Dr. Andrew Pecora to Present Groundbreaking Immunotherapy Research at 2019 Connective Tissue Oncology Society Annual Meeting in Japan

HACKENSACK, N.J., Nov. 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Hackensack Meridian Health Hackensack University Medical Center today announced that Andrew L. Pecora, M.D., FACP, CPE, a nationally recognized hematologist/oncologist, will be presenting two abstracts at the prestigious Connective Tissue Oncology Society (CTOS) 2019 Annual Meeting at the Hilton Tokyo Hotel in Tokyo, Japan from November 13-16.

"It is an honor to present our cutting-edge work to the world's leading sarcoma specialists," said Andrew L. Pecora, MD, FACP, CPE, chief executive officer, Outcomes Matter Innovations, co-chief of the John Theurer Cancer Center Skin and Sarcoma Division, professor of Medicine and Oncology at Georgetown University, associate dean of Technology and Innovation at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine at Seton Hall University. "We believe our findings, if confirmed in large trials, could lead to a transformation in clinical practice. The John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center is among the first to demonstrate that immunotherapy can result in durable remissions and potentially prolong life for patients with sarcoma who are resistant to all standard therapy."

Two abstracts were accepted for presentation at the annual meeting. The first abstract, "Rapid and durable responses to combination anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD-1 therapy among patients with chemotherapy/tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistant soft tissue and bone sarcomas," details the John Theurer Cancer Center's experience in treating refractory soft tissue and bone sarcoma with immunotherapy. During the course of their work, the John Theurer Cancer Center team saw major responses, including complete remissions. Specifically, the combination anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD-1 therapy led to meaningful and durable responses in one-third of patients. A median overall survival of 12 months was achieved for the entire cohort. Among the nine patients who achieved stable disease or better on Immuno-oncology agents, eight remain without progression with a median follow-up exceeding 19.5 months. These encouraging results warrant further studies on patients with refractory sarcoma, potentially to receive regulatory approval.

In the second abstract, "Rapid and complete remissions of chemotherapy/tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistant relapsed spontaneous and radiation induced angiosarcoma following treatment with combined anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD-1 therapy," team members saw a complete response in patients with refractory disease. Two patients who had previously failed conventional therapies both achieved complete clinical remissions within three cycles of combination Anti-CTLA-4 (Ipilimumab) 1mg/kg and Anti-PD-1 (Nivolumab) 240mg with no serious adverse immunologic events experienced to date.

Authors of both abstracts include: Dr. Andrew Pecora, Melinda Weber, DNP, RN, APN, AOCN, C.; Danielle Blair, RN, BSN, OCN; Eileen Beysel, RN, MSN, APN; Themba Nyirenda, Ph.D.; Elli Gourna Paleoudis MS, Ph.D. with the John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack Meridian Health.

CTOS is a non-profit professional medical organization whose members are a multidisciplinary group of specialized physicians, medical professionals, and scientists from around the world to connect, collaborate, and share their knowledge, experiences, and research for the advancement of treatment of sarcomas. For more information about the 2019 CTOS Annual Meeting, visit: https://www.ctos.org/Meeting/2019AnnualMeeting.aspx.

About Hackensack Meridian Health Hackensack University Medical Center
Hackensack Meridian Health Hackensack University Medical Center, a 781-bed nonprofit teaching and research hospital located in Bergen County, NJ, is the largest provider of inpatient and outpatient services in the state. Founded in 1888 as the county's first hospital, it is now part of the largest, most comprehensive and truly integrated health care network in New Jersey, offering a complete range of medical services, innovative research and life-enhancing care, which is comprised of 35,000 team members and more than 7,000 physicians. Hackensack University Medical Center is ranked #2 in New Jersey and #59 in the country in U.S. News & World Report's 2019-20 Best Hospital rankings and is ranked high-performing in the U.S. in  colon cancer surgery, lung cancer surgery, COPD, heart failure, heart bypass surgery, aortic valve surgery, abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, knee replacement and hip replacement. Out of 4,500 hospitals evaluated, Hackensack is one of only 57 that received a top rating in all nine procedures and conditions. Hackensack University Medical Center is one of only five major academic medical centers in the nation to receive Healthgrades America's 50 Best Hospitals Award for five or more years in a row. Becker's Hospital Review recognized Hackensack University Medical Center as one of the 100 Great Hospitals in America 2018. The medical center is one of the top 25 green hospitals in the country according to Practice Greenhealth, and received 26 Gold Seals of Approval™ by The Joint Commission – more than any other hospital in the country. It was the first hospital in New Jersey and second in the nation to become a Magnet® recognized hospital for nursing excellence; receiving its sixth consecutive designation in 2019. Hackensack University Medical Center has created an entire campus of award-winning care, including: John Theurer Cancer Center, a consortium member of the NCI-designated Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center; the Heart & Vascular Hospital; and the Sarkis and Siran Gabrellian Women's and Children's Pavilion, which houses the Joseph M. Sanzari Children's Hospital and Donna A. Sanzari Women's Hospital, which was designed with The Deirdre Imus Environmental Health Center® and listed on the Green Guide's list of Top 10 Green Hospitals in the U.S. Hackensack University Medical Center is the Hometown Hospital of the New York Giants and the New York Red Bulls and is Official Medical Services Provider to THE NORTHERN TRUST PGA Golf Tournament. It remains committed to its community through fundraising and community events especially the Tackle Kids Cancer Campaign providing much needed research at the Children's Cancer Institute housed at the Joseph M. Sanzari Children's Hospital. To learn more, visit www.HackensackUMC.org.

SOURCE Hackensack Meridian Health

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