Cancer Immunotherapy Research Updates Panel at 2019 CRI Immunotherapy Patient Summit in NYC

Dr. Vamsidhar Velcheti moderates a panel with Drs. Sylvia Adams, Claire Friedman, and Gulam A. Manji on the latest scientific and clinical research in immunotherapy. https://www.cancerresearch.org/summit #CRIsummit #immunotherapy

During the research update panel at the 2019 CRI Immunotherapy Summit in New York City, Dr. Adams discussed the importance of understanding biomarkers to provide breast cancer patients with appropriate treatments. Dr. Manji pointed to the need for future research to determine the best way to combine immunotherapies with each other as well as with other treatments (chemotherapy, radiation, surgery) to extend its benefits to more patients. Dr. Friedman relies on a shared decision-making approach with her patients to provide their care, so they are well-informed of their potential options and whether or not immunotherapy is right for them.

Dr. Vamsidhar Velcheti, director of thoracic medical oncology at the Perlmutter Cancer Centers and specializes in treating patients who have thoracic malignancies, such as lung cancer and mesothelioma. #lcsm

Dr. Sylvia Adams is a medical oncologist caring for patients with breast cancer at NYU Langone Health Perlmutter Cancer Center. She has expertise in the development and conduct of cancer immunotherapy trials. #bcsm

Dr. Claire Friedman is a medical oncologist who specializes in treating gynecologic cancers at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. These include uterine (endometrial) cancer, uterine sarcoma, ovarian cancer, and cervical cancer. Her particular expertise is in using immunotherapy to treat these diseases. #gyncsm

Dr. Gulam Manji, M.D., Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Dr. Manji cares for patients with gastrointestinal malignancies, with a particular focus on pancreatic and gastric cancers, and sarcomas. He also conducts translational research on combination immunotherapy studies and leads many ongoing clinical trials. #pancsm

The 2019 CRI Immunotherapy Summit in New York City was held at NYU Langone Health Perlmutter Cancer Center on September 7, 2019. Cancer Research Institute Immunotherapy Patient Summits are free half-day Saturday events that provide a forum for patients, caregivers, and advocates to meet together along with scientific and healthcare experts to learn more about how new breakthroughs in immunotherapy are changing standards of care for all cancers. Register at https://www.cancerresearch.org/summit

The CRI Immunotherapy Patient Summit Series is part of the Cancer Research Institute's Answer to Cancer Patient Education Program. Established in 1953, the Cancer Research Institute (CRI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is dedicated to harnessing our immune system's power to control and potentially cure all cancers. To accomplish this, we rely on donor support and collaborative partnerships to fund and carry out the most innovative clinical and laboratory research around the world, support the next generation of the field's leaders, and serve as the trusted source of information on immunotherapy for cancer patients and their caregivers. Our Mission: Save more lives by fueling the discovery and development of powerful immunotherapies for all types of cancer. https://www.cancerresearch.org