expressed on this website or platform, or during discussions and presentations (both verbal and written) are not intended as health care recommendations or medical advice by Cancer Patient Lab, its principals, presenters, participants, or representatives for any medical treatment, product, or course of action. You should always consult a doctor about your specific situation before pursuing any health care program, treatment, product or other course of action that might affect your health.
Increasing the Effectiveness of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors - Vikas Sukhatme MD and Vidula Sukhatme
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Roger Royse - FDA Advisory Committe

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