Cancer Research Insights & News

Cancer Commons has launched a new clinical study that features drug sensitivity testing—laboratory testing of individual patients’ cancer cells to identify drugs that might work for them. Here, our Curious Dr. George asks Cancer Commons Director of Clinical Sciences Prajit Pillai, PhD, MBA, about the study.

The study is open to patients with any advanced cancer at any cancer hospital in the United States. Patients participate with their own oncologist, with no travel to a trial site required.

Curious Dr. George chats with Cancer Commons scientist Amanda Nottke, PhD, to explore the latest insights on this intriguing possibility.

Curious Dr. George speaks with Mayo Clinic oncologist Javier Munoz, MD, MS, MBA.

Curious Dr. George poses that question to leukemia expert Mark R. Litzow, MD.

Curious Dr. George interviews Doug, president and CEO of Lungpacer Medical, about this novel approach.

Curious Dr. George spoke with Stuart L. Marcus, MD, PhD, founder and Chief Science Officer of SonALAsense.

Curious Dr. George (George Lundberg, MD) posed the question to Mayo Clinic oncologist Sameer A. Parikh, MBBS.

Curious Dr. George catches up with Dennis Watson, Vice President of Business Development, to learn how Travera’s services have progressed.

Curious Dr. George chats with Harvard oncologist Jon Arnason, MD.

Curious Dr. George talks with Brad about his work.

Curious Dr. George talks with our Director of Technology, Michael Kramer, about how Cancer Commons can help shape the future of AI in oncology.

Curious Dr. George poses the question to expert oncologist Jerald. Radich, MD, MA, MS.

Cancer patients often ask their doctors, “What would you do if you were me?” Here, our Curious Dr. George asks Stanford University School of Medicine oncologist Pauline Funchain, MD, how she would handle her own diagnosis of advanced melanoma.

Curious Dr. George chats with the company’s president and CEO, Michael Schmainda, about critical new advancements.

When facing a new cancer diagnosis, some people ask their doctors, “What would you do if you were me?” Here, our Curious Dr. George asks Al Musella, DPM, how he would handle his own case of glioblastoma, a type of brain tumor. Dr. Musella is President of the Musella Foundation For Brain Tumor Research & Information, Inc., a partner of Cancer Commons.

When facing a frightening new cancer diagnosis, some people ask their doctors, “What would you do if you were me?” Here, our Curious Dr. George asks Daniel E.C. Fein, MD, how he would handle his own case of advanced bladder cancer. Dr. Fein is a genitourinary oncologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) in Boston, MA, as well as an Instructor in Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

For most people with breast cancer, a lump is the first sign that leads to diagnosis. But some cases are not detected until after spread has already occurred. Here, our Curious Dr. George asks Richard B. Schwab, MD, how he would approach such a case if his own wife were the patient. Dr. Schwab is Senior Medical Director at Genentech Product Development Oncology.

When facing a new cancer diagnosis, some people ask their doctors, “What would you do if you were me?” Here, our Curious Dr. George asks oncologist Christina Wu, MD, how she would handle her own diagnosis of metastatic colorectal cancer. Dr. Wu is a Professor of Medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona.

A new cancer diagnosis is overwhelming. Patients often ask their doctors, “What would you do if you were me?” Here, our Curious Dr. George asks lung cancer expert Howard (Jack) West, MD, FASCO, how he would handle his own diagnosis of advanced lung cancer. Dr. West is a Princeton- and Harvard-educated oncologist with additional training and experience in Boston and Seattle focusing on lung cancer. He is now Vice President of Clinical Development at Summit Therapeutics.

When facing a new cancer diagnosis, some people ask their doctors, “What would you do if you were me?” Here, our Curious Dr. George asks Marc B. Garnick, MD, how he would handle his own advanced prostate cancer. Dr. Garnick is the Gorman Brothers Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School (HMS) and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, MA. He is also Editor in Chief of the HMS Annual Report on Prostate Diseases.

Randomized, controlled clinical trials with a large N—number of participants—are the recognized “gold standard” of evidence-based medicine. Even so, the results of large-N trials can only reveal population averages, and are not predictive of any individual’s response to a given treatment. On the other hand, one can consider every patient with cancer as the sole participant in their own clinical trial with an Nof1, even if the trial is not officially registered, reported, or supported like a traditional trial. Here, our Curious Dr. George discusses the value of the “n-of-1” approach with Glenn Sabin, director of strategy and business development at Cancer Commons. Sabin is a 33-year cancer thriver and author of n of 1: One Man’s Harvard-Documented Remission of Incurable Cancer Using Only Natural Methods.

When facing a frightening new cancer diagnosis, some people ask their doctors, “What would you do if you were me?” Previously, our Curious Dr. George asked leukemia expert Adam Asch, MD, how he would handle his own hypothetical case of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). Now, Dr. Asch provides an updated answer, highlighting the new option of clinical trials offering novel targeted therapies for some AML patients. Dr. Asch is Professor of Medicine and Nancy Johnson Records Chair of Oncology at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine.

For people with recurring or drug-resistant cancer, choosing the best-possible next treatment can pose a huge challenge. Our Curious Dr. George asks Chris Apfel, MD, PhD, MBA—Founder, CEO, and Board Chair of SageMedic Corp.—about his company’s solution for many of these patients.

In cancer treatment, time is of the essence. Our Curious Dr. George asks Kevin B. Knopf, MD, MPH, Chief Medical Officer at Cadex Genomics, how his company’s new test, Alibrex, could rapidly reveal how well a given treatment is working for a given patient.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved hundreds of drugs for the treatment of cancer. However, some approved drugs are more effective for certain patients than others. Our curious Dr. George asks Carla Grandori, MD, PhD, Founder and CEO of SEngine Precision Medicine, about her company’s test to detect which drugs are likely to be most effective for a given patient’s solid tumor.

Today, many cancer patients benefit from targeted drugs that are matched to the distinct genetic mutations found in their tumors. However, especially in late-stage cancer, this “precision oncology” strategy has not proven to be as transformative as people once hoped. Here, Curious Dr. George asks Clifford A. Reid, PhD, CEO of Travera, how his company is addressing this problem.

After facing his own cancer, Marty Tenenbaum, PhD, founded Cancer Commons to help others dealing with the disease. Here, Curious Dr. George asks him to share what he has learned.