Name: Advances in Immunotherapy for Pancreatic Cancer: Robert H. Vonderheide, MD, DPhil (Part 3)
Uploaded: 2019-08-13T00:00:00+00:00
Description: Dr. Robert H. Vonderheide, Director the Abramson Cancer Center at Penn Medicine, describes the pathology of pancreatic cancer as the primary challenge to treatment. He reviews recent advances—including combination chemotherapies and PARP inhibition for BRCA 1/2 subpopulations—that are beginning to redefine disease outcomes in some patients.

Dr. Robert H. Vonderheide, Director the Abramson Cancer Center at Penn Medicine, was the keynote speaker at the 2019 Immunology & Immunotherapy for Pancreatic Cancer Symposium at Penn Medicine.

He discussed the challenges that accompany the unique pathology of pancreatic cancer.

“As pancreas cancer forms, there are multiple mechanisms of immunosuppression,” he explained.

Known as a “cold” cancer, cancer of the pancreas is notorious for its capacity to evade the immune system. Dr. Vonderheide discussed how the paradigm for immunotherapy has been modified to address pancreatic cancer’s mutational challenges.

At the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, the Vonderheide Lab focuses on scientific research and clinical investigation to advance the understanding of tumor immunology, and works to develop novel immunotherapies for cancer.

Advances in Immunotherapy for Pancreatic Cancer: Robert H. Vonderheide, MD, DPhil (Part 2)