News May 2010
Dr. Steven O’Day to Present Plenary at ASCO
The Angeles Clinic is pleased to congratulate our Chief of Clinical Research, Dr. Steven O’Day, on being chosen to present at the Plenary Session of the upcoming American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Meeting. ASCO is the world's leading professional organization representing physicians who treat patients with cancer (see box page 2). Dr. O’Day will preset data from A phase III, randomized, double-blind, multicenter study comparing monotherapy with ipilimumab or gp100 peptide vaccine and the combination in patients with previously treated, unresectable stage III or IV melanoma.
Ipilimumab is a fully human antibody that binds to CTLA-4 (cytotoxic T lymphocyte associate antigen 4), a molecule on Tcells that is believed to play a critical role in regulating natural immune response, The presence of CTLA-4 supresses the immune system’s T-cell response in fighting disease. By blocking the activity of CTLA-4, Ipilimumab sustaining an active immune response in its fight against cancer cells.
Ipilimumab has been utilized in the clinic to treat lung cancer, prostate cancer, bladder cancer, and melanoma. The Angeles Clinic has been involved with Ipilimumab since its beginnings in cancer therapy and has been instrumental in its development. Ipilimumab is currently available for patients with metastatic melanoma as part of the clinical trials program at The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute.
Dr. O’Day received his B.A in chemistry from Williams College in Massachusetts (1979-1983) followed by a program in Medical Ethics at Oxford University (1983-1984). He attended medical school (1984-1988) and completed internship and residency training (1988-1991) at Johns Hopkins University and Hospital in Baltimore. He completed his medical oncology and clinical research training (1991-1994) at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston.
Dr. O’Day began his career in Academic Research at the Dana Farber Cancer Center. Today, as Chief of Research and Director of the Melanoma Program at The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute, Dr. O'Day is recognized as one of the pre-eminent melanoma specialists in the United States. Dr. O'Day's research has focused on novel treatments for patients with advanced melanoma. He is a national and international expert specializing in the biologic therapy of cancer. He has been an innovator in novel biochemotherapeutic regimens and piloted a new maintenance biotherapy regimen in patients responding to upfront biochemotherapy in efforts to delay progression and improve survival. The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute congratulates Dr. O’Day for this remarkable achievement and thanks all of our patients that have contributed to the completion of this important trial.
Dr. Cathie Chung Joins Breast Program at The Angeles Clinic May 2009
The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute is pleased to announce the recruitment of Dr, Cathie Chung to join the Breast Cancer Program. Dr. Chung comes from a similar position at The City of Hope Cancer Center.
Dr. Chung brings her expertise in novel biologic therapeutics and targeted agents to strengthen the Clinical Trial Program at The Angeles Clinic. Her basic science interest is involved with in biological treatment manipulations that interfere with how a cancer develops and grows. Her addition to the Breast and Women’s Cancers Program will ensuring that our patients will benefit from state of the art, paradigmchanging therapies that have progressed from the clinical laboratory to the bedside.
Dr. Chung has been recognized by her peers for her dedication to patient care. Always the first in the clinic and the last one to go home, she has been received multiple awards for excellence as a teacher and mentor to physicians training for a career in medical oncology.
Dr. Chung’s resume relates a career of contribution dedicated to the advancement of cancer care in academia and in the community. She began her career in Medical Oncology at Stanford University after completing fellowship training there.
Adding to her expertise in clinical care is a PhD in Physiology obtained at the University of Illinois.
We look forward to the Dr. Chung’s collaboration with Dr. Silvano Martino at The Angeles Clinic and Research Institte. To schedule an appointment with Dr Chung, call 310-582-7900.
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